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Sam Edwards

1928 – 2015

Welsh physicist

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About Sam Edwards

Lived 1928 – 2015 (aged 87). Sam Edwards was a British theoretical physicist, university teacher, physicist and editor, known for Granular material, Path integral formulation and Polymer physics.

Sir Samuel Frederick Edwards (1 February 1928 – 7 May 2015) was a Welsh physicist. The Sam Edwards Medal and Prize is named in his honour.

Early life and studies Edwards was born on 1 February 1928 in Swansea, Wales, the son of Richard and Mary Jane Edwards. He was educated at the Bishop Gore School, Swansea, and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, the University of Manchester, and at Harvard University, in the United States. was the first paper to introduce the replica trick and Edwards' work led ultimately to Giorgio Parisi's 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics.

The Doi-Edwards theory of polymer melt viscoelasticity originated from an initial publication of Edwards in 1967, the Boltzmann medal of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (1995), and the Dirac Medal of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (2005). He was also a Founding Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and he held an honorary degree (Doctor of Science) from the University of Bath (1978).

Personal life In 1953 Edwards married Merriell E.M. Bland, with whom he had three daughters and a son. His relaxations were gardening and chamber music. Edwards died in Cambridge on 7 May 2015.

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Important facts

Birth century
Known for
Granular material, Path integral formulation, Polymer physics, Spin glass
Education
Harvard University, Gonville and Caius College, Bishop Gore, University of Cambridge
Employers
University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, University of Birmingham, Institute for Advanced Study
Awards
Royal Medal; Maxwell Medal and Prize; Honorary doctor of the University of Edinburgh; Honorary doctor of the University of Bath; Polymer Physics Prize; Davy Medal; Honorary doctor of Louis Pasteur University; Guthrie Medal and Prize; Boltzmann Medal; Honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge; Honorary doctor of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; ICTP Dirac Medal
Also known as
Sir Samuel Frederick Edwards

People in Sam Edwards's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sam Edwards's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sam Edwards?

Welsh physicist (1928–2015)

When was Sam Edwards born?

Sam Edwards was born on 1 February 1928 in Swansea.

When did Sam Edwards die?

Sam Edwards died on 7 July 2015 in Cambridge.

What was Sam Edwards's occupation?

Sam Edwards was a theoretical physicist, university teacher, physicist and editor.

What was Sam Edwards known for?

Sam Edwards was known for Granular material, Path integral formulation, Polymer physics and Spin glass.

What nationality was Sam Edwards?

Sam Edwards was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sam Edwards

· Wikidata: Q472382

· DBpedia: Sam Edwards (physicist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sam Edwards. https://biography.guide/sam-edwards-theoretical-physicist/

MLA: "Sam Edwards." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sam-edwards-theoretical-physicist/.

Chicago: "Sam Edwards." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sam-edwards-theoretical-physicist/.

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