The Italian American Social Club at Palm Coast message - IASC

HERITAGE COMMITTEE
ENRICO FERMI
Enrico (September 29, 1901- November 28, 1954) is a famous Italian physicist mainly known for his work on the development of the first
nuclear reactor called the Chicago Pile-1. He contributed significantly to the development of Quantum theory, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical
mechanics. In 1938, he received the Nobel Prize for his work on induced radioactivity. Enrico was a leading scientist of the 20th century along with J.
Robert Oppenheimer. These two are considered the “Fathers” of the atomic bomb.
Enrico for his significant works received several awards over the years. Awards and institutions have been named for him, i.e., the Enrico Fermi
Award,… Institute, …Accelerator Lab, the Enrico Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope and a type of particle called fermions.
Enrico was born in Rome to Alberto Fermi and Ida de Gattis, an elementary school teacher who built her own pressure cooker. Enrico had
a brother Giulio slightly older than him that he loved dearly. Giulio died suddenly from a throat ailment. Enrico in distracting himself from his loss
immersed himself in scientific studies. In 1918, Fermi went to the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, where he received his undergraduate and doctoral
degree. While at the school in his third year, he published his first scientific work in an Italian journal, Nuovo Cimento and others. His third publication
was so successful that it was translated into German and published in a famous German scientific journal. Fermi continued making significant scientific
discoveries and at the age of twenty-four, he received a professorship at the University of Rome, where he developed a team of scientists. The team made
many contributions to many practical and theoretical aspects of physics, such that opportunities arose for positions in other universities and countries for
team members; consequently, many took advantage to move on.
After receiving his Nobel Prize in Stockholm, Fermi, his wife Laura, and their children immigrated to New York, because of Mussolini’s
Manifesto of Race. The new law threatened Laura, who was Jewish. The new law also put many of Fermi’s research assistants out of work. Upon arrival
in New York, he began working at Columbia University. It was there a team conducted the first experiment on nuclear fission involving him. Fermi,
subsequently, went to U of Chicago and began research that led to the first nuclear pile. This led him to become a major player in the Manhatten Project,
that created the atom bomb. Fermi became a U.S. citizen in 1944.
Fermi continued his work until his death. He had a favorite proposition on which he often thought. Many refer to it as the Fermi Paradox, i.e.,
with the billions and billions of star systems in the universe, one would think that intelligent life would have contacted our civilization by now.
Laurence Amuso, Member Heritage Committee
An Afternoon at the Opera
The Heritage Committee of the IASC
Presents a DVD Showing of
Mozart’s – Don Giovanni
Screen adaptation of Mozart’s greatest opera.
Don Giovanni, the infamous womanizer, makes one
conquest after another until the ghost of Donna Anna’s
father, the Commendatore, (whom Giovanni killed) makes
his appearance. He offers Giovanni one last chance to
repent for his multitudinous improprieties. He will not
change his ways, so he is sucked down into hell by evil
spirits. High drama, hysterical comedy, magnificent music!
Friday, September 9, 2011
1:30 – 5:00 PM in the lounge
No charge for this event. Stay for dinner after the show
On Saturday, October 15 we are sponsoring a
Chinese Auction Fundraiser
Doors will open at 4:00pm and the auction will
begin at 6:00pm
Entry fee will be $5.00 and will include one sheet (25 tickets)
plus one (1) ticket for the door prize. Of course, additional
sheets will be available for purchase at $1.00 per sheet. We
will also have specialty items and the raffles will cost $2.00
for three (3) tickets
and $5.00 for nine (9) tickets
Lunch will be available for purchase. No outside food or
beverage will be allowed.
IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW ITEMS OR COLLECTIBLES
YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE, PLEASE BRING THEM
TO THE CLUB MONDAY-FRIDAY 9-1PM
Tickets will be available for pre-sale.
We will let you know at a later date.
Any questions, please call the office Monday thru Friday
between 9:00-1:00pm.
5 Italian American Social Club