Fano, Ugo.

Ugo Fano was born July 28, 1912 in Turin, Italy, to Gino Fano, a prominent mathematician. He earned his doctorate in mathematics from the University of Turin in 1934, worked at the University of Rome with Enrico Fermi, and the University of Leipzig with Werner Heisenberg. Fano then immigrated to the United States in 1939, with his wife and collaborator, Camilla "Lilla" Lattes Fano. He continued his work at several institutions, including the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) and the University of Chicago. Fano made lasting contributions to the fields of physics and chemistry, particularly in the theory of atomic and radiation physics.

From the description of Ugo Fano papers, 1925-1999 (inclusive). (University of Chicago Library). WorldCat record id: 606591038

Ugo Fano was born July 28, 1912 in Turin, Italy, to Gino Fano, a prominent mathematician. He earned his doctorate in mathematics from the University of Turin in 1934, worked at the University of Rome with Enrico Fermi, and the University of Leipzig with Werner Heisenberg. Fano then immigrated to the United States in 1939, with his wife and collaborator, Camilla "Lilla" Lattes Fano. He continued his work at several institutions, including the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) and the University of Chicago. Fano made lasting contributions to the fields of physics and chemistry, particularly in the theory of atomic and radiation physics.

With Enrico Fermi as a mentor, Fano's early work in the United States was in radiation biology, where his research on the effects of X-rays and neurons helped to identify the biological hazards of radiation. Fano joined the National Bureau of Standards in 1946 as a theoretical physicist. In the next twenty years, Fano conducted seminal research in the physics of atoms, molecules and matter, as well as in radiation physics. His theoretical contributions formed the basis of future practical applications, such as the use of radiation for medical therapy and diagnosis, and the development of gas lasers. Fano's legacy is also remembered in the naming of phenomena such as the Fano resonance profile, Fano factor, Fano effect, and the Fano–Lichten mechanism

In 1966, Fano joined the University of Chicago as a professor in the Department of Physics and the James Franck Institute. Fano taught classes on atomic and quantum physics, and served as chair of the physics department from 1972 to 1974. Many of the graduate students he trained went on to leading positions in academia and research.

Fano was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Physical Society, the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, and the Royal Society of London. His achievements were recognized by awards from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as honorary degrees from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris, and Queen's University in Belfast.

Fano died February 13, 2001, in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 88. The Ugo Fano Fund to support graduate students was established in his memory.

From the guide to the Fano, Ugo. Papers, 1925-1999, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)