October 26, 2023
Barry Barish, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of gravitational waves, was recognized for exemplary service to science, including groundbreaking research on subatomic particles. “His leadership of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory led to the first detection of gravitational waves from merging black holes, confirming a key part of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. He has broadened our understanding of the universe and our Nation's sense of wonder and discovery,” the White House citation said.
Barish earned his bachelor’s degree in physics in 1957 and his doctorate in experimental particle physics in 1962, both from UC Berkeley.
UC Berkeley