Wilson Prize article: Reflections on our experiences with developing the theory of intrabeam scattering*

We discuss our experiences with developing detailed theoretical descriptions of intrabeam scattering in particle accelerators. We focus on the historical importance of understanding intrabeam scattering for the successful operation of a variety of accelerators around the world. In doing so, we highlight the fact that the theoretical understanding of intrabeam scattering played a crucial role in the discovery of the top quark at Fermilab, intermediate vector bosons W^±, Z and the Higgs particle at CERN, and the perfect liquid quark-gluon plasma at Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. We describe several useful high energy approximations to intrabeam scattering, including those that utilize a Modified Piwinski high energy approximation by Karl Bane that has gained wide usage in applications to electron damping rings and advanced light sources. Finally, we comment on the fact that a detailed understanding of intrabeam scattering at synchrotron-based advanced light sources is empowering many transformational discoveries in a myriad of disciplines.