November 03

Born in Lindau in 1505, Achilles Gasser studied medicine at the University of Wittenberg before serving as a court physician. He authored medical treatises and astrological almanacs that were widely circulated across Europe. Gasser corresponded with leading scholars of his time, including Georg Joachim Rheticus, and contributed to the revival of ancient medical texts. His interdisciplinary work helped shape early modern perspectives on the relationship between celestial phenomena and human health. He spent his later years in Augsburg, where he continued teaching and publishing.

Daniel Rutherford was a Scottish physician and chemist renowned for isolating nitrogen in 1772. Born in Edinburgh, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and later became the Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University. Rutherford's experiments involved removing oxygen and carbon dioxide from air, leading him to formally identify 'noxious air', now known as nitrogen. His research laid foundations for understanding atmospheric gases and influenced later chemists like Lavoisier. He also served as a practicing physician and contributed to academic teaching, leaving a legacy in both scientific and medical communities.

Carlo Fornasini specialized in the study of microfossils, particularly foraminifera, which provided critical insights into ancient marine environments. His meticulous classifications and illustrations advanced the field of micropaleontology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Fornasini published extensively on Mediterranean microfaunal assemblages, aiding in biostratigraphic correlations. He collaborated with leading European geologists and maintained collections that remain reference standards. His work helped establish the importance of microfossils in geological and paleontological research.

Alfred Perot collaborated with Charles Fabry to develop the Fabry–Pérot interferometer, a groundbreaking tool for high-resolution spectroscopy. Their invention allowed precise measurement of spectral lines, advancing both physics and astronomy. Perot held academic positions at the University of Paris, where he taught and conducted research on optics. His work influenced the study of light coherence and interferometry techniques. Perot's legacy endures in modern optical instrumentation and laser technology.

Eileen Mary Hendriks (1887–1978) was a pioneering British geologist whose research focused on the structure and distribution of mineral deposits in the United Kingdom. Graduating from University College London in 1911, she later joined the Geological Survey of Great Britain, where she conducted field studies across Wales and England. Hendriks’s meticulous mapping of lead-zinc veins and her analyses of sedimentary sequences advanced the knowledge of Paleozoic stratigraphy. She authored numerous papers detailing the geology of the Shropshire Hills and contributed to the first comprehensive geological map of the British Isles. As one of the few female geologists in her era, she overcame institutional barriers and served as a role model for women in the earth sciences. Hendriks received recognition from professional societies, including the Geological Society of London, for her scholarly achievements. Her work laid important groundwork for future exploration and mining industries.

Born in 1899 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Gleb Wataghin earned his doctorate in physics before working at the University of Turin and Milan. In 1934, he was invited to Brazil to establish the physics department at the University of São Paulo, where he founded the country’s first cosmic ray research laboratory. Wataghin mentored the earliest generation of Brazilian physicists and fostered studies in nuclear physics and astrophysics. His collaborative work led to important discoveries in particle physics and cosmic radiation. He served as a visiting professor in Europe and helped integrate Brazilian science into the global academic community. Wataghin's pioneering efforts created a lasting research infrastructure that propelled Latin American physics forward.

Julia Boyer Reinstein (1906–1998) was an American educator and passionate local historian from Buffalo, New York. As a teacher, she encouraged students to explore regional history and cultural heritage. She founded local historical societies and spearheaded preservation efforts for historical landmarks. Reinstein donated land that became the Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, protecting vital ecosystems. Her research and publications on Western New York history remain key resources for scholars. Her dedication to education and conservation left a lasting legacy in her community.

Born in 1930, Tsutomu Seki is a renowned Japanese astronomer who has discovered several comets and asteroids. He co-discovered the spectacular Comet Ikeya–Seki in 1965, one of the brightest comets of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he identified and catalogued hundreds of minor planets, enriching our knowledge of the solar system. The asteroid 3426 Seki was named in his honor, recognizing his contributions to astronomy. He has authored numerous scientific papers on cometary and asteroidal dynamics. Seki remains active in promoting amateur astronomy and inspiring new generations of stargazers.

Born in Santiniketan, India in 1933, Amartya Sen studied at Presidency College, Calcutta and Trinity College, Cambridge. He developed the capability approach, reshaping how economists evaluate human welfare beyond income measures. Sen’s groundbreaking work on famines in India demonstrated that democratic institutions can prevent mass starvation. He served as Master of Trinity College, Cambridge and held professorships at Harvard University and the London School of Economics. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1998, he also received India’s Bharat Ratna in 1999. Sen continues to influence global debates on poverty, human rights, and development.

Ingrid Rüütel studied Estonian philology at the University of Tartu, focusing on folk traditions and language preservation. She worked at the Institute of the Estonian Language, contributing to research on folk songs and dialects. After marrying President Arnold Rüütel, she served as First Lady of Estonia from 2001 to 2006, advocating for cultural and educational initiatives. She co-authored several publications on Estonian folklore and lectured internationally on language and heritage. Her efforts have helped promote Estonian cultural identity during the country's post-Soviet independence period.

Martin Dunwoody is a mathematician renowned for his work in geometric group theory and topology. He introduced the concept of group accessibility in 1985, establishing criteria for the decomposition of groups. Dunwoody has served as a professor at institutions including the University of Liverpool and Cardiff University. His research has deepened understanding of three-dimensional manifolds and algebraic topology. He has published numerous papers that continue to influence modern mathematical research.

Born in 1948, Mahbubul Haque was a prominent Bangladeshi linguist who specialized in phonetics and dialectology of the Bengali language. He served as a professor at the University of Dhaka, where he led research projects on regional dialects and language preservation. Haque published numerous papers and mentored generations of language scholars. His work earned him national honors, including the Ekushey Padak. He passed away in 2024, leaving a lasting impact on linguistic scholarship in Bangladesh.