Knight Professor Studies Time,
Space Secrets
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Brau also helps shape the national direction for research
in his field as a member of both the federal High Energy
Physics Advisory Panel and the National Research Council
Board on Physics and Astronomy.
But as influential as he is among scientists and policymakers,
one of Brau’s greatest strengths is his ability to
communicate the joy of science to lay audiences. During
the year-long 2005 centennial celebration marking Einstein’s
“miracle year,” a presentation Brau created
for general audiences proved so successful that Chicago’s
Fermilab recommends it as a model for scientists planning
public programs.
The sheer pleasure of pursuing knowledge as a way to better
understand nature has motivated Brau as long as he can remember.
“Most of the universe remains a mystery despite the
depth of our knowledge,” Brau says. “We are
working toward a radically new understanding of what the
universe is made of and how it works, and that’s how
Big Science contributes to our quality of life—by
pushing technology in every direction we can.”
The Knight professorships were created in 1996 with a $15
million gift from Penny and Phil Knight ’59.
—Melody Ward Leslie
