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'''Enrico Fermi''' was an Italian physicist famous for his work on the [[Manhattan Project]], among other things. When Fermi emigrated to the U.S. in early January [[1939]], he had already won the [[Nobel Prize]] and was offered chairs at five different universities - and chose Columbia. By [[January 25]], he was conducting the first nuclear fission experiment in the U.S. - in [[Pupin Hall]]. 

Fermi resided at the King's Crown Hotel ([[420 West 116th Street]], now a law school dorm that also houses [[Deutsches Haus]]) where he happened to encounter fellow resident and scientist [[Leó Szilárd]] in the lobby.<ref>Peace and Security: The Next Generation, edited by George A. Lopez & Nancy J. Myers, (c) 1997 Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, ISBN 0-8476-8594-2, page 13</ref> Their encounter led to "one of the more colorful - and contentious - partnerships in the history of science" and turned out to be of fundamental importance for the success of the Manhattan Project.<ref>[http://www.sciamdigital.com/index.cfm?fa=Products.ViewIssuePreview&ISSUEID_CHAR=08C6A4E3-458A-4815-96BB-0452D7C8CCF&ARTICLEID_CHAR=BE6EAA76-32CF-44F3-925B-7C4497030E7 William Lanouette, The Odd Couple and the Bomb in: The Science of War: Nuclear History, Scientific American - Exclusive Online Issues ]</ref>

In addition to his Nobel, Columbia also awarded Fermi a [[Barnard Medal for Meritorious Service to Science]] in [[1950]].

Fermi later moved on to the [[University of Chicago]], which, as it does with the [[Core Curriculum]], continues to lay almost exclusive claim to him to this day.

== References ==
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[[Category:Physics professors|Fermi]]
[[Category:Former professors|Fermi]]
[[Category:Nobel Prize winners|Fermi]]