a) Enrico Fermi

The team behind the USA’s first nuclear reactor was led by Enrico Fermi, a renowned physicist. In 1942, Fermi and his team achieved the first controlled nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago, a pivotal moment in the development of nuclear energy and the Manhattan Project. This experiment, conducted under the stands of the university’s Stagg Field, marked the dawn of the nuclear age. Fermi’s leadership in this project was instrumental in harnessing nuclear power, which would have profound implications for energy production and national defense. His work laid the groundwork for the development of nuclear reactors and the exploration of nuclear energy as a powerful resource.