Dr. van Kolck is awarded 2019 Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize!

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Ubirajara van Kolck has been awarded the 2019 Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. The Koffler Prizes, established through the generosity of Henry and Phyllis Koffler in 2000, recognize outstanding accomplishment in the areas of teaching; research/scholarship/creative activity; or public service/outreach. This award honors individuals who have made major contributions to their fields, with emphasis on originality.

Professor Ubirajara van Kolck is known world wide for single-handedly reshaping the fundamental theory of nuclear forces. Dr. Ubirajara van Kolck main research is on Effective Field Theories (EFTs), in particular their applications to problems at the interface between particle and nuclear physics, and to problems in molecular physics. EFTs separate the energy scales in a physical system, and use their small ratios as parameters for controlled expansions of low-energy observables, even in the presence of strong interactions among many bodies. Nuclear systems are particularly interesting from a theoretical perspective as they require selective summations of terms in these expansions, while plenty of data exist to confront the theory. This recognition has in turn brought to the UA international acclaim. This work is used on a daily basis in the field and will likely continue to impact nuclear science and related fields of study in the far future. In recognition of Professor Ubirajara van Kolck research achievement at the highest level we are proud to congratulate him for this award. Thank you Dr. Johann Rafelski and Dr. Ken Johns for nominating him, he truly deserves this award!