Walter Kohn

American physicist (1923–2016)
Person human Q78510
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Walter Kohn

Summary

Walter Kohn is a human[1]. He was born in Vienna[2]. He was born on +1923-03-09T00:00:00Z[3]. He died in Santa Barbara[4]. He died on +2016-04-19T00:00:00Z[5]. He worked as a physicist[6], university teacher[7], and chemist[8]. He ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (110 views/month, #7,214 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Born in Vienna[2], Walter Kohn…
  • Walter Kohn died in Santa Barbara[4].
  • Walter Kohn was born on +1923-03-09T00:00:00Z[3].
  • Walter Kohn died on +2016-04-19T00:00:00Z[5].
  • Walter Kohn's father was Salomon Kohn[10].
  • Walter Kohn held citizenship in Canada[11].
  • Walter Kohn held citizenship in United States[12].
  • Walter Kohn held citizenship in Austria[13].
  • Walter Kohn worked as a physicist[6].
  • Walter Kohn's professions included university teacher[7].
  • Walter Kohn worked as a chemist[8].
  • Walter Kohn's field of work was theoretical physics[14].
  • Walter Kohn was employed by University of California, Santa Barbara[15].
  • Among Walter Kohn's employers was University of California, San Diego[16].
  • Walter Kohn was employed by Carnegie Mellon University[17].
  • Walter Kohn was educated at University of Toronto[18].
  • Walter Kohn was educated at Harvard University[19].
  • Walter Kohn was educated at Akademisches Gymnasium[20].
  • Walter Kohn's doctoral advisor was Julian Schwinger[21].
  • A notable work attributed to Walter Kohn is density functional theory[22].
  • Walter Kohn received the UNESCO Niels Bohr Medal[23].
  • Walter Kohn received the Grand Officer of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[24].
  • Walter Kohn received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry[25].
  • Walter Kohn received the Harvard Centennial Medal[26].
  • Walter Kohn received the Three Physicists Prize[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Vienna[2], Walter Kohn… he was born on +1923-03-09T00:00:00Z[3]. His father was Salomon Kohn[10].

Education

Educated at University of Toronto[18], a public research university[28], in Canada[29], founded in 1827[30], headquartered in Toronto[31]; Harvard University[19], a private university[32], in United States[33], founded in 1636[34], headquartered in Cambridge[35]; and Akademisches Gymnasium[20], a Gymnasium[36], in Austria[37], founded in 1553[38]. Walter Kohn's doctoral advisor was Julian Schwinger[21]. He earned the academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy[39]. He studied under Julian Schwinger[40].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include physicist[6], university teacher[7], and chemist[8]. Walter Kohn's field of work was theoretical physics[14]. Employers include University of California, Santa Barbara[15], a public university[41], in United States[42], founded in 1909[43], headquartered in Santa Barbara County[44]; University of California, San Diego[16], a public university[45], in United States[46], founded in 1960[47]; and Carnegie Mellon University[17], a private university[48], in United States[49], founded in 1900[50], headquartered in Pittsburgh[51]. Doctoral students include Vinay Ambegaokar[52], M. Lawrence Glasser[53], Joseph Rudnick[54], and Michael Geller[55].

Works and Contributions

A notable work attributed to Walter Kohn is density functional theory[22]. Things named for him include Kohn–Sham equations[56] and Walter Kohn Prize[57], an award[58].

Recognition

Awards received include UNESCO Niels Bohr Medal[23], a science award[59]; Grand Officer of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[24], a grade of an order[60], in Austria[61]; Nobel Prize in Chemistry[25], a chemistry award[62], in Sweden[63], founded in 1901[64]; Harvard Centennial Medal[26], a jubilee medal[65], founded in 1989[66]; Three Physicists Prize[27], a science award[67], in France[68], founded in 1951[69]; and Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize[70], a physics award[71], in United States[72], founded in 1952[73].

Death and Burial

Walter Kohn died on +2016-04-19T00:00:00Z[5]. He died in Santa Barbara[4]. The cause of death was laryngeal cancer[74].

Why It Matters

Walter Kohn ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (110 views/month, #7,214 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 28 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[75] He is known by 15 alternative names across languages and contexts.[76]

Entities named for him include Kohn–Sham equations[56] and Walter Kohn Prize[57], an award[58].

FAQs

Where was Walter Kohn born?

Walter Kohn was born in Vienna[2].

Where did Walter Kohn die?

Walter Kohn passed away in Santa Barbara[4].

Who were Walter Kohn's parents?

Walter Kohn's father was Salomon Kohn[10].

What did Walter Kohn do for work?

Walter Kohn worked as physicist[6], university teacher[7], and chemist[8].

Where did Walter Kohn go to school?

Walter Kohn was educated at University of Toronto[18], Harvard University[19], and Akademisches Gymnasium[20].

What awards did Walter Kohn receive?

Honors received include UNESCO Niels Bohr Medal[23], Grand Officer of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[24], Nobel Prize in Chemistry[25], and Harvard Centennial Medal[26].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . noozhawk.com. noozhawk.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  3. [10] . wikidata.org.
  4. [11] . wikidata.org.
  5. [12] . wikidata.org.
  6. [13] . wikidata.org.
  7. [18] . wikidata.org.
  8. [19] . wikidata.org.
  9. [20] . wikidata.org.
  10. [14] . wikidata.org.
  11. [6] . wikidata.org.
  12. [7] . wikidata.org.
  13. [8] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  14. [15] . wikidata.org.
  15. [16] . wikidata.org.
  16. [17] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  17. [23] . wikidata.org.
  18. [24] . wikidata.org.
  19. [25] . nobelprize.org. nobelprize.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  20. [26] . wikidata.org.
  21. [27] . wikidata.org.
  22. [70] . aps.org. aps.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  23. [21] . wikidata.org.
  24. [52] . wikidata.org.
  25. [53] . wikidata.org.
  26. [54] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  27. [55] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  28. [74] . wikidata.org.
  29. [39] . wikidata.org.
  30. [3] . Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  31. [5] . Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved . noozhawk.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  32. [22] . wikidata.org.
  33. [40] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [56] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [57] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [67] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [71] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [72] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [73] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [75] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [76] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Walter Kohn. Retrieved April 19, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/walter-kohn
MLA “Walter Kohn.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 19 Apr. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/walter-kohn.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_walter-kohn_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Walter Kohn}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/walter-kohn}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-19}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 15d ago · MarisDreshmanisBot bot · 2026-05-06 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Field of work theoretical physics
    Country of citizenship Canada, United States, Austria
    Erdős number {'amount': '+3'}
    Interested in physics
    + 36 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update-languages:0||105 */ Add multilingual descriptions (105 languages) — Task 12 (Nobel laureates) — deterministic from P106 (occupation) + P27 (citizenship) labels, no machine trans"
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