by R Aldrovandi, A Santoro and J M Gago (eds), AIAFEX, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 8585806028, €40. Available from Livraria Leonardo Da Vinci, Rio, Brazil, fax: +55 21 2533 1277, e-mail: info@leonardodavinci.com.br.
This book is a token of the admiration and friendship felt for Roberto Salmeron on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Some of the authors regard him as both their teacher and mentor, and others as a respected colleague and friend. The book is thus a tribute to the scientist, the professor and the friend.
There is scarcely a domain in Brazilian science and culture where Roberto has not played an important role. He is remembered for example by his support for the Instituto de Fisica Teorica in Sao Paulo in the 1950s. He also proposed the establishment of the first ICFA Instrumentation School in Brazil, as well as the creation of a synchrotron light laboratory in Campinas. Then came his support for the development of instrumentation to be used in experiments both at CERN and at Fermilab.
The 32 contributed papers cover a wide spectrum of topics, from general relativity and cosmology to the interaction between science and society. They touch in turn upon the physics of neutrino masses and mixings, the study of cosmic rays and particle physics, and the search for the quark-gluon plasma, the origin of masses, the development of nanotechnology and several quantum-physics issues.
They also provide vivid glimpses of Roberto’s personality, such as his enthusiasm for teaching physics, the desire to develop science for the benefit of all society, and his awareness of the social responsibilities of scientists. A dramatic article by Michel Paty evokes their common struggle, in 1963-1965, in building the Institute of Physics of the University of Brazilia and defending its freedom against the intervention of the dictatorial regime. This was a fight that ended in the resignation of most of the faculty members and Roberto’s exile – an example of his courage and determination in defending the dignity of science. Long live Roberto!
