physics

Wolfgang Dür

Wolfgang Dür is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Wolfgang Dür rather than just read about it. In short: Wolfgang Dür (born 25 October 1973) is an Austrian theoretical physicist and conducts research in the field of quantum information theory and quantum communication. He is a full professor at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Key takeaways

Wolfgang Dür belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Wolfgang Dür to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Wolfgang Dür from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Wolfgang Dür (born 25 October 1973) is an Austrian theoretical physicist and conducts research in the field of quantum information theory and quantum communication. He is a full professor at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Biography Dür studied physics at the University of Innsbruck and earned his doctorate sub auspiciis praesidentis in 2001 under the supervision of Ignacio Cirac. Following his PhD, he pursued postdoctoral research at LMU Munich before returning to Innsbruck, where he earned his habilitation in 2008. He became full professor in 2023. He also studied physics and mathematics to become a high school teacher. He is married and has two children.

Research and career Wolfgang Dür work focuses on topics such as quantum networks, quantum metrology, and measurement-based quantum computation. Dür is well-known for his contributions to the development of quantum repeaters, a key concept for enabling quantum communication over long distances. Alongside collaborators such as Hans Briegel, Ignacio Cirac, and Peter Zoller, he provided the theoretical foundation for using quantum repeaters to establish global quantum networks. Dür is also widely recognized for his research on multipartite entanglement. He co-introduced the W state, a specific class of multipartite entangled states named after him, which are notable for their distinct properties and practical applications in quantum information theory. These states are critical in scenarios requiring robustness against particle loss and feature prominently in studies of distributed quantum systems. In addition to his research, he has been dedicated to mentoring the next generation of quantum physicists. He is responsible for teacher education at the University of Innsbruck since 2011. His commitment to education extends to developing innovative approaches for teaching quantum mechanics to high school and undergraduate students. Beyond academia, he actively engages in didactics and science outreach, simplifying quantum technologies for broader audiences and inspiring public interest in quantum advancements.

Awards Marie-Curie individual fellowship of the European Union 2001. APART fellowship of Austrian Academy of Sciences 2003. Felix Kuschenitz award 2007 of Austrian Academy of Sciences Outstanding referee award of the American Physical Society 2009.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Wolfgang Dür

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Wolfgang Dür claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Wolfgang Dür before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Wolfgang Dür ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Wolfgang Dür

In research: Wolfgang Dür appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Wolfgang Dür in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Wolfgang Dür is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1973 births, Austrian physicists, Living people, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Wolfgang Dür outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Wolfgang Dür in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Wolfgang Dür means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Wolfgang Dür out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Wolfgang Dür in simple terms?

Why does Wolfgang Dür matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Wolfgang Dür?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Wolfgang Dür.