- Email: [email protected]
A life well lived: Tribute to Professor Nicoló Omenetto
Spectrochimica Acta Part B 100 (2014) 5
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Spectrochimica Acta Part B journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/sab
A life well lived: Tribute to Professor Nicoló Omenetto I am delighted to be able to join with others in congratulating Professor Nicoló Omenetto on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Prof. Omenetto has had a profound influence on atomic spectrometry and, indeed, on all of analytical science throughout his extraordinarily productive career. Most obvious of his contributions to many are his outstanding publications; less obvious but just as important is his stewardship of the flagship journal of atomic spectrometry, Spectrochimica Acta, Part B (SAB). During his editorship of that journal, since 1994, he has tirelessly assisted junior scientists in publishing their best results, has maintained the highest of standards, and has assisted many others in wrangling their manuscripts into a publishable form. I have known Nico for many years, beginning with his time at the University of Pavia. However, my first close interaction with him began in the 1970s, when my group began exploring both theoretically and experimentally the saturation of atomic energy levels in analytical flames. During our early exploratory work, Nico (along with Jim Winefordner) offered a number of critical insights and suggestions that made our work far more meaningful. Later, I got to know both Nico and his wife Mariella much better and on a more personal level. Fortunately for us, there were many opportunities to get together at conferences, to discuss science and personal matters, and to learn more about each other. One such opportunity was during the 50th anniversary celebration of SAB, held in the Vatican City in June, 1989. The venue had been selected to commemorate the founding of SAB by Father Alois Gatterer, then the Vatican Astronomer. During the gathering, we were fortunate enough to tour several areas of the Vatican not ordinarily open to visitors and to be given a view of the Sistine Chapel, which was at that time undergoing renovation. Another of the highlights of the visit was a wonderful (and very extensive) luncheon, organized by Nico, at
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2014.08.019
which we experienced what a true Italian meal could be. Wow! Few meals in my life have been as memorable as that one. A measure of my respect for Prof. Omenetto is apparent from an event that arose a few years ago. One of my best undergraduate students ever, Dan Shelby, was trying to select a graduate school to pursue an advanced degree. Dan had been active in the area of fundamental atomic spectrometry and wished to continue in that general direction. It was clear to me that Dan could make no better choice than to attend the University of Florida and work with Prof. Omenetto. Fortunately for Dan, he agreed and is now a relatively newly minted Ph.D. It is difficult to summarize the career achievements of a scientist such as Nico Omenetto because of the range of fields in which he has worked. However, it is straightforward to characterize the features of those studies. Without exception, the work is always insightful and rigorous, objective and thorough, and unwaveringly well presented. These same features characterize Nico himself, but with a full measure of unnecessary modesty thrown in. We all need heroes. In the area of science, one of mine is Nico Omenetto. I am delighted to wish him my very best on this special occasion and to hope that he continues to be active in science for many years to come.
Gary M. Hieftje Department of Chemistry, A150 Chemistry Building, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States E-mail address: [email protected].
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Spectrochimica Acta Part B journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/sab
A life well lived: Tribute to Professor Nicoló Omenetto I am delighted to be able to join with others in congratulating Professor Nicoló Omenetto on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Prof. Omenetto has had a profound influence on atomic spectrometry and, indeed, on all of analytical science throughout his extraordinarily productive career. Most obvious of his contributions to many are his outstanding publications; less obvious but just as important is his stewardship of the flagship journal of atomic spectrometry, Spectrochimica Acta, Part B (SAB). During his editorship of that journal, since 1994, he has tirelessly assisted junior scientists in publishing their best results, has maintained the highest of standards, and has assisted many others in wrangling their manuscripts into a publishable form. I have known Nico for many years, beginning with his time at the University of Pavia. However, my first close interaction with him began in the 1970s, when my group began exploring both theoretically and experimentally the saturation of atomic energy levels in analytical flames. During our early exploratory work, Nico (along with Jim Winefordner) offered a number of critical insights and suggestions that made our work far more meaningful. Later, I got to know both Nico and his wife Mariella much better and on a more personal level. Fortunately for us, there were many opportunities to get together at conferences, to discuss science and personal matters, and to learn more about each other. One such opportunity was during the 50th anniversary celebration of SAB, held in the Vatican City in June, 1989. The venue had been selected to commemorate the founding of SAB by Father Alois Gatterer, then the Vatican Astronomer. During the gathering, we were fortunate enough to tour several areas of the Vatican not ordinarily open to visitors and to be given a view of the Sistine Chapel, which was at that time undergoing renovation. Another of the highlights of the visit was a wonderful (and very extensive) luncheon, organized by Nico, at
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2014.08.019
which we experienced what a true Italian meal could be. Wow! Few meals in my life have been as memorable as that one. A measure of my respect for Prof. Omenetto is apparent from an event that arose a few years ago. One of my best undergraduate students ever, Dan Shelby, was trying to select a graduate school to pursue an advanced degree. Dan had been active in the area of fundamental atomic spectrometry and wished to continue in that general direction. It was clear to me that Dan could make no better choice than to attend the University of Florida and work with Prof. Omenetto. Fortunately for Dan, he agreed and is now a relatively newly minted Ph.D. It is difficult to summarize the career achievements of a scientist such as Nico Omenetto because of the range of fields in which he has worked. However, it is straightforward to characterize the features of those studies. Without exception, the work is always insightful and rigorous, objective and thorough, and unwaveringly well presented. These same features characterize Nico himself, but with a full measure of unnecessary modesty thrown in. We all need heroes. In the area of science, one of mine is Nico Omenetto. I am delighted to wish him my very best on this special occasion and to hope that he continues to be active in science for many years to come.
Gary M. Hieftje Department of Chemistry, A150 Chemistry Building, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States E-mail address: [email protected].