Professor Antonio Ruberti 1927 - 2000
The former European Commissioner for Research Professor Antonio Ruberti has died at the age of 73. During his term as commissioner in 1993-94, Professor Ruberti was responsible for launching a number of important initiatives including the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes, the European Week of Scientific Culture and the European Science and Technology Forum, of which he was president. Born in Aversa in the province of Caserta in 1927, Professor Ruberti trained as an engineer and became the first head of the Department of Science and Engineering and later rector of La Sapienza University in Rome. In 1987 he joined the Italian government and served for five years as Minister for the Coordination of Scientific and Technological Research. In 1993 he was appointed by the Italian government to the European Commission where he was responsible for science, research, technological development and education. After leaving the Commission he was again elected to the Italian Parliament where he chaired the Committee for European Union Policies. He died in Rome on September 4. Philippe Busquin, the current EU Research Commissioner, paid tribute to his predecessor. 'It was with much sadness that I learned of the death of Antonio Ruberti. Driven like few other men by a passion for knowledge - to use his own favourite expression - Professor Ruberti held a high view of research. He was also a fervent, committed European with a challenging vision of European research. Although he was a commissioner for only two years, this short time was enough for him to make his mark on European research policy. He was one of the great builders of the European research community.