World Stars of Physics Light up Florence

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Thanks to the El.En. Group of Calenzano, Florence, a multinational specialized in laser production for medical and industrial applications, and for conservation of artistic heritage, an event was organized to celebrate the just over 40 years since it was founded in the presence of the 2018 Nobel Prize winner for Physics, Gérard Mourou, and other prominent professors of international acclaim who contributed to pioneering research in the field of laser physics, paving the way for a multitude of scientific and medical applications.

The event was also held to honor two shining stars in the world of physics: The Nobel prize winner Gérard Mourou, who, thanks to the General Manager of El.En., Mr. Paolo Salvadeo, was given the prestigious honor of receiving the Key to the City of Florence from the Mayor of Florence in a separate public ceremony in the afternoon, and Orazio Svelto, Professor Emeritus of Polytechnic of Milan, father of laser in Italy. Prof. Svelto invented the so-called “hollow fiber compressor” making it possible to achieve laser impulses lasting attoseconds, with previously unimaginable peak power. This system is currently used in many laboratories the world over conducting cutting edge scientific research and non-linear spectroscopy.

During the gala dinner in the Salone dei Cinquecento of Palazzo Vecchio, in the presence of the major political authorities, the director of the Uffizi Gallery, of Console USA, and other institutional personalities and of the world of laser, Prof. Mourou shared his vision of the future of science, starting with the studies that earned him his Nobel prize for inventing the so-called Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA), developed in collaboration with Donna Theo Strickland. It is a technique that, thanks to the generation of ultra-brief and high intensity impulses, has made laser even more versatile and enabled exploration of previously unknown dynamics of physics. A notable presence at the gala dinner was Prof. Sune Svamberg, who for many years was on the Nobel Committee for Physics, two years during which he was president, and Prof. Ursula Keller, one of the most acclaimed and well-known scientists in the world in the field of optoelectronics and photonics.

“It’s an honor and I take great pride in being able to create and maintain a deep connection between the world of academics and industry. This shows how crucial collaboration is between these worlds to conduct studies and make discoveries that improve the people’s quality of life. An osmosis of knowledge and a continuous and stimulating dialog that mark continuity among professors and alumni, many of whom dedicate their daily lives in the company laboratories of our group,” affirmed Paolo Salvadeo, General Manager of the El.En. Group

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