Fermi

Enrico Fermi (29 September 1901 – 28 November 1954) was an Italian physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum theory, statistical mechanics, and nuclear physics. He helped establish the framework for modern particle physics and is regarded as one of the most productive and influential researchers of the 20th century.

Born in Rome, Fermi earned his doctorate at the University of Pisa in 1922 and quickly became a leading figure in Italian physics. In 1926 he developed what is now called Fermi-Dirac statistics, describing the distribution of fermions and influencing quantum theory. This work, together with independent results by Paul Dirac, laid the groundwork for understanding the behavior of electrons in metals and other systems.

Fermi's experimental investigations into radioactivity and neutron-induced reactions led to major breakthroughs. In 1938 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his demonstrations of the existence of new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation and for the related discovery of nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons.

In 1938, because of fascist anti-Semitic laws in Italy, Fermi emigrated to the United States, where he joined the University of Chicago. He led the construction of the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction (CP-1) in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project, a milestone in the development of nuclear energy and weapons.

After the war he continued research and played a central role in American physics through teaching and administration. His name is associated with several fundamental concepts and facilities, including Fermi energy, Fermi-Dirac statistics, the Fermi gas, Fermi surface, and the Fermilab national laboratory. He died in Chicago in 1954.