Riccardo Giacconi was born in Genoa, Italy on October 6, 1931. He attended the University of Milan and received his Ph.D. in cosmic ray physics. He did post-graduate studies at the University of Milan, and in 1956, he moved to the United States to continue studies at Indiana University and Princeton University.
In 1959, he began work with American Science and Engineering in Cambridge, Massachusetts, dealing with X-ray astronomy. His group, the Space Research and System Division, worked on the concept of grazing incidence X-ray telescopes, and in 1962 discovered the first X-ray source outside of our solar system. Beginning with a staff of twenty-eight, using U.S. federal grant funding, Giacconi built the program to include almost 500 people by 1970. He was named Executive Vice President and Senior Scientist in 1969. Giacconi was successful both as a business executive and a researcher.
In 1973, Giacconi was named Associate Director of the Harvard/Smithsonian Astrophysics High Energy Division, as well as Professor of Astronomy at Harvard . Giacconi brought his organizational skills and a talented team with him. During this time, he helped to develop and operate the Einstein X-ray Observatory.
Throughout his career, Giacconi has continued to promote the technology necessary to further research. He was instrumental in the proposal, construction, and operation of the first satellite used solely for studying X-ray sources in space. This satellite, launched in 1970, was named Uhuru, a Swahili word for freedom, and was credited with finding the first black hole. He also used a telescope on Skylab to study X-ray emissions from the sun.
In 1981, Giacconi was named the first Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is part of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He also became Professor of Astronomy. During his tenure, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched.
In 1992, he moved to Germany and was named Director-General of the European Southern Observatory, an organization which includes the astronomical work of eight European nations. He led the construction of the Very Large Telescope, four 8-meter telescopes which operate together as an optical interferometer, located in the mountains of Chile.
In 1999, Giacconi returned to the United States and became president of the Associated Universities Incorporated, located in Washington, DC, which operates the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Associated Universities Incorporated is a non-profit organization that is responsible for the operation of astronomical observatories in the academic research community. One project he oversees is the construction and operation of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. He is also a Research Professor at Johns Hopkins University and continues work in X-ray astronomy.
Astronomical research has benefited from the significant organizational skills of Dr. Giacconi. The telescopes, on the ground and in space, have
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