Nico van Kampen

Nicolaas 'Nico' Godfried van Kampen
Born(1921-06-22)June 22, 1921
Leiden, Netherlands
DiedOctober 6, 2013(2013-10-06) (aged 92)
Nieuwegein, Netherlands
Alma materLeiden University
Known forVan Kampen expansion
Van Kampen modes
Scientific career
FieldsTheoretical physics
InstitutionsUtrecht University
Thesis Contributions to the quantum theory of light scattering
Doctoral advisorHendrik Anthony Kramers

Nicolaas 'Nico' Godfried van Kampen (June 22, 1921 – October 6, 2013) was a Dutch theoretical physicist, who worked mainly on statistical mechanics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics.[1]

Van Kampen was born in Leiden, and was a nephew of Frits Zernike. He studied physics at Leiden University, where in 1952 under the direction of Hendrik Anthony Kramers he earned his PhD with thesis Contributions to the quantum theory of light scattering.[2] He showed in his thesis how to deal with singularities in quantum mechanical scattering processes, an important step in the development of renormalization, according to Kramers.[3] Van Kampen made fundamental contributions to non-equilibrium processes (in particular on the master equation) and in many-body theory (especially in plasma physics). His work on non-equilibrium processes began in 1953 in the research group of Sybren Ruurds de Groot (the successor to Kramers) in Leiden. In 1955 Van Kampen joined the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University, where he later became full professor and professor emeritus after his retirement.[4][5]

His monograph Stochastic processes in physics and chemistry (1981) is considered a classic. In his 2002 book Waanwetenschap (Science), Van Kampen condemned what he saw as pseudoscience, even within the scientific community; the book met with a mixed reaction—five scientists, including Vincent Icke [nl], Floris Takens and Dennis Dieks, wrote a commentary on his book.[6] Van Kampen had 15 Dutch-type PhD students, including Barend Felderhof (1963), John Tjon (1964) and Johannes Roerdink (1983).[7]

Van Kampen was an uncle of the Dutch theoretical physicist and Nobel prize winner Gerard 't Hooft, and encouraged 't Hooft to study physics in Utrecht.[8] Van Kampen was a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences since 1973.[9] He died, aged 92, in Nieuwegein.

  1. ^ "Emeritus-hoogleraar Nico van Kampen overleden – BINNENLAND – PAROOL" (in Dutch). Parool.nl. 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  2. ^ Nico van Kampen (1952). "Contribution to the quantum theory of light scattering" (PDF). ilorentz.org. Lorentz Institute for theoretical physics, Leiden University. LCCN a52006862.
  3. ^ Kramers, H.A. (16 January 1952). "Laudatio uitgesproken door H.A. Kramers op 16 januari 1952, bij de promotie van Nicolaas Godfried van Kampen". ilorentz.org (in Dutch). Lorentz Institute for theoretical physics, Leiden University. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  4. ^ Rosalio F. Rodriguez, Nicholas G. van Kampen: brief biography, in: Alfredo Macías et al. (eds.), Developments in Mathematical and Experimental Physics: Cosmology and gravitation, Springer, 2002, p. 295 e.v.
  5. ^ Alberto Giovannini (ed.), The legacy of Léon Van Hove, World Scientific, 2000, p. 489. LCCN 00-46280 ISBN 981-02-4330-8
  6. ^ Jongeneel, Christiaan (29 January 2004). "Waanwetenschap als achterhoedegevecht". delta.tudelft.nl (in Dutch). TUDelta, weekly magazine Technical University Delft. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. ^ Nicolaas Godfried van Kampen at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
  8. ^ 't Hooft, G. (1999). "Gerardus 't Hooft – Autobiography". Nobel web. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  9. ^ "N.G. (Nico) van Kampen (1921 - 2013)" (in Dutch). Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 18 March 2016.