| Giovanni Giorgi was born in Lucca,
Italy, on 27 November 1871. He graduated in engineering in Rome
in 1893. His accidental death occurred on 19 August 1950 at Castiglioncello.
Giorgi’s professional career was brilliant. Some highlights
include:
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1897-1906
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Manager of various electrical and mechanical equipment companies
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1906-1921
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Director of the technical department of the City of Rome
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From 1910
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Lecturer, and later professor, in various scientific fields
(University of Rome; School for Aeronautical Construction,
Rome; Royal School of Engineering, Rome; Royal University
of Cagliari; University of Palermo)
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1935 and 1938
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Italian Delegate in IEC meetings
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Prof. Giorgi’s activities and interests reflect his broad
cultural and scientific background, covering numerous but not necessarily
related subjects:
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Science and technology, e.g. the application of operational calculus
to electromagnetism; contributions to pure and applied mathematics;
analytical mechanics; relativity (including correspondence
with Einstein).
The arts, one of his many contributions to the Enciclopedia
Italiana concerning the use of colours in the Middle Ages
and in modern art.
Engineering, where he was active in various technical
fields such as urban and interurban electric traction, and
electric power distribution systems.
Didactic issues, where he worked on methods of disseminating
scientific and technical knowledge to the non-specialized
public.
Publications, being the author of 350 scientific/technical
papers and author or co-author of several text books on science
and engineering, for example Verso L’Elettrotecnica
Moderna, 1949. Libreria Editrice Politecnica, Milano.
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Some of Giovanni Giorgi’s work of fundamental
importance was fully appreciated only after many years. The best
example of this is the slow process of acceptance of his proposal
in 1901 for a coherent unit system. The page describing the present
situation in the IEC shows that an enormous amount of technical
knowledge is based, and will be based in future, on the SI which
was developed from Giorgi’s original ideas. This knowledge
extends well beyond the borderline of electrotechnology into all
technical fields.
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