From Symmetry to Supersymmetry to Supergravity

The theoretical developments that led to supersymmetry—first global and then local—over roughly six years (1970/71–1976) arose from a convergence of physical insights and mathematical methods stemming from diverse, and sometimes independent, research directions. This contribution aims to illustrate the interplay of ideas, methods, and motivations that informed the entire process—from symmetry to supersymmetry (Section 2), then from supersymmetry to supergravity (Section 3)—and concludes with a reflection on the scientific nature of these developments.