John Berlinsky is Professor of Physics & Astronomy at McMaster University in Hamilton, a short drive from Waterloo. He received his undergraduate education at Fordham University in the Bronx, and did his PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1972. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia and a junior Faculty member at the University of Amsterdam, before joining the Physics Department at UBC as an Assistant Professor. In 1986, he moved to McMaster as Professor of Physics and Director of what is now the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research. He has been a visiting professor at MIT, Stanford University and UBC and visiting scientist at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara. He is an associate of the Quantum Materials Program of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. His research is on the theory of high temperature superconductors and quantum magnetism.
During his 10 years with the Brockhouse Institute, Dr. Berlinsky also directed the Theme School on New Materials and Their Impact on Society and spent one year as Acting Director of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. He later served 5 years as Chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy. He has been a member of Senate, as well as of the Senate Executive and Senate Appointments committees, and he served on the University Planning Committee and as Chair of the Budget Committee. In 2008/09 he is serving as Vice-President of the McMaster University Faculty Association.