Wilton L. Virgo is a quantum physical chemist with more than 15 years of expertise in performing state-of-the-art research in laser spectroscopy and molecular theory at Princeton, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Arizona State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wellesley College and Harvard University.
He has shaped science education using cutting-edge technology. His first book, “Quantum Mechanics in Everyday Life,” simplifies complex ideas for audiences with little or no background in science and introduces the mathematical foundation of quantum physics as the basis for modern technology that we use every day, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and our high-speed telecommunications system.
Virgo created the TED-Ed animated video, “How does your smartphone know your location?” to explain the quantum physics behind GPS technology. He participated as a host and narrator for “Chemistry: Challenges and Solutions,” a visual course produced by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Annenberg Foundation.