François Englert co-developed a mechanism for generating gauge boson masses with Robert Brout. The starting theory retains its local gauge structure, while the physical vacuum gives a different excitation spectrum. Their 1964 paper explains how this avoids carrying the massless-mode conclusion of a global broken symmetry unchanged into a gauge theory. The connection between spontaneous symmetry breaking and massive vector particles became central to the Higgs mechanism.[ref]
Broken Symmetry and the Mass of Gauge Vector Mesons by François Englert and Robert Brout. 1964 original paper, broken-symmetry matter coupled to gauge fields
A physicist who co-directed the theoretical physics unit at Université libre de Bruxelles.[ref]
Professional profile of François Englert (physth.ulb.be). Independent professional identity
Portrait of François Englert
. Bengt Nyman, photograph; Wabbuh, existing portrait crop. CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source.
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