Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) was a renowned physicist born in New Zealand. Known as the "father of nuclear physics," he made groundbreaking discoveries about the nature of atoms and radioactivity. Rutherford's famous gold foil experiment led to the development of the nuclear model of the atom, revolutionizing the field of physics. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908 for his work on radioactive decay. Rutherford's legacy in the scientific community is profound, shaping our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe.