Monday, February 12, 2018

Claudio Oleari

On 23 January 2018, Claudio Oleari passed away at the age of 73 in Reggio Emilia. He was the last and ultimate authority on the OSA-UCS color space and perceptually uniform color.

He was an eminent physics scholar and an associate professor at the University of Parma, at the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences. He devoted his life to the activities of teaching with the same passion and interest that he dedicated to research in the context of color, applying physics to perception and establishing its role in colorimetry. In 1995 he started the Gruppo in Colorimetria e Reflectoscopia, which later became the Associazione Italiana Colore.

His availability for colleagues and students and his ability to listen and advise are proverbial: his kindness will always be remembered by everyone who has known him. These qualities are exemplified by the message on his profile at the University of Parma “You are welcome any day and at any time, even without an appointment. It is useful to verify by telephone my presence in the office. To book a meeting and ask questions, sent an email to claudio.oleari@fis.unipr.it.”

He initiated, within the Italiana Association, many valuable informational activities and forged many connections which persist as a rich bibliography, always having in mind the need to invest in research and training both in Italy and abroad.” He initiated, within the Italiana Association, many valuable informational activities and forged many connections which remain as a rich bibliography, always having in mind the need to invest in research and training both in Italy and abroad.

His death leaves a void difficult to fill, and the world of color loses an intellectual and an attentive and informed scholar.

Claudio Oleari