Hebrew University Physics Professor Receives Prestigious Dirac Medal

Prof. Haim Sompolinsky, a theoretical physicist and neuroscientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has been awarded the Dirac Medal and Prize by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. The award recognizes his pioneering contributions to theoretical physics, neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

Sompolinsky, 76, is professor emeritus at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Racah Institute of Physics at Hebrew University. He also holds positions at Harvard University as professor of molecular and cellular biology and professor of physics in residence.

The ICTP cited Sompolinsky's work bridging physics with brain science and artificial intelligence. His research established foundations in theoretical neuroscience, advancing understanding of how neural networks learn, process information and store memories in biological and artificial systems.

"This remarkable honor recognizes Professor Sompolinsky's extraordinary scientific vision and his ability to reshape entire fields of research," Said Prof. Tamir Sheafer, president of Hebrew University. "By forging deep connections between physics, neuroscience and artificial intelligence, Haim has fundamentally changed the way we understand intelligence, both natural and artificial."

The Dirac Medal, established in 1985 to honor Nobel Prize-winning physicist Paul A.M. Dirac, is regarded as one of the world's most prestigious awards in theoretical physics. This year's award is shared with Prof. Deepak Dhar of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Prof. Bernard Derrida of the Collège de France, and Prof. Marc Mézard of Bocconi University.

Sompolinsky was born in Denmark. Two years prior, he received the Brain Prize, recognized as the world's most prestigious award for neuroscience research, for his contributions to computational and theoretical neuroscience.