Neil Geoffrey Turok is the Higgs Chair of Theoretical Physics at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and an Emeritus Director and Roger Penrose Distinguished Visiting Chair at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Canada. He is the founder and Board Chair of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and Chair of the International Advisory Committee at the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics.
Turok earned his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Imperial College, London, in 1983, and has held prestigious academic positions, including Director of the Perimeter Institute (2008–2019) and Chair of Mathematical Physics at the University of Cambridge (1996–2008). His career has spanned renowned institutions such as Princeton University, Fermilab, and Imperial College.
Turok has received numerous honors, including:
- Officer of the Order of Canada (2018)
- John Torrence Tate Medal (2016)
- James Clerk Maxwell Medal (1992)
His contributions to theoretical physics and science education have earned him honorary doctorates from universities worldwide. His leadership in scientific and educational initiatives, especially his work with AIMS, earned the Royal Academy of Belgium’s Academy Prize in 2023.