In Memoriam

ICTP is mourning the passing of Daniele Amati, a former director of SISSA and longtime collaborator with ICTP who played an important role in the birth of the Centre. In June 1960 he participated in the Symposium on Elementary Particle Interactions held at the Miramare Castelletto where Abdus Salam and Paolo Budinich (pictured with him below) concocted the plan to create ICTP. Later that decade, after ICTP opened its doors in 1964, Amati participated in the drafting of a research strategy for ICTP that would expand its focus beyond particle physics. He remained a frequent lecturer for ICTP conferences. He was also  affiliated with CERN for decades, eventually heading its Theoretical Division.

 "He was a pillar of the Trieste Science System and made important contributions to early string theory at CERN," said ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar, adding, "I recall his memorable observation that 'string theory was a part of 21st-century physics that fell by chance into the 20th century'."

"He did a lot for science in Trieste and the world," remarked former ICTP Director Fernando Quevedo, adding, "He had this rare combination of being brilliant together with humbleness and an extremely funny sense of humor. He was a true role model for all."

In an interview with Il Manifesto, Nobel Laureate and former ICTP Scientific Council member Giorgio Parisi recalled that while Amati was at CERN he "made very important contributions to theoretical particle physics. He was among the first to study models of string theory that have become increasingly important in quantum gravity."