Happy birthday to Emilio Guglielmo Segrè, one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century! But who is Emilio G. Segrè, you ask? Well, let me tell you, my dear reader.

Emilio G. Segrè was an Italian-American physicist and a pioneer in the field of nuclear physics. He was born on February 1st, 1905, in Tivoli, Italy, and died on April 22nd, 1989, in Lafayette, California. Segrè made significant contributions to the discovery of the elements technetium and astatine and the isotope plutonium-239. He also discovered the phenomenon of slow neutrons, which laid the foundation for the development of the nuclear reactor.

But Segrè’s contributions to science were not limited to his discoveries. He also played a crucial role in the Manhattan Project, the top-secret research program that developed the first nuclear weapons during World War II. Segrè was part of the team that discovered the element plutonium and developed the first nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1.

Segrè’s work on the Manhattan Project earned him the nickname “The Pope of Plutonium.” But he was more than just a nickname, he was a true master of his craft. Segrè’s work on the Manhattan Project earned him the Presidential Medal for Merit, the highest civilian award in the United States.

After the war, Segrè continued to make important contributions to science. He was appointed as the director of the Cyclotron Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, where he developed the first proton linear accelerator. He also served as a professor at Berkeley, where he taught and mentored many future leaders in the field of nuclear physics.

But Segrè’s impact on science was not limited to his research and teaching. He also played a crucial role in the development of science policy in the United States. He served on the President’s Science Advisory Committee and the Atomic Energy Commission. He also served as the President of the American Physical Society and the President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Segrè was not only a brilliant scientist but also a dedicated teacher and a leader in the scientific community. He was a true Renaissance man of science, who made important contributions to the discovery of new elements and isotopes, the development of the nuclear reactor, and the advancement of science policy in the United States.

And let’s not forget, the man had a great sense of humor, as he once said “I am a physicist, not a chemist. I am a theoretical physicist, not an experimental physicist. And I am a bad theoretical physicist, not a good one.”

On this special occasion of his birthday, let us remember the contributions of Emilio G. Segrè to science and celebrate the life of one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century. Happy birthday, Emilio G. Segrè, and thank you for all that you have done for science.