Hermann Haken (born July 12, 1927 in Leipzig, Germany) is physicist and professor emeritus in theoretical physics at the University of Stuttgart. He is known as the founder of synergetics.
After his studies in mathematics and physics in Halle (Saale) and Erlangen, receiving his Ph. D. in mathematics at the University of Erlangen and being guest lecturer at universities in the UK and U.S., he was appointed lecturer in theoretical physics at the university of Stuttgart. His research has been in non linear optics (his specialities are laser physics, particle physics, statistical physics and group theory).
Haken developed his institute in a relatively short time to be an international center for laser theory, after which Theodore Maiman in May 1960 built the first experimental laser. The interpretation of the laser principles as self organization of non equilibrium systems paved the way at the end of the 1960s to the development of synergetics, of which Haken is recognized as the founder. Haken is the author of some 23 textbooks and monographs that cover an impressive number of topics from laser physics to synergetics. Although Haken's books tend to be rather mathematical, at least one of his books Light[1] is nicely written, for the more general reader, and loaded with physical insights.
For his work he received the Max Planck medal in 1990. He is the author of several books, including a book with an introduction in synergetics, as well as the author of a series of books in this field.
He received the Albert A. Michelson Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1981.[2]