Stephen Wiesner | |
|---|---|
 Wiesner in 1988 | |
| Born | August 30, 1942[citation needed] US |
| Died | August 12, 2021(2021-08-12) (aged 78–79) Jerusalem |
| Citizenship | US, Israel |
| Education | Brandeis University |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Known for |
|
| Notable work | Conjugate Coding, 1983 (published) |
| Parent(s) | Jerome Wiesner, Laya Wiesner |
| Awards | Rank Prize (2006)Micius Quantum Prize (2019) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | quantum information |
| Thesis | Experimental test of the rotational invariance of the weak interaction (1972) |
Stephen J. Wiesner (1942 – August 12, 2021)[1] was an American-Israeli research physicist, inventor and construction laborer. As a graduate student atColumbia University in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he discovered several of the most important ideas inquantum information theory, includingquantum money[2] (which led toquantum key distribution), quantum multiplexing[3] (the earliest example ofoblivious transfer) andsuperdense coding[4] (the first and most basic example of entanglement-assisted communication). Although this work remained unpublished for over a decade, it circulated widely enough in manuscript form to stimulate the emergence ofquantum information science in the 1980s and 1990s.
Stephen Wiesner is the son ofJerome Wiesner[5] and Laya Wiesner. He received his undergraduate degree fromBrandeis University. In 2006 he shared theRank Prize in Optoelectronics withCharles H. Bennett, andGilles Brassard for quantum cryptography. In 2019, he received one of sixMicius Quantum Prizes, along with Bennett, Brassard,Artur Ekert,Anton Zeilinger andPan Jianwei for quantum communication.
In the 1970’s, after leaving academia, he worked in many different Silicon Valley startups while also working on weekends at a fruits and vegetable distribution co-op. During this time he became interested in Judaism and in finding solutions for solar energy, clean energy and space migration.
After moving to Israel, in addition to his religious study, Wiesner worked part time in construction and as a surveyor. He continued to work constantly on inventions, ideas and prototypes, mostly related to clean energy, sustainability and space travel.[6][1] He remained affiliated with the Quantum Foundations & Information Group atTel Aviv University.[7][8]
   | This article about an Israeli scientist is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | This article about a physicist is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |