The prestigious Isaac Newton Medal and Lecture 2025 has been awarded to Professor Sir Michael Berry FRS FRSE HonFLSW HonFInstP FRSA, the Melville Wills Professor of Physics at the University of Bristol. Sir Michael’s work has influenced our understanding of quantum science.
Sir Michael said the Award was an “unexpected recognition for six decades of obsessive scribbling". He said that this involved “creating physics by seeking ‘claritons’ (elementary particles of sudden understanding), and evading ‘anticlaritons’ that annihilate them, connecting quantum geometry to self-righting falling cats and car parking in a tight space and getting insights into nature’s physics: tidal bores, tsunamis, rainbows, oriental magic mirrors, polarised light in the blue sky, strange shadows of floating insects".
Congratulating this year’s Award winners, Institute of Physics President, Professor Michele Dougherty said: “On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I want to congratulate all of this year’s award winners on the significant and positive impact they have made in their profession, be it as a researcher, teacher, industrialist, technician or apprentice, and I hope they are incredibly proud of their achievements.
"It is becoming more obvious that the opportunities generated by a career in physics are many and varied - and the potential our science has to transform our society and economy in the modern world is huge.
"I hope our winners appreciate they are playing an important role in this community, and know how proud we are to celebrate their successes - I hope their stories will help to inspire current and future generations of scientists.”
Professor Jennifer McManus, Head of the School of Physics at the University of Bristol, added: “This is a very well-deserved award to Michael who has made many fundamental, important contributions to physics. He is an enthusiastic member of the Bristol physics community, where his insights and contributions are highly valued here and around the world. His curiosity about the world and his unique ability to seek understanding through physics has provided insights into diverse topics from quantum mechanics to levitating frogs. Many congratulations on this award.”