Video interview recorded in 2006.  Interviewed by Edward Goldwyn.
 

 When asked how does he think about the problems of the physics of light, Glauber says that it is an off shoot of particle physics.  He says that he has mainly worked in nuclear physics, quantum electro-dynamics and the quantum theoretical version of Maxwell`s theory of electro-magnetism.  Working on this during the 1950`s was timely as the lazer was fully developed and all kinds of experiments became possible.

Glauber found that light beams (even with the same spectra) could be very distinguishable by comparing the measurement of their quanta statistics.  On the theory of optical coherence Niels Bohr said that the wave picture and the particle picture seem to be contradictory but simultaneously true.

I grew up building things and drawing things, Glauber tells us.  I depend a great deal on visual images.   I constructed telescopes and spectroscopes but I depend on mathematics to see the things.  I see images - I visualize apparatus and graphs which change as I adjust the apparatus.  Experimentalists, he says, lean more towards that direction.  In addition, he says, that he got into the habit of having very late nights in isolation.  He says that this habit is mostly a waste of time and very inefficient but you do absorb problems and he says that his most fruitful time for solving problems is while shaving or taking a shower in the morning.

Glauber says that he has no feelings towards the intelligent designer approach to science but he says that it takes a great deal of intelligence to figure the big questions out.  He says that we have only scratched the surface of knowledge in the world on evolution but that we have accomplished rather more in the world of physics than in the world of evolution.  We now have an explanation for everything that explains chemistry and chemistry underlies all living things.  We have it all, he says and we are simply going on to explore other worlds.  We have the basic tools without question.  It is true he says that it is becoming more and more difficult to explore sub-atomic particles for the reason that it is enormously expensive.  He says that what has been discovered is enormously interesting but it tells us nothing about intelligent design and certainly nothing at all about life.

On the issue of global warming Glauber says that it is a growing problem and we have developed over the years a greater understanding of things such as climate change and as we do so it becomes irresponsible to ignore it and our own behaviour.

To a young person thinking of a career in science he says that you are unlikely to become rich but will have a comfortable life.  On the choice of subject he says there is a explosion in the research area of physically biology so a physical biologist is a good option.
 

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