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John Ziman

1925 – 2005

New Zealand physicist

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About John Ziman

Lived 1925 – 2005 (aged 79). John Ziman was a British and New Zealand physicist, university teacher and mathematician.

John Michael Ziman (16 May 1925 – 2 January 2005) He was a spokesman for science, as well as a teacher and author.

Ziman was born in Cambridge, England, in 1925. His parents were Solomon Netheim Ziman and, Nellie Frances, née Gaster. The family emigrated to New Zealand when Ziman was a baby. He obtained his early education at Hamilton High School and the Victoria University College. He obtained his PhD from Balliol College, Oxford and did his early research on the theory of electrons in liquid metals at the University of Cambridge.

In 1964 he was appointed professor of theoretical physics at University of Bristol, where he wrote his Elements Of Advanced Quantum Theory (1969) which explains the rudiments of quantum field theory with an elementary condensed matter slant. During this period, his interests shifted towards the philosophy of science. He argued about the social dimension of science, and the social responsibility of scientists in numerous essays and books.

He married twice, to Rosemary Dixon in 1951 and secondly to Joan Solomon. He had four children, of which one predeceased him.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
King's College, University of Oxford, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge
Employers
University of Bristol
Awards
Fellow of the Royal Society; Honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington
Also known as
John Michael Ziman, John M. Ziman, J. M. Ziman

People in John Ziman's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Ziman's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Ziman?

New Zealand physicist (1925-2005)

When was John Ziman born?

John Ziman was born on 16 May 1925 in Cambridge.

When did John Ziman die?

John Ziman died on 2 January 2005 in Aylesbury.

What was John Ziman's occupation?

John Ziman was a physicist, university teacher and mathematician.

What nationality was John Ziman?

John Ziman was British and New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Ziman

· Wikidata: Q549861

· DBpedia: John Ziman

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Ziman. https://biography.guide/john-ziman/

MLA: "John Ziman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-ziman/.

Chicago: "John Ziman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-ziman/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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