Italian physicists of all times: A biographical dictionary in preparation

This paper describes the historical research activity aimed at accomplishing the first prosopography of Italian physics. The investigation spans over a period of time of more than five centuries, starting from the Renaissance period and including the physicists born up to 1948. The data which are being collected will be articulated in a biographical dictionary, which is gradually being prepared and will be published in 10 separate dossiers. Up to now the research activity focused on the scholars who were active between the Risorgimento and World War II, allowing to list about 1000 Italian physicists born between 1770 and 1918. Many of them, including about 250 high school teachers, had been neglected so far by historical-scientific literature. Almost 100 women physicists were also identified, attesting a gradual evolution of Italian society and of its scientific culture. Concerning the above-mentioned period of time, the first four dossiers of the biographical dictionary (letters A-Z) are about to be completed and published within 2020. To show the significance of such a prosopographic investigation, a case study is described, concerning Enrico Stracciati (1858-1937), a little-known physicist who had an important role in Orso Mario Corbino's education.