He was as knowledgeable and profound in the secrets and knowledge of his subject as he was humble and shy of any kind of limelight. A true scientist, a beautiful open mind that ranged from physics to many other scientific disciplines that he studied and investigated for a lifetime, consulting thousands of volumes and tomes that embellished the library of his study.
Massimo Pauri, a well-known and highly esteemed figure of scientist and teacher in our University, passed away in recent days at the age of 90. Born in Milan, he graduated in Physics at the University of Milan at the end of the 1950s. In the 1960s he became an assistant in Theoretical Physics at the University of Parma and then took up the post in 1976 as full professor teaching Mathematical Methods for Physics and Relativity and quanta. Professor emeritus in 2000, he was awarded the civic honor of the Sant’Ilario Prize in 1997.
«Pauri was – as Professor Enrico Onofri recalls – an internationally renowned scientist, member of the Academie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences. A theoretical physicist, he dedicated his activity mainly to the study of space-time in the context of Einstein’s theory (general relativity), also delving into its philosophical aspects. He made important contributions to relativity, quantum mechanics and the mathematical foundations of classical mechanics. In the last period he has dedicated himself mainly to his studies of philosophy of science. Author of numerous works in journals, he was the teacher of many young physicists, one of whom is currently leader of a group at the Jet Prop. Lab. in California and conducts experiments on gravitational waves which have revealed for the first time a gravitational signal originating from coalescence of two black holes.” He was a very good person, the “prof”, he was a very present father, a caring grandfather even if he had a difficult character, typical of men of science, as he was always and constantly dedicated to his studies, research and knowledge. .
And he was so scrupulous in his profession that, as an intelligent and enlightened person, he never flaunted easy certainties, testifying to a truly extraordinary professional ethic recognized by all his colleagues. He loved taking walks with friends in the Cittadella just as he loved our city.
He corresponded with the world’s most famous physicists such as Nobel Prize winner Rubbia and other internationally renowned scholars who respected and esteemed him. Widowed by his wife Marta last year, he was very close to his children Matteo and Elisabetta as well as being a wise and far-sighted guide for his beloved grandchildren Anna, Bianca, Giovanni and Giorgio.
Lorenzo Sartorio
