Stony Brook University will celebrate the life and enduring legacy of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Chen-Ning Yang with a symposium on Thursday, March 12, bringing together family members, colleagues, former students and friends whose lives and careers were shaped by his extraordinary influence.
The symposium — “C.N. Yang and His Impact on Stony Brook” — is hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics and will take place from 1 pm to 5:30 pm in the Charles B. Wang Center Theatre, followed by a reception.
A powerful figure in modern physics, Yang — known to many as “Frank” — was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking work on parity nonconservation, a discovery that reshaped scientists’ understanding of the fundamental laws of nature and transformed the field of physics. He joined Stony Brook University in 1966 and played a central role in establishing Stony Brook as a global center for theoretical physics.
The program will follow Yang’s journey from his early years to his arrival at Stony Brook, highlighting the vision that led to the creation of the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics, now internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading centers for theoretical research. Yang, who held the title of Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus, remained deeply connected to Stony Brook throughout his career. Speakers will reflect on Yang’s impact as a teacher, colleague and institutional leader, as well as his influence on generations of physicists.
“The arrival of Nobel laureate Frank Yang in 1966 instantly brought Stony Brook to the forefront of theoretical physics and to the world stage of scholarship,” said George Sterman, distinguished professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics. “His leadership over 33 years helped inspire an ongoing tradition of research excellence at the Institute and throughout the university.”
Already a Nobel laureate when he came to help build Stony Brook, Yang’s work continued to redefine the field. “After his arrival his Yang–Mills theories emerged as a foundation for the entire modern understanding of atomic nuclei and of radioactivity,” Sterman said, noting that Yang’s lifelong friendship with James Simons, which began at Stony Brook, “led the way to historic conversations at the frontiers of mathematics and physics,” a collaboration that is reflected in the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics and in a new tradition of philanthropic activities and resources on campus.
Sterman also highlighted Yang’s international impact. “While at Stony Brook, he was the first world-renowned scientist to visit China from abroad at the beginning of a new era, and he played a key role in the recreation of China’s scholarly and cultural relations with the U.S.,” he said. “Frank Yang’s impact worldwide in science and beyond is a shared legacy of the entire Stony Brook community.”
The symposium will feature remarks from university leadership, distinguished physicists and members of Yang’s family, along with panel discussions exploring his scientific contributions, his role in building Stony Brook’s physics community and his lasting legacy within the broader scientific world.
“There have been many Nobel Prize-winning physicists in history, but not all discoveries are equal,” said Chang Kee Jung, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “Frank Yang’s discovery of parity violation in the weak interaction with T.D. Lee was a paradigm-changing breakthrough that fundamentally altered our view of the universe.”
Jung added that the Yang–Mills theory Yang developed “forms the foundation of the Standard Model of particle interactions, which, in my view, merits another Nobel Prize.”
“In my opinion, Frank Yang is the most influential theoretical physicist since World War II and is a modern-day Einstein,” Jung said. “I cannot fathom the decision he made to leave the manicured lawns of Princeton for the muddy fields of Stony Brook. His arrival at Stony Brook was the singular defining moment in the university’s history. Frank was the central and leading figure who built the YITP, the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the university itself.”
“I chose to come to Stony Brook largely because of Frank’s presence — a decision I have never once regretted. I consider myself profoundly fortunate to have shared moments with him: to discuss ideas, to reflect on physics and life and simply to socialize,” Jung added. “His intellectual brilliance is matched by his quiet strength and humanity. His impact is immeasurable, and his legacy will endure not only in equations and theories but also in the generations of scholars he inspired and the institution he helped create and nurture.”
The symposium is open to the campus community and invited guests. Registration is requested by Wednesday, March 4. It will also be livestreamed on YouTube.
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