Quantum physicist Peter Zoller received the Tyrolean Decoration of Honor at the Hofburg in Innsbruck on Tuesday. 13 personalities were honored for their outstanding achievements. The award was presented by Tyrolean Governor Anton Mattle and his South Tyrolean counterpart Arno Kompatscher.
"I can only take my hat off to this impressive variety of outstanding achievements and express my sincere thanks for them. Those honored today have enriched our country in a wide variety of disciplines," said Governor Anton Mattle at the award ceremony in the Hofburg on Tuesday. "Each individual contribution of these people stands for consistent commitment to Tyrol and tremendous innovation. This commitment is an indispensable tool for a successful future for our province and our society."
Peter Zoller, Professor Emeritus of Quantum Physics at the University of Innsbruck and former Scientific Director at the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has received numerous awards for his scientific achievements. The awards range from local honors - Zoller was named Tyrolean of the Year in 2019 - to the highest international science prizes such as the Wolf Prize (2013). The physics community has also honored him with the most renowned awards in his field. He received the Max Planck Medal in 2011, followed by the Benjamin Franklin Medal (2010), the Herbert Walther Prize (2016), the Willis E. Lamb Prize (2018) and the John Stewart Bell Prize (2019). Peter Zoller also holds honorary doctorates from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Amsterdam.