Robbert Dijkgraaf (born January 24, 1960) is a Dutch mathematical physicist and string theorist. Dijkgraaf started his studies in physics at the Utrecht University in 1978. After completing his 'kandidaatsexamen' (at the time the Dutch equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon Bachelor's degree) in 1982 he briefly turned away from physics because he didn't feel challenged enough, to pursue painting at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. He later continued his studies at the Utrecht University, where he studied under under Nobel laureate Gerard 't Hooft to obtain his doctorate in 1989 (cum laude).