International Journal of Modern Physics A

I review Stanley Mandelstam’s many contributions to particle physics, quantum field theory and string theory covering the years 1955 through 1980. His more recent work will be reviewed by Nathan Berkovits.

In this contribution to the memorial volume, I will review Stanley Mandelstam’s work after 1980 and concentrate on his powerful application of light-cone gauge methods in super-Yang–Mills theory and superstring theory.

The enduring influences of Stanley Mandelstam’s publications are deep and diverse. They affect almost all the current major research efforts in theoretical and mathematical physics that try to deepen our understanding of the physical universe. Reviewing Stanley’s accomplishments offers a rare opportunity for everyone interested, experts as well as nonexperts, to gain a perspective about the current status of theoretical and mathematical physics and what to look for in the future. This paper presents a brief biography of Stanley and a selection of his publications, grouped together according to subject matters, with commentary.

The guiding influence of some of Stanley Mandelstam’s key contributions to the development of theoretical high energy physics is discussed, from the motivation for the study of the analytic properties of the scattering matrix through to dual resonance models and their evolution into string theory.

I will recall my first indirect encounters with Stanley Mandelstam through courses and readings, the way he deeply inspired my research, how he supported a new scientific program in the middle of much skepticism, and how we became healthy and fair competitors.