$12 Million Gift Establishes Leinweber Forum for Theoretical Physics at Caltech
The Leinweber Forum joins a premier academic network supporting faculty, students, and postdoctoral scholars at the frontiers of fundamental science.
The California Institute of Technology has received a $12 million gift from the Leinweber Foundation to establish the Leinweber Forum for Theoretical Physics at Caltech. The Leinweber Forum strengthens the Institute's long-standing leadership in foundational science by supporting faculty, students, and postdoctoral scholars as well as collaborative programming in theoretical physics. As part of the broader national network of Leinweber Institutes and Forums, Caltech will help foster a vibrant, cross-institutional community dedicated to advancing the frontiers of science.
"We are honored to be part of the Leinweber Foundation's extraordinary commitment to theoretical physics and grateful for the opportunity to advance the field through this new forum," says Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum, professor of physics and the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair. "The Leinweber Forum intensifies Caltech's pursuit of profound and challenging questions about the universe, amplifying the impact of fundamental discovery through dialogue with a national network of scholars."
The Leinweber Forum will build on the Institute's historic and ongoing contributions to theoretical physics, including those made by its Nobel laureate faculty. Richard Feynman's pioneering work on quantum electrodynamics (QED) laid the foundations of modern particle physics; Murray Gell-Mann's quark model revealed the underlying order of fundamental matter; William Fowler showed how chemical elements were formed by nuclear interactions in stars; David Politzer's discovery of asymptotic freedom established quantum chromodynamics (QCD) as the theory of the strong interactions; Kip Thorne's work on gravitational waves enabled their groundbreaking detection by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO); and John Hopfield's development of neural networks at Caltech catalyzed the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. More recently, Caltech's faculty have deepened our understanding of the connections between quantum mechanics and gravity, developed powerful new tools in quantum field theory, and invented ideas for robust quantum memories and fault-tolerant quantum computation.
The Leinweber Forum at Caltech is the latest addition to a growing national network funded by the Leinweber Foundation, joining Institutes at UC Berkeley, the University of Chicago, Stanford, MIT, the University of Michigan, and another Forum at the Institute for Advanced Study. Together, these institutions aim to strengthen the US theoretical physics community by championing early-career scientists and catalyzing new research collaborations.
"This gift reflects my deep belief that theoretical physics is essential to building the foundational knowledge on which all scientific progress depends," says Larry Leinweber, founder and president of the Leinweber Foundation. "Caltech exemplifies the kind of institution where curiosity, creativity, and rigorous inquiry thrive. By supporting its theoretical physics program and connecting it to a growing network of Leinweber Institutes and Forums, we're amplifying the impact of each institution—creating a collaborative environment where discovery is accelerated through shared insight and intellectual exchange." Including contributions from the network members, the Leinweber Foundation has now committed more than $130 million to theoretical physics research nationwide.
The Leinweber Forum will be housed in Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy and led by Professor of Theoretical Physics Clifford Cheung as its founding director. "It is a pivotal moment for theoretical physics at Caltech as our faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students tackle foundational questions about the laws and origins of the universe, the structure of the cosmos, and the potential for the quantum world to transform future technologies," says Cheung. "I am honored to serve in this role, and I especially value the Leinweber Foundation's vision for a collaborative network of scientists that is essential for ambitious research on enduring and fundamental puzzles."
The Leinweber Forum will include a premier postdoctoral fellowship program, with recipients designated as Leinweber Physics Fellows. Additionally, exceptional PhD students will receive funding and mentorship, positioning them to lead future advances in theoretical physics.
The Institute will contribute an additional $3 million, bringing total support to $15 million for the new initiative. This funding also will provide for research, visiting scholars, and other programmatic activities. The Leinweber Forum at Caltech will participate in biannual national convenings hosted by the network of Leinweber-supported institutions. The first of these is anticipated to take place in 2026, with Caltech expected to serve as a future host.
The new initiative will contribute to a cohort-building effort for early-career scientists as well. In addition to the institutional convenings, the Foundation plans to convene all current and former Leinweber Physics Fellows from participating institutions every two years, beginning in 2027.
"This gift recognizes both the historic excellence and the future promise of theoretical physics at Caltech," says Hirosi Ooguri, the Fred Kavli Professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics and the Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. "The Leinweber Forum will give our community the freedom to explore bold ideas and to connect more deeply with peers from across the country who share our passion for understanding the fundamental workings of the universe."