Biography: Science and Academia

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Physics: Biographies Mid‑importance

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Iran High‑importance

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For discussion: Based on the content of the article, Arkani-Hamed would appear to be more accurately described as a Canadian physicist working in the United States than as an American physicist. The article explicitly states that he became a Canadian citizen. Since the U.S. doesn't allow for dual nationality, except for very particular circumstances, it seems likely he is no longer a U.S. citizen. Can anyone verify and clarify? --24.32.67.234 (talk) 22:58, 10 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The US does allow for dual nationality... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.141.90.47 (talk) 21:52, 21 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I can't find any information online, and I don't want to ask him in person. Since he's been working exclusively in the US for at least the past 15 years, I feel he could reasonably be described as either a Canadian physicist or an American physicist. I'll put him in both categories -- and leave him in the Iranian physicists category, though that seems a bit more tenuous. -David Schaich ^Talk/_Cont 04:53, 22 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

He is originally from Iran and was raised to Iranian parents and also lived in Iran. When you put a word before a dash and a nationality, this word represents your origins and ethnicity. Like "African-American", "Indian-American", "Iranian-American", etc. Saying "Canadian-American" means the guy is originally from Canada and lives and grew up in the US. He is an Iranian-American or an Iranian-Canadian or an Iranian-American/Canadian but not a Canadian-American or an American-Canadian.

There appears to be a disconnect here. MOS:OPENPARA says that the opening paragraph of a bio should include "Context (location, nationality, or ethnicity)" and then goes on to say, "In most modern-day cases this will mean the country of which the person is a citizen, national or permanent resident, or if notable mainly for past events, the country where the person was a citizen, national or permanent resident when the person became notable. Ethnicity or sexuality should not generally be emphasized in the opening unless it is relevant to the subject's notability. Similarly, previous nationalities or the country of birth should not be mentioned in the opening sentence unless they are relevant to the subject's notability." TBased on the evidence, especially his CV which mentions his Canadian and American citizenship and says nothing about Iran, I am inclined to think that "Canadian-American" is the correct term to use in the first sentence. It's fine to mention his parents later on, but unless there's more compelling evidence, his ethnicity doesn't belong in the first sentence. --Arxiloxos (talk) 06:53, 26 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]