Jorge Eduardo Hirsch is a distinguished theoretical physicist renowned for his contributions to condensed matter physics and scientometrics. He currently serves as Professor of Physics at the University of California, San Diego, where he has maintained a prominent research program since joining the department in 1983. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1953, Hirsch earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Buenos Aires before receiving a Fulbright Scholarship that brought him to the University of Chicago for graduate studies. He completed his PhD in physics at the University of Chicago in 1980, receiving the Telegdi Prize for the best Candidacy Examination in 1977 and the Victor J. Andrew Memorial Fellowship in 1978, followed by postdoctoral research at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Professor Hirsch's scientific work primarily focuses on understanding collective, large-scale properties of solids, particularly superconductivity and ferromagnetism, through explanations derived from small-scale mechanisms. His most significant theoretical contribution is the development of the hole superconductivity theory, which proposes that electron holes pair to enable high-temperature superconductivity, challenging conventional BCS theory that describes electron pairing. In 2005, Hirsch invented the h-index, an influential metric for quantifying a scientist's publication productivity that has become a standard tool in academic evaluation worldwide. His publications on superconductivity, including works on electron-hole asymmetry and the dynamic Hubbard model, have shaped discourse in condensed matter physics despite facing publication challenges in top-tier journals like Nature and Science.
Beyond his direct research contributions, Hirsch has profoundly influenced the academic landscape through his development of the h-index, which has transformed how scientific impact is measured and evaluated across disciplines. His work in superconductivity theory continues to stimulate debate and investigation within the physics community, with his concepts appearing in numerous scholarly discussions and publications. In 2017, the UCSD Department of Physics initiated proceedings to elevate him to the rank of Professor Above Scale (Distinguished Professor), recognizing his sustained scholarly contributions. Hirsch remains an active researcher at UCSD, continuing to explore the fundamental mechanisms underlying superconductivity and contributing to the ongoing discourse about scientific metrics and evaluation methodologies in academia.
