Fulvio Melia
Encyclopedia
Fulvio Melia is an Italian
-American
astrophysicist and author
. He is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Arizona
and Associate Editor of the Astrophysical Journal
Letters. A former Presidential Young Investigator and Sloan Research Fellow
, he is the author of six books and more than 230 articles on theoretical astrophysics.
, Italy
. He was educated at Melbourne University
and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and held a post-doctoral research position at the University of Chicago
before taking an assistant professorship at Northwestern University
in 1987. Moving to the University of Arizona
as an associate professor in 1991, he became a full professor in 1993. From 1988 to 1995, he was a Presidential Young Investigator
(under President Ronald Reagan
), and then an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow from 1989 to 1992. He became a Fellow of the American Physical Society
in 2002. He is also a Professorial Fellow in the School of Physics, Melbourne University.
From 1996 to 2002, he was a Scientific Editor with the Astrophysical Journal
, and since then has been an Associate Editor with the Astrophysical Journal
Letters. He is also the Chief Editor of the Theoretical Astrophysics series of books at the University of Chicago Press
.
In a career that has seen him publish over 230 research papers and several books, Melia has made important contributions in High Energy Astronomy and the physics
of supermassive black holes. He is especially known for his work on the galactic center
, particularly developing a theoretical understanding of the central supermassive black hole, known as Sagittarius A*.
With his students and collaborators, he was the first to propose imaging this object with millimeter-interferometry, which should be feasible within a few years, proving beyond any doubt that it possesses an event horizon, as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity
. He is also a well-respected and popular publicist of astronomy
and science
in general, delivering many lectures at public venues, including museums and planetariums. His books have won several awards of distinction, including the designation of Outstanding Academic Books by the American Library Association
, and selection as worldwide astronomy books of the year by Astronomy magazine
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astrophysicist and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
and Associate Editor of the Astrophysical Journal
Astrophysical Journal
The Astrophysical Journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering astronomy and astrophysics. It was founded in 1895 by the American astronomers George Ellery Hale and James Edward Keeler. It publishes three 500-page issues per month....
Letters. A former Presidential Young Investigator and Sloan Research Fellow
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.-Overview:...
, he is the author of six books and more than 230 articles on theoretical astrophysics.
Career
Melia was born in GoriziaGorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was educated at Melbourne University
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and held a post-doctoral research position at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
before taking an assistant professorship at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1987. Moving to the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
as an associate professor in 1991, he became a full professor in 1993. From 1988 to 1995, he was a Presidential Young Investigator
Presidential Young Investigator Award
The Presidential Young Investigator Award was awarded by the National Science Foundation. The program operated from 1984 to 1991, and was replaced by the NSF Young Investigator Awards and Presidential Faculty Fellows Program...
(under President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
), and then an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow from 1989 to 1992. He became a Fellow of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
in 2002. He is also a Professorial Fellow in the School of Physics, Melbourne University.
From 1996 to 2002, he was a Scientific Editor with the Astrophysical Journal
Astrophysical Journal
The Astrophysical Journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering astronomy and astrophysics. It was founded in 1895 by the American astronomers George Ellery Hale and James Edward Keeler. It publishes three 500-page issues per month....
, and since then has been an Associate Editor with the Astrophysical Journal
Astrophysical Journal
The Astrophysical Journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering astronomy and astrophysics. It was founded in 1895 by the American astronomers George Ellery Hale and James Edward Keeler. It publishes three 500-page issues per month....
Letters. He is also the Chief Editor of the Theoretical Astrophysics series of books at the University of Chicago Press
University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
.
In a career that has seen him publish over 230 research papers and several books, Melia has made important contributions in High Energy Astronomy and the physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
of supermassive black holes. He is especially known for his work on the galactic center
Galactic Center
The Galactic Center is the rotational center of the Milky Way galaxy. It is located at a distance of 8.33±0.35 kpc from the Earth in the direction of the constellations Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, and Scorpius where the Milky Way appears brightest...
, particularly developing a theoretical understanding of the central supermassive black hole, known as Sagittarius A*.
With his students and collaborators, he was the first to propose imaging this object with millimeter-interferometry, which should be feasible within a few years, proving beyond any doubt that it possesses an event horizon, as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
. He is also a well-respected and popular publicist of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
in general, delivering many lectures at public venues, including museums and planetariums. His books have won several awards of distinction, including the designation of Outstanding Academic Books by the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
, and selection as worldwide astronomy books of the year by Astronomy magazine
Astronomy (magazine)
Astronomy is a monthly American magazine about astronomy. Targeting amateur astronomers for its readers, it contains columns on sky viewing, reader-submitted astrophotographs, and articles on astronomy and astrophysics that are readable by nonscientists....
.
Books
- Electrodynamics 2001, University of Chicago PressUniversity of Chicago PressThe University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
, ISBN 978-0-226-51957-9 (Cloth), ISBN 978-0-226-51958-6 (Paper) - The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy 2003, Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, ISBN 978-0-691-09505-9 (Cloth) - Il Buco Nero al Centro della Nostra Galassia 2005, Bollati Boringhieri, ISBN 978-8833916088
- The Edge of Infinity. Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe 2003, Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, ISBN 9780521814058 (Cloth) - Na Skraju Nieskonczonosci 2005, Wydawnictwo Amber, ISBN 83-241-2296-0 (Cloth)
- The Galactic Supermassive Black Hole 2007, Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, ISBN 978-0-691-13129-0 - High-Energy Astrophysics 2009, Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, ISBN 0691140294 (Paper), ISBN 978-0691140292 (Cloth) - Cracking the Einstein Code 2009, University of Chicago PressUniversity of Chicago PressThe University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
, ISBN 0226519511, ISBN 978-0226519517
External links
- Fulvio Melia's website
- An excerpt from Cracking the Einstein Code