Giancarlo Vallauri

Giancarlo Vallauri
Born	(1882-10-19)19 October 1882 Rome,Kingdom of Italy
Died	7 May 1957(1957-05-07)(aged 74) Turin, Italy
Education	Italian Naval Academy
Occupation(s)	Engineer, admiral, professor
Employer	Italian Naval Academy

Giancarlo Vallauri(19 October 1882 – 7 May 1957) was an Italian engineer, academic and naval officer.

Education and scientific career

Giancarlo Vallauri was born inRomeon 19 October 1882 from an ancient Piedmontese family. His father had moved to Rome for his work in theMinistry of Economy;he is the elder brother of Mario Vallauri. He attended the Royal High School Ginnasio Umberto I with excellent results. In 1900 he entered the Naval Academy of Livorno where he was first in his class for the entire period of studies, thus obtaining the sabre of honour.He left the Academy with the rank ofGuardiamarinain 1903. Having left the Navy in 1906, he graduated inelectrical engineeringin 1907 at the Polytechnic High School of Naples, immediately dedicating himself to university teaching, first in Padua and Naples, then from 1916 inLivornoas professor of electrical engineering at theItalian Naval Academy.In the meantime, he was called up to arms during theGreat War,in which he particularly stood out in the feats of arms ofPelagosa.

In Livorno, he spearheaded the establishment of the Navy's Electrotechnical and Radiotelegraphic Institute (Mariteleradar), serving as its first director from 1916 to 1926. Demonstrating remarkable foresight, he initiated pioneering research intoradio communications.Between 1920 and 1923, this research culminated in the design and construction of Italy’s first major radio station inColtano,developed in collaboration withGuglielmo Marconi.This state-of-the-art radiotelegraphic center was among the most advanced of its era, designed to provide reliable radio links withEritreaandSomalia.

From 1923, he served as a full professor of Electrical Engineering at theUniversity of Pisa.In 1926, he was appointed to the same position at thePolytechnic University of Turin,where he also served as rector from 1933 to 1938.That same year, he was named a Pontifical Academician of Sciences.In 1928, he became a member of the Academy of Sciences of Turin, and in 1929, he was elected an Academician of Italy, eventually becoming vice-president of its Physical Sciences section in 1934. During his tenure in Turin, he founded and directed the Galileo Ferraris National Electrotechnical Institute, established in 1934.

From 1933, he also presided over SIP (the Italian telephone company) andEIAR(the national radio broadcaster), leading both organizations until 1943. In 1939, he was named vice-president of the Academy of Italy, and between 1941 and 1943, he served as president of theNational Research Council(CNR).

In addition to his academic and scientific achievements, he advanced rapidly in the naval reserve: promoted to Captain in 1936, Rear Admiral in 1938 for exceptional merits, and Admiral of Division in 1943.

After World War II, he was cleared of suspicions stemming from his numerous positions held during theFascist regime.He was reinstated as a university professor in 1946–1947 and, in 1948, became a member of the prestigiousAccademia dei Lincei.

He died on 7 May 1957 in Turin and was buried in his hometown ofSant'Albano Stura.

Honors and awards

There were several training institutes throughout Italy dedicated to him:

• "Giancarlo Vallauri" Institute for Telecommunications and Electronics of theNavy(Mariteleradar);
• "G. Vallauri" Institute of Higher Education in Fossano (since 1981);
• "G. Vallauri" ITIS inReggio Calabria;
• "G. Vallauri" ITIS inVelletri;
• "G. Vallauri" IPSIA inCarpi.

Also a square inRome,in theGarbatella district,and an avenue inFossanoare named after Giancarlo Vallauri.

During his life he received several military and scholastic honors:

• Grand Officer of theOrder of the Crown of Italy
• Grand Officer of theOrder of the German Eagle
• Commander of theOrder of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
• Officer of theOrder of the Legion of Honour
• Promotion for merit of war
• Commemorative medal of the Italo-Turkish war
• Commemorative medal of the Italo-Austrian war 1915-1918
• Commemorative medal of the Unification of Italy 1848-1918
• Gold medal for merit-making in national education
• Gold Star for School Merit

External links

• "Vallàuri, Giancarlo".Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana(in Italian).
• "VALLAURI, Giancarlo".treccani.it.
• "Notizie biografiche e sulla carriera militare".marina.difesa.it(in Italian).
• "Necrologio"(PDF).mathematica.sns.it(in Italian).
• "Voce del Dizionario delle Scienze Fisiche".treccani.it(in Italian).