In my closet, in a basket labeled “Random stuff,” sits a bag of quarters. They total only a few dollars, but their worth to me exceeds their monetary value. I received the quarters from Mark Wise. Mark taught a course about the Standard Model of particle physics at my master’s program at the Perimeter Institute…

Quantum Frontiers is a platform dedicated to exploring the frontiers of quantum science and technology. Readers can find articles, interviews, and discussions on topics such as quantum physics, quantum computing, and quantum information theory. Additionally, they can learn about quantum experiments, quantum communication, and interdisciplinary research in quantum science.

Quantum Frontiers

A personal tribute to physicist Mark Wise, a Caltech professor known for his warmth, clarity of teaching, and the tradition of tossing quarters to students who asked or answered questions. The author, a former student at Perimeter Institute and Caltech, reflects on how Wise's pedagogical generosity and humor left a lasting impression, inspiring her to carry on his quarter-tossing tradition in her own quantum-steampunk creative writing course. Mark Wise passed away in the summer of 2026.

Wise guy