Sylvester James Gates, Jr. has a number of "firsts" to his name. His doctoral dissertation at M.I.T. was the first ever at that university on supersymmetry. In 1994, he became the first recipient of the American Physical Society's Edward A. Bouchet Award, given to a minority physicist who has made significant contributions to his field. And when in 1998 he was named the first John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland, he became the first African-American to hold an endowed chair in physics at a major U.S. research university. Here, Gates talks about firsts he hopes to see in string theory, including the first signs of supersymmetry and perhaps of that most elusive beast—a unification of the four forces of nature.

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Gates completed his undergraduate education (1969-1973) and received two B.Sc. degrees (Mathematics & Physics). His Ph.D. (1977, physics) was conferred for studies of elementary particle physics and quantum field theory. Thus, began his research into the topic known as ``supersymmetry'' with his thesis being the first devoted to this subject at M.I.T. His postgraduate studies started as a Junior Fellow of the Harvard Society of Fellows (1977-1980) and ended with an appointment at Caltech (1980-1982). Faculty appointments began at MIT (1982-1984) and later continued at the University of Maryland at College Park (1984-present). From 1991-1993, he was on leave of absence and served as Physics Professor and Departmental Chair at Howard University. In July, 1998 he was named the first John S. Toll Professor of Physics and thus the first African-American to hold an endowed chair in physics at a major research university in the U.S.

Prof. Gates has authored or co-authored over 120 research papers published in scientific journals, co-authored one book (available as a PDF file downloadable from the site http://aps.arXiv.org/pd f/hep-th/0108200 -- this is an extremely technical presentation for specialists, pp.568) and contributed numerous articles in others. His research, in the areas of the mathematical and theoretical physics of supersymmetric particles, fields and strings, covers topics such as the physics of quarks, leptons, gravity, super and heterotic strings and unified field theories of the type first envisioned by A. Einstein (http://insti.p hysics.sunysb.edu/~siegel/quo.html). Dr. Gates travels widely speaking at national and international scientific meetings.

To date he has supervised 14 Ph.D. students, including two African-Americans, to graduation. He began teaching, at first college undergraduates, in 1972 as a summer calculus instructor at MIT and has since taught mathematics or physics without interruption. The Washington Academy of Sciences named him as its 1999 College Science Teacher of the Year. He addresses issues of general education through lectures to groups interested in science and mathematics. Other lectures and writings discuss the challenge of technical educations for African-Americans and the issues of affirmative action, diversity and equity (http://pubs.a cs.org/hotartcl/cenear/980720/perc.html).

A member of the American Physical Society (APS), Sigma Xi and the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) (http://www.nsbp.org/), he is a past president of the NSBP. Dr. Gates has served as a consultant for the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, the Educational Testing Service and Time-Life Books. He was chosen as the first recipient of the APS Bouchet Award and is a Fellow of the APS and NSBP. From MIT in 1997, he was bestowed with the Martin L. King, Jr. Leadership Award. He also has served on the executive board of the APS and was a member of the 62nd College of Distinguished Lecturers of Sigma Xi. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Quality Education for Minorities Network (QEM).

His works and that of others were highlighted on a program ``The Path of Most Resistance,'' as part of the PBS television series ``Breakthrough: The Changing Face of Science in America'' with an initial broadcast in April of 1996. As well, he was a featured subject in the Horizon section of the Dec. 11 edition of the Washington Post. In January, 1998 he made a second television appearance in ``Mysteries of the Universe'' as part of the PBS series ``A Science Odyssey.'' In March of 1998, he appeared on the simultaneous C-Span television broadcast and Internet cybercast of the second Millennium Lecture by Prof. Stephen Hawking from the East Room of the White House. Prof. Gates was asked to provide comments on the topic of supersymmetry for the broadcasts and live audiences including U.S. President, William J. Clinton.

In Feb. 2001, he participated in the first annual Isaac Asimov Panel Debate held at the Hayden Planetarium with Brian Greene, Sheldon Glashow, Lawrence Krauss, Lisa Randall and Neil Tyson. The title of the debate was ``The Theory of Everything'' and it hosted a live audience in excess of one thousand people. The date of May 25, 2001, saw Prof. Gates bestowed with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa before giving a commencement address to the Georgetown University (http://www.bamit.org/gates01.h tm) Graduate College of Arts and Sciences.

Finally, an account of some of his professional experiences during his time from of being an undergraduate at MIT to becoming an assistant professor of applied mathematics can be found in a book entitled, ``Technology and the Dream: Reflections on the Black Experience at MIT, 1941-1999.'' by C. G. WIlliams (MIT Press).

Prof. Gates is married to a pediatrician, Dr. Dianna Abney, and they have a set of twins, a son and daughter. The family resides in Mitchellville, MD.

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[This report was compiled from various sources: NOVA's Science Program on Air and the Net and the National Society of Black Physicists. We have left hyperlinks and references from these sources as is and placed some of Gibbs's hyperlinks in to amplify or clarify some items.]

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