The National Academy of Sciences called of the XL has opened the 235th academic year on May 10, 2017 at the Academy Library in Villa Torlonia, in the presence of prof. Giampaolo D’Andrea, Chief of Staff of the Minister of Culture and Tourism. On this occasion, the 2017 Academy medals have been awarded:
The Medal of the XL for Mathematics was assigned to Riccardo Salvati Manni, professor of Geometry at Sapienza, University of Rome, for his work on theta functions theories and on modular forms, two research fields where he gave fundamental and original contributions as recognized at an international level (Committee composed by Academy members Enrico Arbarello, Enrico Bombieri and Giorgio Letta).
The Medal of the XL for Physical and Natural Sciences was assigned to Ferdinando Boero, professor of Zoology at the University of Salento, for his studies on marine biodiversity and on the functioning of ecosystems, with special attention on the taxonomy, biology and evolution of Cnidaria and for his constructive participation in numerous institutions and decision-making structures at a national and international level. (Committee composed by Academy members Carlo Barbante, Giuseppe Macino and Alessandro Minelli).
The Matteucci Medal was assigned to Marco Tavani of the National Institute of Astrophysics and principal investigator of the AGILE, ASI-INFN space mission for the discovery of the variable emission of gamma rays by the Crab Nebula and the 3C 545.3 Quasar, and for the observation of original gamma rays from the decay of pi0 mesons in the Supernova Remnant W44, the first evidence of accelerating mechanisms of cosmic protons. (Committee composed by Academy members Paolo de Bernardis, Luciano Maiani and Giorgio Parisi).
