Netta Engelhardt
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2021 New Horizons in Physics Prize
For calculating the quantum information content of a black hole and its radiation.
Comments
I think of my job like this: an explanation defies you until it doesn’t. You try to fit the pieces together in different ways until the big picture becomes clear. For me, the prospect of understanding this bigger picture makes the task of assembling the pieces, both small and large, worthwhile. The promise of a greater understanding of the smallest scales of physics is what provides the drive. I am grateful to all my collaborators for sharing this process of assembly with me. I would especially like to thank Gary Horowitz, Raphael Bousso and Don Marolf for joint work as well as mentorship. Integral to this process has been the encouragement of my family and friends, and I would like to thank them for their unwavering support, which has made the pursuit of my dreams a reality.