ICO has lost a unique supporter: Prof. Gallieno Denardo

    The international optics community is living hard times. Last July 24, I received the very sad new of the great loss of Gallieno Denardo, which happened suddenly and unexpectedly. Gallieno has left us in times when his presence would be more needed, as he was the driving force of so many activities developed at the ICTP to enhance the training of students and young researchers, in particular from developing regions of the world. The International Commission for Optics (ICO), as an international organization aimed to support the development of optics and photonics in the world, has lost a great friend and a key person for the international projection of all these programs. I had the enormous chance to work with Gallieno for the last six years and I was always impressed by his tenacity, dedication, generosity and the great sense he had about how to orient and focus the optics activities. It is indeed very hard to accept that Gallienos presence will be absent from the ICTP rooms, and that we shall not be able to sit and talk with him on so many aspects on the current activities. Gallieno was instrumental in establishing and running all ICTP activities on optics, including laboratories, schools and workshops, and the ICO/ICTP Award. As an additional program in their long standing cooperation, the ICTP and ICO established in 1999 this Award in order to recognize a researcher less than 40 years old from a developing country.
    As part of its program to support optics in less favored regions of the world, ICO has been collaborating with ICTP in organizing Winter Colleges on Optics during the last sixteen years. Gallieno Denardo, as the local organizer, was providing all the necessary supports and arrangements for the successive College to be great successes, one after the other. He has also been the local organizer of the eleventh edition of the Winter Colleges, to be held on February 2008. He was even devoting part of his always busy schedule to share with all the participants the meetings, seminars, and to organize wonderful music evening happenings.
    Gallieno, as the coordinator of the optics and laser programs at the ICTP, took another very practical initiative, namely, the organization of the Trieste System Optical Sciences and Applications (TSOSA) Advisory Group, established in 2003 with the aim of advising the ICTP in the area of optics activities.
    There is very little more to be added to our sadness. No doubt, a good tribute to his memory will be to join forces, to complete his work and to continue with our related activities.
    At the forthcoming ICO Topical Meeting on Optics and Laser Applications in Medicine and Environmental Monitoring for Sustainable Development to be held in Accra (Ghana) next November 2007, a Special Session honoring Gallieno Denardo will be organized with the aim to offer the most generous perspective and scope on Gallienos contributions on the last decades to the expansion of optics and photonics. We would like to invite all our colleagues to participate in one way or another in this homage.
    Let us leave Gallienos memory to be a part of our motivations, in the forthcoming years, in order to afford and warrant a better future for these young generations. Surely, he would put all his enthusiasm on that.

Maria L. Calvo
ICO Secretary General
Professor of Optics
Head of the Department of Optics
Complutense University of Madrid

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We, the oldest library staff, knew Prof. Denardo from the beginning. He was an excellent scientist, totally dedicated to the ICTP and a special person with rare human qualities.

We remember most vividly that during the colleges/workshops he organized, he attended all lectures and expected that each and every participant be present as well. He was in the lobby early in the morning and personally rang the bell at the beginning of each session. After that, he would go to the bar or the photocopying areas to fetch participants and send them immediately to the lecture hall. He used to say that they were here to learn and not to go back to their countries with luggage full of photocopies - they would never be absent again without a good reason.

Dedicated to the mission of the Centre, he always showed enthusiasm and great commitment in everything he did. He was very active in the Library Committee, willing to give advice in selecting books and journals. He always found a moment to pass by and discuss or suggest ways of improving our collection, forever with a smile and grateful for having been consulted.

It is a great loss for all of us. But although we will no longer be able to avail of his expertise or hear his laughter around the building, it will be impossible to forget him.

Maria Fasanella
Alida Zobeni
ICTP Library

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    I knew Gallieno for almost 25 years and am proud to have had him as a friend as well as collaborator. I have many fond memories of our interactions but there is one in particular I would like to share.
    In March 2007, Gallieno and I travelled to Paris for a meeting at UNESCO with authorities from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report on the Mori Fellowship programme. The Mori fellows are funded by the Japanese Government though UNESCO.
    We flew to Paris the day before the meeting and had a couple of hours to spare before dinner. Since we were staying in a hotel close to the Tour Eiffel (and Gallieno, somewhat shamefacedly, confessed to me that despite his numerous trips to Paris, he had only ever seen the symbol of Paris from a moving taxi) I suggested that we put on our walking shoes. I have never been proud of my orienteering skills but it was obvious that I had no choice but to act as a tourist guide for Gallieno and show him the sights. So, map in hand, we set off. We ended up walking for more than four hours (without getting lost) along the banks of the Seine and reaching Notre Dame and even further. During the walk, we spoke of many things: his commitment to ICTP and its mission, his love of animals, particularly stray ones (at one point he had of the order of 14 cats), his joy at learning new languages, his gardening, his carpentry... It was so easy to talk to him.
    When we sat down for a meal together, I ordered a glass of wine while Gallieno chose only water. I will never forget the incredulous expression on Gallieno's face when the waitress brought me not one glass, but a litre of red wine. I joked that I hadn't thought my French was so badand remarked that since we had it we might as well drink up! We didn't get to the bottom of the bottle (as Gallieno feared we might, or even worse that I might) and what made us laugh even more was when we requested the bill and the waitress produced a measuring tape and literally measured how much we had drunkand that's what we paid for. So, my French hadn't been that bad after all!
    Gallieno was also an extremely kind and thoughtful person. Every Christmas and Easter, without fail and for as long as I can remember, he would arrive at my office with the traditional Italian cakepandoro for Christmas and colomba for Eastergestures which will be sorely missed.
    ICTP is not the same place without Gallieno and like many of us, I already miss him but somehow I still hear his laughter echoing down the corridors.

Anne Gatti
ICTP

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    I am stunned and saddened by the sudden loss of my friend and colleague of nearly 20 years, Professor Gallieno Denardo of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), in Trieste, Italy. The significance of his loss is difficult to express in words, but my fond memories of this distinguished humanitarian are easy to articulate.
    I met Gallieno for the first time in 1988, when Professor Abdus Salam, the late Nobel Laureate and Founding Director of ICTP, created the Edward Bouchet Abdus Salam Institute (EBASI**). Gallieno was the primary facilitator for Prof. Salam and three of the primary objectives of EBASI, which were [1] to provide a mechanism for synergistic scientific and technical collaborations between African and African-American scientists; [2] to increase the technical manpower pool working in Africa today; and [3] to facilitate the training of PhD students from African universities. As one of the founding members of the American Council of EBASI, I started working with Gallieno at ICTP, and found him to be one of the most gifted, visionary, and compassionate of individuals, totally dedicated to disseminating excellent science to developing countries not only in Africa, but also in Asia and Latin America as well. What seemed to many like an insurmountable task was made agreeable and enjoyable, due mostly to Gallienos congenial, affable nature; I found that his remarkable energy galvanized me, and countless others, to this noble cause.
    Already an internationally recognized center for theoretical physics, ICTP became a mecca for scientists from developing countries to learn the latest advances in theoretical physics from the top scientists in the world. Gallieno, with his background in elementary particle physics, recognized early on that optics and photonics was an exceptional vehicle to expand the scientific breadth of ICTP to a wider audience in the developing world. As the Organizer of ICTP activities in Lasers and Optics since 1985, he simultaneously served as Head of the ICTP Office of External Activities from 1989 through 1997. With the passing of Prof. Salam in 1996, Gallieno became the principal spearhead to implement Prof. Salams mandate that ICTP & foster advanced studies and research, especially in developing countries. Even mandatory retirement did not sway his enthusiasm and commitment, evinced by Gallienos activities as a Consultant to the ICTP Office of External Activities since 1998.
    During his tenure with ICTP, Gallieno organized over 50 scientific meetings and training courses in the field of lasers, atomic and molecular physics since 1985. I remember when Gallieno organized his first conference on optics and photonics in 1985, which was entitled Winter College on Lasers, Atomic and Molecular Physics, 21 January  22 March. The Directors of this college were, G. Amat, T. Arecchi, R. Bonifacio, A. Dymanus, F. P. Schäfer and O. Svelto  all internationally recognized members of the optics community. These were extremely well organized workshops with 60-80 students at or near the PhD from universities in developing countries from around the world. The lectures were quite comprehensive, covering the basics to the latest advances in optics and photonics. I recall Gallieno had rock star status among the students, who revered him for his scientific prowess as well as his charismatic personality. His attention to detail and concern for scientific excellence was nothing short of extraordinary. For nearly two decades now, Ive admired Gallieno because I have seen how he impacted so many promising students and practicing scientists all over the world. It was a pleasure to lecture in two of his early workshops, and subsequently to discuss strategies for the centers future.
    I was OSA President when OSA signed an MOU with ICTP to support the Annual Winter Colleges on Optics and Photonics at a level of $5000, and authorizing such was one of the most satisfying tasks of my term. Given the size of the budget required to run the colleges, this $5000 contribution is indeed quite small, but to Gallieno it was priceless simply because it had the imprimatur of the OSA! When SPIE followed with a similar MOU the following year, Gallieno was equally delighted. Many times, he and I discussed the possibility of getting support/advice from the international optics, so in 2003 he formed the Trieste System Optical Sciences and Applications (TSOSA) Advisory Group to promote optical sciences in the developing world. TSOSA includes representatives from SPIE, ICO, OSA, OWLS, EOS, UNESCO, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and science programs across Europe. In addition to advising the centers leaders about programs for the annual winter college in optics, TSOSA offers a vehicle for sharing center news with the global optics community. TSOSA gave Gallieno a professional and international framework to continue his mission of offering assistance and training to young researchers from the developing world. For his efforts, Gallieno was the 2005 SPIE Educator Award recipient, a well-deserved award which recognized his work in organizing optics and photonics schools, colleges, conferences, and workshops for the past 20 years.
    When he retired several years ago, we still managed to keep in touch because Gallieno continued to give his time and attention to making science and engineering education accessible to grateful students in developing countries around the world. Personally, I have found Gallieno to be one of the warmest and most caring individuals that I have ever met, and I will never forget our friendship. The ICTP outreach programs have lost a tireless advocate, an esteemed mentor, and a benevolent leader in Prof. Gallieno DenardoI cant imagine who could fill his very large shoes!

**EBASI was named in honor of Edward A. Bouchet, who became in 1876 (Yale University) the first African American and the first known person of African descent to earn the PhD degree in Physics.

Anthony M. Johnson, Director
Center for Advanced Studies in Photonics Research (CASPR)
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Baltimore, Maryland 21250, USA
2002 President of the Optical Society of America (OSA)

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    I first met Professor Gallieno Denardo when I was working at the International Centre for High Technology (ICS-UNIDO)he would often visit the offices then located on the top floor of the Adriatico Guesthouse in Grignano. This was in late 1989. I worked closely with him on a number of scientific projects leading to the establishment of the International Centre for Pure and Applied Chemistry in 1990 and organized together the Centre's first conference on "Lasers in Chemistry" in June that year, hosted by ICTP. I still have the volume of the proceedings published by the Indian Academy of Sciences which I worked on closely with Professor Denardo and the organizing committee. I well remember his enthusiasm for his work and especially lasers.
    More recently, since 2000, I found myself once more on the ICTP premises working for TWAS. I would often bump into Professor Denardo at the Enrico Fermi building where he had his office. He always had time to stop and chat and enquire about workhis infectious laugh resounded along the corridors and his permanent good humour prevailed.
    I will certainly miss him.

Joanna Lacey
InterAcademy Panel (IAP)

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    It is impossible to forget that spontaneous and full burst of laughter that every now and then rolled down the hallway past my office door from somewhere in the area of the Directors office. Whatever serious business had been attended to was now punctuated by Gallienos clear statement that the business of uplifting the human spirit need not be conducted by grim faces. He wasnt alone in this, for which I am thankful, but he perhaps said it the loudest.
    On many of these occasions, passing afterwards by my office door, Gallieno would often stop to ask how things were going, his face slowly, but not fully recovering its calmer demeanor. A simple fine often prompted the response No, how are things going REALLY, Joe? That I will remember as much as his laughter: the warmth and openness which he so often showed and his friendship. As a new staff member I was particularly grateful that Gallieno was so willing to share his broad experience gained over a lifetime at the Center, and to have had the opportunity to share in his insights. But it wasnt altogether one-sided: during our visits Gallieno would rarely miss the opportunity to extract my perception of how certain of his programs were going, or what my thoughts were on how they could be made to work better. He always listened carefully and actively to perceived problems, but even more memorable is the way his eyes would light up when I would tell him of specific ways in which I thought things were working particularly well.
    It was clear that Gallieno really loved the Center. He didnt need to say this--it was obvious when we talked about the nuts and bolts of the place. And while he could be very critical of certain situations, he was never cynical. It seems that Gallienos sleeves were nearly always rolled up, always working to improve things, never sitting back to admire whatever successes had already been achieved. All this had a profound effect on me, much more than a thousand motivational talks could have.
    Gallieno was anything but a slick salesman, yet he easily sold the ideals of the Center. He sold ICTP the easy waybecause deep down I think he really believed in its ability to fulfill its stated mission and his sense of optimism showed. Among all else, I remember Gallieno as an incredibly gracious person. He did not appear, however, interested in merely being polite&like when he would stop by my office, asking How are things going REALLY Joe?

Joe Niemela
ICTP

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Dear Professor Denardo,
    Its sad to come to know that you left us so suddenly, working until the end for our next activity.
    You were a focal point of meeting, you built from all the world a big family of us.
    We are still confused, and it will take time to realize that we will not find you just around the corner at ICTP, ready to listen, always finding the time for a quick practical solution, in spite of hundreds of things to look at.
    Sometimes many of us would have wished to have more of your time, more attention, more advice, and more and more.
    We never found the door closed, never.
    We always had a concrete fast applied solution.
    Will we realize?
    Few words, really few about yourself, in years:
    You could keep us together, as a community, working all the year, for some weeks for us, as a scientific community, and at the end of every activity, with the feeling of being a family too.
    Through your silent and constant work in ICTP, and in ICTP spirit, we could have the best available lectures in the world. We could grow and come back to our countries, seeding the development of our people.
    Sometimes we were a little bit "sad" feeling how difficult it can be and is to compete with laboratories with so many facilities, and how much harder it is working in science with the minimum, and often less than that.
    You knew that...maybe you were a little bit sad too.
    But you never stopped encouraging us to go on learning and improving step by step, helping as much as possible to find chances to go on working, and giving us a feedback for outputs, that we would have had to give you every year.
    We would have had every year some very positive and well defined new result.
    Will you see us from there?
    We hope, we hope that you, while taking rest, will see some good results from us; its the best satisfaction for an educator.
    Some good results you already sawits a collective success of our ICTP community.
    Professor, farewell, we are spread around the world, but we will be there.
    Professor, few words about you in years, and many years of continuous daily actions, sometime for us to know you now.

    No time to tell you, "we will miss you".
    No time to realize...
    Professor, thanks.
    All your ICTP Optics Community

Barbara Federica Scremin (Italy)
Zohra BenLakhdar (Tunisia)
Amadou Wague (Senegal)
Imrana Ashraf Zahid (Pakistan)
Paul Buah Bassuah (Ghana)
Danailov Miltcho (Bulgaria)
Lisanna Iannitti (ICTP)
Nadia van Buuren (ICTP)
Vanessa Varnier (International Centre for Science and Technology (ICS))

    In writing about my friend Gallieno Denardo, I have had to resist the tendency to write in the present tense, as if he was still with usas if he would somehow show up in my office and fill it with his boisterous, if somewhat nervous, laughter. Alas, that will never happen now.
    Monday the 23rd of July was Gallienos 72nd birthday. I sent him a brief e-greeting sometime that afternoon. He was home-bound because of his accident for more than a week already, and I didnt expect an immediate response. I didnt receive anything from him the next morning, either. Around 10 AM of the 24th, I learnt that Gallieno was no more! He had likely passed away just around the time I sent my e-mail.
    At first, I could not believe the news of Gallienos death because it seemed so unlikely and untimely. I was hoping against hope that someone might show up to reassure me that this terrible news was not true. But, alas, it was true and there was nothing to do but stare into endless emptiness.
    I had lunch with Gallieno just the previous Friday and bantered with him that he probably missed ICTP more than ICTP missed him during his absence in the recent week or so. When I drove him from Adriatico to the Main Building, Gallieno alighted with some difficulty from the car and was slow to walk on his crutches; but he gave no indication of anything more than modest discomfort. If it is true that gentle death without suffering befalls only generous people, there was abundant proof in death, as in life, that Gallieno was unreservedly generous to all. I know for a fact that he always thought in terms of how he could be useful to others in neednever asking how his actions would serve his strategic advantage.
    When I came for my first formal visit to ICTP, still unsure if I would accept the position of the ICTP Director, Gallieno was one of the people who tilted my decision in favor. He convinced me that it would indeed be possible to set up an experimental research program at ICTP (he took me to Elettra and the Optics Lab), and explained why someone like me would be good for ICTP at that time. Later, Gallieno was like an older brother to me giving guidance and advice when asked, rarely pushing a personal agenda, never demanding things in return. He made me feel good about myself on occasionheaven knows that there are many reasons to feel otherwiseand provided as input his immense experience when critical decisions had to be made.
    Now that Gallieno is gone for good, I have to find people to take on all the responsibilities that he shouldered so capably without pretense. No doubt that ICTP will rise to the occasion and things will turn out fine at some level, but it will never be the same without him. We will miss the wealth of information that resided in Gallienos mind and the compassion and effectiveness with which he used it.
    Recently ICTP celebrated "Africa Day" at the instance of the Africa Department of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Several African scientists, young and old, spoke at the meeting. For those who knew Gallienos involvement in Africa, it came as no surprise that the meeting turned out, unplanned, to celebrate Gallienos contributions to African science. Nearly everyone acknowledged the warmth and personal involvement that he evinced on ICTPs projects in Africa. In his usual unassuming way, he brushed off this honor simply by saying that people were exaggerating. Those who knew the details were aware that the truth was different: Gallieno deserved everything that was said of him that day.
    Gallieno did many things for ICTP but this is no place to attempt a list. I should, however, mention three aspects: the Office of External Activities (OEA), his mentoring of an important training activity on lasers and optics, and his special interest in Eastern Europe. In all these instances, his vision was not grandiose but pragmatic and practical. Gallieno built OEA over time and with patience, and cultivated deserving scientists all over the world; he was keenly aware of their shortcomings and knew their little problems and difficulties, but he also knew what measures would be appropriate to solve them. Even though his own field of research was not optics, he saw its importance for a number of areas of basic sciences, and, through the involvement of many interested people over the world, created a great optics community around ICTP. For areas in which ICTP does not have local expertise, as has been the case with lasers and optics, I believe this to be the most effective way to forge ahead. Gallieno had very strong feelings for Central European cultures, particularly Slavic (he spoke fluent Slovenian)and he devoted much energy to create strong links with ICTP. Naturally, he had many friends in that part of the world. He was also very keen to nurture ICTPs relationships with the IAEA, which he considered vital and strategic.
    I know that different people have their different ideas of what happens after death. I must confess that I dont know my own thinking well on this facetlet alone knowing about those of others. However, if it is true that there is a soul that survives the collapse of physical body, I have no doubt that Gallienos soul hovers over ICTP, taking pride in its accomplishments and cheering us on to do better when it falls short of expectations; but he would be neither jealous nor complaining. That thought lessens my sadness at the knowledge of his death.

K.R. Sreenivasan
ICTP

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    I will save forever the memory of Professor Denardo's cheerful nature. We always had a very positive working and human relationship.
    In particular we had a sort of joke that started a long time ago. You might know that my name in Italian but written "stanca" means "tired" and people often make jokes about it. Professor Denardo sometimes also talked in Slovenian or Croatian to me as he was very fluent in both languages, but especially in Slovenian. Once he asked me if I were "trudna". I thought that the meaning of this word in both Slovenian and Croatian was the same and since in Croatian it means "pregnant" I replied "Oh my God, I hope not". He was very surprised by my reply and I noticed his astonishment. So I asked him why he was suprised by my reply because I indeed hoped not to be pregnant. And then he started to laugh loudly (as he used to do often) and I was suprised and asked him why he was laughing. Then he explained that in Slovenian the word "trudna" means just "tired" and that he only wanted to make the joke about my name and to ask if I was tired. Then of course we both laughed about this slight misunderstanding and this remained a joke between us: he often used to ask me "Are you trudna---in Slovenian?"

Stanka Tanaskovic
ICTP

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    Back in 1977, when Abdus Salam and Paolo Budinich first lured me to ICTP and the University of Trieste, my office on the Main Building second floor corridor appeared to suffer a strange, though entirely not unpleasant disturbance. One day after the other, someone down the corridor was breaking into periodic, unrestrained, loud bursts of laughter.
    Gallieno Denardo, then a young Theoretical Physics faculty and relativity expert, turned out to be the unrepenting author of the laughing disturbance. As I was to discover with time, he was indeed much more and much better than a jolly guy, and in fact just a great human being. The laughter was but one manifestation of his love for life and for his fellow men and women.
Theoretical physics is a fine job: but you cannot escape asking yourself sometimes why you do it; and what good is it to others, especially to those in situations of difficulty and need. Many of us came here to Trieste partly in response to that call. That must have been a worry for Gallieno too. A giving person as he was, he evidently needed to do more than just teach and research theoretical physics. So at some point in the early 80s he joined the ICTP on a much stronger working basis. From that point onwards, Gallieno's presence surfaced in literally every corner of ICTP's activity, wherever there was a need to fulfill, or a problem to solve.
    But the real impact of Gallieno's personality I experienced personally only in relatively recent times. In 2002 circumstances demanded that I take up for a year or so the acting directorship of ICTP. Willing though I was to be of help, I had clear knowledge of my fatal lack of organization in administrative matters, and felt lost without backup (the previous administrative director having just retired). It was Gallieno who moved in to help me, and covered that unexpected role really wonderfully, with total and unselfish dedication, from day 1 to day 365.
    Gallieno's legacy is rich multi-faceted: To work and give without conditions. He taught us to set up ties with isolated scientists in Africa; with experimental facilities like the Elettra Synchrotron, or his own Laser Laboratory; with IAEA in Vienna through the STEP fellowships, his own invention; and countless other feats. Last but not least, he taught us his strong friendly laughter as a hymn to life and to friendship. I wish to remember my friend Gallieno that way.

Erio Tosatti
SISSA

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Dear Professor Denardo,

    It was so sudden and I'm starting to believe it's final. I am still expecting your head to pop-in my office door, to see that honest smile and to hear your laughter down the corridor. I will always cherish your memory.
I will miss a gentleman that could communicate both with diplomacy and straightforward ways. I will miss your recognition for the smallest thing, your trust, respect, comfort and support, your commitment, passion and values, your logic and punctuality.
    I miss you dearly.

Nadia van Buuren
ICTP

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    Gallieno Denardo, un ami de lAfrique sen est allé.
    Dabord tout a commencé par un article que je voulais soumettre comme reprint à ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics) en août 1986. Alors on mavait dit que cétait le Prof. Gallieno Denardo qui était le répondant à ICTP pour tout ce qui concerne les questions de physique atomique. Je peux dire que depuis ce jour, je venais davoir la chance de rencontrer un homme formidable. Surtout ce jour là son rire éclatant et sincère venait déjà de me frapper. Cest ainsi que depuis cette période, chaque année, quand je revenais à Trieste pour les différentes activités du Centre et particulièrement pour les Winter Colleges organisés par le Prof. Denardo, jétais toujours très heureux de le revoir et de travailler avec lui pour lorganisation des séminaires LAMP (Lasers Atomic and Molecular Physics). Ces séminaires étaient des occasions privilégiées de communiquer et de s'imprégner des travaux des participants au Winter Collège venant du monde entier. Il nous est arrivé au début des années 90 dorganiser même des séances nocturnes de projection video sur linstrumentation laser et cela toujours avec lenthousiasme habituel du Prof. Denardo. C'était une ambiance particulière et réconfortante que de travailler avec lui. Je me rappelle on avait lhabitude de se rencontrer très tôt le matin dans son bureau, car il était toujours parmi les oiseaux du petit matin à ICTP. Et cétait avec beaucoup de réconfort que je repartais de son bureau toujours avec au moins une réponse positive aux innombrables problèmes très particuliers liés au développement des sciences en Afrique. Durant les deux décennies où jai eu le privilège de travailler avec lui, le Prof Denardo a permis à la communauté scientifique africaine présente à ICTP de faire des bons qualitatifs particulièrement dans le domaine des sciences optiques. On lui doit, au départ avec le soutien de Abdus Salam lui-même, le Directeur fondateur de ICTP, la création avec les scientifiques Africains du Réseau LAM (African Laser Atomic, Molecular and Optical sciences Network) et de tous les centres affiliés et autres réseaux que ce soit en mathématiques ou en physique, dans plusieurs pays africains (Côte dIvoire, Bénin, Sénégal, Ghana, Soudan, Cameroun, Maroc Tunisie, Egypte, Afrique du Sud, Zimbabwe, Namibie, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambie etc.). Grâce à lui beaucoup de chercheurs africains au départ très isolés sont devenus des membres associés de ICTP et beaucoup dautres ont bénéficié du programme de bourse Sandwich Step quil a initié avec lAgence International de lEnergie Atomique ainsi que du programme de bourse avec ICS a Trieste ( International centre for Science and High Technology). Tout juste au cours des trois dernières années le Prof. Denardo se battait encore pour rendre opérationnel le TSOSA (Trieste System for Optical Sciences and Applications), avec la création dun programme de mentorship et celle dun groupe permanent en Optique à ICTP.
    Le Prof. Denardo a été la bonne fée de l'Afrique à ICTP. Il a su susciter des interactions utiles et fécondes entre les scientifiques africains et la communauté scientifique internationale. C'est ainsi quavec son soutien, le LAM a pu organisé plusieurs conférences, ateliers et écoles à caractère international sur les lasers et loptique à travers toute l'Afrique et cest ainsi que le LAM est devenu une société internationale membre de ICO avec un poste de vice présidence. De même par son intermédiaire, plusieurs pays africains sont devenus membres ou observateurs à lUnion International de Physique Pure et Appliquée (IUPAP). En plus il a su créer des liens entre les scientifiques Africains et plusieurs sociétés Internationales dOptique comme ICO, OSA, SPIE, OWLS, IEE/LEOS. De même, il a été à lorigine des relations fécondes qui existent entre le LAM et des chercheurs Africains avec lUniversité de Lund en Suède, avec lInstitut dOptique de Paris en France, ainsi que des relations de coopération avec le Programme International en Sciences Physiques de lUniversité dUppsala en Suède avec lappui financier du SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency). Avec le Prof. Abdus Salam, il a favorisé également, la création de liens de coopération scientifique entre la Diaspora Africaine de lAmérique et la communauté scientifique africaine de Physiciens et de Mathématiciens par la création du "Edouart Bouchet Abdus Salam Institute "(EBASI) .
    Le Prof Denardo était un combattant infatigable,, et cela jusquau dernier souffle, pour le développement des sciences optiques en Afrique, et cétait un ami toujours présent pour susciter des opportunités de coopération scientifique. Chaque visiteur à ICTP, quil soit Africain, Asiatique, Européen ou Américain, croyait quil était le meilleur ami du Prof. Denardo. Cela montre combien il était ouvert à tous, et en vérité on doit dire que le prof. Denardo était un internationaliste au vrai sens du mot. En fait à ICTP, on peut dire quil incarnait véritablement lidéal de Abdus Salam pour le partage universel de la science.
    Prof. Denardo, tu nous a quitté subitement, ce lundi 23 juillet 2007, mais pour paraphraser le poète Sénégalais Birago Diop, en Afrique, nous savons que les morts ne sont pas morts, quils sont dans leau qui coule, quils sont dans le vent qui souffle, quils sont dans lenfant qui vient de naître. Mais toi Prof. Denardo, en plus, tu es dans la lumière des lasers des laboratoires que nous avons crées ensemble en Afrique, tu es dans les pages des livres, dans les mémoires et sur les écrans des ordinateurs que nous consultons tous les jours, tu es dans les thèses et les articles que nous avons écrits avec nos étudiants. Tu seras toujours avec nous dans les activités du LAM, de ICO, de UPAP de OSA, de SPIE de OWLS etc. Dans les couloirs, les bureaux, les salles de cours et conférences de ICTP, à chaque fois que nous y serons nous entendrons tes éclats de rire si sincères et si amicaux.
    Le 31 mai 2007 à Trieste, à la journée "Africa Day "dediée à lAfrique par ICTP, comme une prémonition, les Africains unanimes tont rendu un vibrant hommage Urbi et Orbi. Aujourdhui, Prof. Denardo, toi lOfficier de lOrdre National du Lion du Sénégal (la plus grande distinction honorifique de ce pays), toi le Docteur Honoris Causa de l'Université de Cape Coast au Ghana, lAfrique reconnaissante du fond des savanes, des déserts, et des forets par delà les frontières du temps et de lespace, te dit merci. A ta famille, à Dori, à Eleanor, à Georges, a Sreenivasan, nous exprimons toutes nos condoléances émues et notre sympathie.
    Maintenant, repose en paix cher ami.

Ahmadou Wague
Président du LAM Network et coordinateur du Centre Affilié de Dakar