Yu Lu, former head of the ICTP Condensed Matter Physics Section and one of the leading figures at ICTP in the period 1986-2002, has just been awarded the 2007 Tate Medal of the American Institute of Physics with the following short citation:
"The AIP Tate Medal for International Leadership in Physics is awarded to Professor Lu Yu in recognition of four decades of landmark contributions in bringing together the world's condensed matter physics community, the support of young scientists and the creation of important international conferences and international statesmanship in theoretical physics."
In the longer citation, his involvement with ICTP and its crucial role are extensively emphasized.
The Tate Medal is awarded by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) to non-US scientists in recognition of their leadership and service to the physics community on an international level.
The previous winner, in 2005, was the former ICTP Acting Director Erio Tosatti who collaborated extensively with Yu Lu during the latter's stay at ICTP.
Previous winners also include the ICTP founding director Abdus Salam and the former member of the ICTP Scientific Council Roald Sagdeev.