Prominent physicist Charles Kane of the University of Pennsylvania to be awarded the 2025 Lorentz Medal

Charles Kane, a distinguished physicist at the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) of our website, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Lorentz Medal. This prestigious award, one of the highest honors in theoretical physics, is presented every four years by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Kane's seminal research into material properties at the quantum level has earned him this recognition. His work has potential applications ranging from low power electronics to creating a topological quantum computer.

Kane's groundbreaking work initiated a new field in condensed matter physics, specifically on topological insulators. These materials, with a special kind of electrical conduction on their surface, are considered one of the greatest scientific advances of the past 25 years or more.

Kane's contributions to the prediction of specific materials for three-dimensional topological insulators were made in collaboration with Liang Fu, a doctoral student under his tutelage.

The materials predicted by Kane and Fu have the potential to host Majorana quasiparticles, exotic states that could advance quantum computing.

Throughout his career, Kane has taught physics courses at all levels, from advanced graduate topics to introductory courses for freshmen. His deep commitment to undergraduate and graduate education has earned him the university's highest teaching awards, including Penn's Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Mark Trodden, dean of SAS and Thomas S. Gates Jr. Professor of Physics and Astronomy, expressed his admiration for Kane's work and contributions, stating, "Charles Kane is a true pioneer in the field of condensed matter physics, and his contributions have had a profound impact on our understanding of quantum materials."

Kane's accolades include the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award, the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Benjamin Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute, the Dirac Prize of the International Center for Theoretical Physics, the Oliver Buckley Prize of the American Physical Society, and the Physics Frontiers Prize of the Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Kane will receive the Lorentz Medal on Dec. 11 in Leiden. This year, he is the 25th laureate since the Lorentz Medal's inception in 1925. The 2025 laureate of the Lorentz Medal, awarded to Eleonore Trefftz, will also be honoured during the ceremony.

Twenty years ago, Kane and longtime collaborator Eugene Mele developed a theoretical framework predicting the quantum spin-Hall effect, a novel state of matter. This work has led to the prediction of materials that conduct electrical flow on their surface while blocking it in their interior.

These advancements in quantum physics, led by Charles Kane, continue to push the boundaries of our understanding and could have significant implications for the future of technology.

Prominent physicist Charles Kane of the University of Pennsylvania to be awarded the 2025 Lorentz Medal