Prof. Sir Anthony James Leggett, Nobel Laureate and Advisory Committee Chair, Passes Away at 87
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Professor Sir Anthony James Leggett on March 8, 2026, at the age of 87. As the chair of the advisory committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Quantum Science & Technology (HKIQST) and a distinguished 2003 Nobel Laureate in Physics, his contributions have left an indelible mark on the scientific community.
Beyond his work on superfluid Helium-3, for which he was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize, he pioneered the study of the quantum mechanics of collective variables, and, importantly, the phenomena of quantum coherence and tunnelling in the presence of a dissipative environment. This led not only to a substantial body of technical work, but also to a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics as applied to macroscopic systems.
Since 2014, he has served as an advisor to the Center of Theoretical and Computational Physics at the University of Hong Kong. Most recently, as chair of the advisory committee for HKIQST, he provided invaluable advice, contributed to the selection of Dan Tsui Fellows, and delivered a series of ten lectures on superconductivity in 2024.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Professor Leggett’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of scientists. He will be dearly missed.
