Ohio State trustees honor Nobel laureate

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees has recognized and congratulated Pierre Agostini, professor emeritus of physics, for winning the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Agostini, via Zoom, and his research partner, Professor of Physics Louis DiMauro, spoke to members of the Research, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships Committee on Thursday.

“I just want to say, congratulations on behalf of our faculty, staff and 65,000 students,” said Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. “You are an inspiration to the entire Buckeye community. I’m really proud to just be a small part of this university that you have raised to a level that makes us all so proud. Thank you.”

At Ohio State, Agostini works with DiMauro in the Agostini-DiMauro Ultra-fast Atomic Physics Research Group. Agostini’s work allowed scientists to capture the movement of electrons. Agostini and the other laureates created techniques to capture electrons using pulses of light that last just an attosecond – one quintillionth of a second.

Board of Trustees Chair Hiroyuki Fujita said the research has nearly limitless potential in everything from more efficient electronics to advanced medical devices.

“Perhaps more importantly, he is known as a humble colleague, a passionate mentor and a good man,” he said.

In a video message to the board, Agostini thanked the university for its support for his research and commitment to scientific exploration.

“I am very grateful for how Ohio State has supported my collaborators and me. You have believed in the potential of our work and in the power of discovery,” he said.

The board resolution honoring Agostini recognized that his “groundbreaking scientific achievements have meaningfully advanced both science and society more broadly.”

“On behalf of the entire university community, the Board of Trustees congratulates Dr. Pierre Agostini, professor emeritus of physics, for winning the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics, and expresses its deep admiration for his decades of innovative research and significant contributions to the university community. It is directed that this resolution shall be inscribed upon the minutes of the Board of Trustees, and a copy will be tendered to Agostini as an expression of the Board’s heartfelt appreciation of his accomplishments both presently and throughout his career.”