H isto ri ca l Corner

G i useppe Pelosi

University of F lorence Via d i Santa Marta , 3 1-50 1 39 Florence, Italy Tel : 055-4796-759; Fax: 055-4796-767 E-ma i l : g iuseppe .pelosi@un ifLit. g .pelosi@ieee.org

Foreword from the Associate Editor

The Pavia University i s celebrating the 650th anniversary of its foundation. In the framework of many different initiatives, a book, a workshop, and an exhibition were organized as part of the solemn celebrations "Pavia 1 878," dedicated to Alessandro Volta (Corno, Italy, February 1 8, 1 745 - Corno, Italy, March 5 , 1 827). For 4 1 years - from 1 778 up to 1 8 1 9 - Volta served as a teacher, Dean, and Rector of the University (Figure 1 ) .

It is worth remembering the importance of the 1 878 cele­brations in Pavia, when an honoris causa degree was awarded to James Clerk Maxwell (Edinburgh, UK, June 1 3 , 1 83 1 -

Cambridge, UK, November 5 , 1 879). Indeed, a very recent paper by V. Cantoni and A. P. Morando published in our his­torical corner ("Pavia, April 28-29, 1 878 : Volta Anniversary and Honorary Degree for Maxwell," IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, 53, I , 20 1 1 , pp. 205-2 1 0) published for

Figure 1 . A statue of Alessandro Volta in Volta Square, in Corno, Italy.

Figure 2. V. Cantoni and A. P. Morando, Alessandro Volta:

Le onoranze dei 1878 all'Universita di Pavia (The 1878 Celebrations at the University 0/ Pavia), Silvana Editoriale, 176 pages, November 2011, ISBN/EAN:9788836622368.

the first time two recently found letters by Maxwell related to the 1 878 celebrations.

The paper presented here is concerned with the exhibi­tion organized in this framework (November 1 8 to Decem­ber 2, 20 1 1 ) . This has been widely appreciated, not only for the importance ofthe contents, but also for the unusual and original installation.

A detailed presentation of "Pavia 1 878" is described in a bilingual (Italian/English) book (Figure 2) Alessandro Volta: Le onoranze deI 1 8 78 all 'Universita di Pavia [The 1 8 78 Cele­brations al the University 0/ Pavia] by Virginio Cantoni (Uni­versity of Pavia) and Adriano Paolo Morando (Polytechnic of Milan). The book is available to our IEEE Antennas and Propagation community for the special price of €20.40.

224 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 53, No. 6, December 20 1 1