In Memoriam

ICTP is saddened to learn about the passing away of Margherita Hack, acclaimed Italian astrophysicist and the first woman to head an Italian astronomical observatory (Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste).

Hack, who was a full professor of astronomy at the University of Trieste till her retirement in 1997, had been a frequent visitor to ICTP since its inception.  She played an active part in many ICTP activities; some of them include teaching astrophysics at the Advanced School of Physics in the academic year 1966-1967, participating in the International Symposium on Contemporary Physics in 1968, organizing an activity on Large-scale Structure and Motions of the Universe in 1988, and moderating a public lecture on the origin of life in the Universe in 2000.

Hack was member of a number of physics and astronomy associations and has received many honours for her contribution to science. She was awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Order of Merit for Culture and Art in 1998 and the Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2012. The asteroid 8558 Hack, discovered in 1995 is named in her honour.