Celebrating a century of Professor Abdus Salam

Thursday 29th January marks the centennial of Professor Abdus Salam (1926-1996), one of the most influential theoretical physicists of the 20th Century and a defining figure in Imperial’s history.

On what would have been his 100^th birthday, we look back on his life and the extraordinary legacy he left behind.

Professor Salam spent nearly 40 years at Imperial, where he helped establish a world-leading theoretical physics group, carried out Nobel Prize-winning work, and laid foundations that continue to shape the College today.

Born in Jhang, in what is now Pakistan, Professor Salam first came to the UK in 1946 to study at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he achieved a double first in mathematics and physics and later completed a PhD in theoretical physics.

After a short period, teaching in Pakistan, he returned to the UK and joined Imperial in 1957 as professor of Theoretical Physics. This would be his academic home for the rest of his career.    

Transforming theoretical physics

Soon after arriving, Salam co-founded Imperial’s Theoretical Physics Group with Professor Paul Matthews. Together, they built an environment that attracted outstanding researchers from around the world and established the Department as a major centre for quantum field theory and particle physics, a reputation in theoretical physics that it retains to this day.

It was during this time that Salam helped to develop the electroweak theory, unifying the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces, a discovery that became a cornerstone of the Standard Model. For this work, he shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Professors Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Glashow, becoming the first Pakistani and first Muslim scientist to win a Nobel Prize in science.

Salam’s intellectual impact went considerably further, including early attempts at Grand Unified Theories, and he played a key role in mentoring many scientists who would go on to shape modern theoretical physics.

Alongside his academic contribution, Salam was a passionate advocate for widening access to scientific research. In 1964 he founded the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, created to support researchers from the Global South and foster international collaboration. His commitment to ensuring that science could be a bridge between nations remains one of the most celebrated elements of his career.

A profound legacy at Imperial

Professor Salam’s influence at Imperial remains strong today, a century after his birth.

In 2023, Imperial renamed its Central Library the Abdus Salam Library, recognising his lasting contributions to the College and to theoretical physics.

A formal naming ceremony followed in January 2024, where Professor Brian Cox delivered a public lecture celebrating Salam’s scientific legacy, joined by Director of the ICTP Professor Atish Dabholkar and Professor Claudia de Rham.

Imperial also produced an exhibition and documentary celebrating Salam’s scientific and humanitarian achievements.

The Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics

Salam’s impact also endures through the Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics, which builds directly on the interdisciplinary culture he helped to establish and Imperial’s role as a world-leading institution for theoretical physics. The Centre acts as a hub for scientists working on some of the deepest questions in fundamental physics, hosts international visitors and workshops and supports collaborations across Imperial’s MSc, PhD and outreach programmes.

At the core of Salam’s vision was the simple but powerful belief that science knows no borders, and its impact is strongest when bringing people together across nations, cultures and disciplines. Professor Claudia de Rham Director, Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics

Beyond supporting world-class research into the most fundamental questions of theoretical physics, in keeping with Salam’s commitment to widening access to science, the Centre leads several initiatives aimed at nurturing talent and expanding opportunities. The Salam Fellows Programme supports early-career researchers, particularly those from low and middle-income countries or underrepresented backgrounds, helping them establish international collaborations at an early stage of their careers.

The Centre also runs the Kibble Visiting Fellows Programme, which brings together experienced researchers from a range of scientific fields to Imperial, encouraging new connections and fresh directions in theory. Alongside this, the New Horizon Initiative helps late-stage PhD students and postdoctoral scientists broaden their skills, explore new research directions and engage in outreach, training or interdisciplinary work across the University and beyond.

Reflecting on Salam’s centennial and the continuing mission of the Centre, Professor Claudia de Rham said, “It is a distinct honour to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Abdus Salam, just two years after the remarkable library renaming event that saw thousands of people join our campus in his honour. Salam’s profound scientific insights and extraordinary human vision continue to inspire us all. At the core of Salam’s vision was the simple but powerful belief that science knows no borders, and its impact is strongest when bringing people together across nations, cultures and disciplines.

For the next century and beyond, the Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics at Imperial will carry that spirit forward – a place where ideas flow freely, and where young scientists from the North, the South, the East and the West can grow while holding fast to an unwavering commitment to fundamental curiosity-driven discovery. Let’s hold on to this belief – we need it today more than ever.”

A century on, Salam’s influence remains visible not only in theoretical physics, but in the culture of collaboration and discovery that continues to shape Imperial today.