Physics in Poland: More by Reason Than by Force

PHYSICS IN POLAND More By Reason Than By Force Jozef Spalek from the Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, places the evolution of physics in Poland in perspective. A MODEST HISTORY Several conclusions can be drawn from Compared to the Polish school of mathe the history of the post-war period. First, matics, associated with the names such Polish physics was brought back to life. as W. Sierpiński, S. Banach, K. Kuratowski, However, an emphasis on nuclear research, S. Ulam, S. Lukasiewicz, A. Tarski, and H. motivated more by ideology than anything Steinhaus, our achievements in physics are else, overshadowed the development of much more modest. This is so even though “small” physics involving, for example, con the tradition of science had its roots in the densed matter and quantum optics and bio The Assembly Hall of Jagiellonian Universi liberal arts when the Cracow Academy (now physics and medical physics, in particular. ty’s Collegium Maius. the Jagiellonian University) was established The second factor which haunts us now was in 1364 by Casimir the Great. This is where the relaxation of strict selection standards Federal Republic of Germany before unifi Nicolas Copernicus studied in 1491-5 (but when promoting young people. Their ab cation). Some 75% are school teachers, never graduated), and where air was lique sence often led to a suppression of diversity about 13% scientists, and fewer than 10% fied in 1883 for the first time by Wróblewski in border areas through the predominance are in industry and the research institutes and Olszewski. of large projects that were sometimes crea attached to ministries. By comparison, The history of Polish science in the 19th ted solely to ensure the survival of large, about 50% of physicists in the USA and and early 20th centuries reflects our tragic specialized institutes. Germany work in industry or in industry-rela history for during this period one had to be ted research. However, numbers are chan abroad to carry out science successfully. AN EVOLVING COMMUNITY ging drastically because many young phy The period is highlighted by Marie Curie The physics community comprises more sicists are entering the computer business (who always signed her name as Maria than 35000 people (of which only half are or being employed as specialists in a vast Sklodowska-Curie), and by Marian Smolu- now active) in a nation of 38 million inhabi programme of computerization involving chowski, the main champion of atomic theo tants (the ratio is about half that for the banks, insurance companies, hotels, travel ry after the death of his mentor, Ludwig Boltzmann, and a creator of Brownian mo Major Classical Universities and Polytechniques tion theory which is in some ways more Place Institution Physics institute Staff * general than Einstein’s theory. We can also Katowice Silesian Univ. Institute of Physics 71 add Wojciech Rubmowicz, who discovered Cracow University of Mining Faculty of Physics 96 selection rules in optical transitions within & Metallurgy & Nuclear Techniques the Bohr-Sommerfeld theory of the atom. Jagiellonian Univ. Institute of Physics 176 The post-World War II period is essen Astronomical Observatory 22 tially marked by people who were both Lodz Lodz Univ. Divisions of Physics 79 Lodz Polytechnic Institute of Physics 64 scientists and organizers of our scientific Lublin Marie Curie-Sklodowska Univ. Institute of Physics 76 structures, notably: Poznań A. Mickiewicz Univ. Institute of Physics 177 - Leopold Infeld, first Director of the Institute Toruń Nicholas Copernicus Univ. Institute of Physics 88 of Theoretical Physics at Warsaw Univer Warsaw Warsaw Polytechnic Institute of Physics 86 Warsaw Univ. Institute of Experimental Physics 124 sity, whose work with Albert Einstein gave Institute of Theoretical Physics 57 rise to Bom-Infeld non-linear electrodyna Astronomical Observatory 14 mics and co-authorship of the much-appre Institute of Geophysics 15 ciated book Evolution of Physics ; Division of Mathematical Methods 15 - Marian Miesowicz who discovered liquid Heavy-Ion Laboratory 20 Wroclaw Wroclaw Polytechnic Institute of Physics 98 crystals while working for his habilitation in Wroclaw Univ. Institute of Experimental Physics 55 the 1930s at the Academy of Mining and Institute of Theoretical Physics 44 Metallurgy in Cracow; Astronomical Institute 19 - Wlodzimierz Trzebiatowski, the organizer Poland has 11 classical universities, 19 polytechniques, 8 pedagogical universities, and 10 universities of agricul of the Institute of Low Temperatures and ture that teach physics. * Academic staff (1992/3) Structural Research in Wroclaw, who led the first group to study magnetism in actinides. Major Research Institutes in Physics Among others who also helped reorga Place Affiliation Institute Scientific staff * nize and redirect physics from the ground Cracow NAEA Institute of Nuclear Physics 256 up after World War II one should mention Poznań PAS Institute of Molecular Physics 78 Marian Danysz and Jerzy Pniewski, from Warsaw PAS Institute of Physics 160 Warsaw University, who discovered nuclei NAEA Institute of Nuclear Chemistry 98 with hyperons and then helped to establish & Technology the Nuclear Research Centre in Otwock ministry Institute of Electronic Materials 103 Technology near Warsaw. Organization of the Institute ministry Institute of Electronic Technology 86 of Nuclear Physics in Cracow was carried PAS Space Research Centre 50 out by Jerzy Niewodniczański, a Professor PAS Astronomical Centre 49 at Jagiellonian University and the discoverer PAS High Pressure Research Centre 40 of forbidden optical transitions in the spectra ministry Institute of Plasma Synthesis 35 & Microsynthesis of stars. The famous “Warsaw school’’ of ministry Institute of Applied Optics 21 semiconductor physics owes its existence Warsaw-Otwock NAEA Institute of Atomic Energy 193 principally to Leonard Sosnowki, Professor NAEA Institute of Nuclear Studies 176 at Warsaw University and the organizer of Wroclaw PAS Institute of Low Temperature 123 Warsaw’s Institute of Physics of the Polish & Structural Studies Academy of Sciences. NAEA: National Atomic Energy Agency; PAS: Polish Academy of Sciences. * Total scientific staff (1992/3) 54 Europhys. News 25 (1994) and maybe even more advanced, under graduate programmes than elsewhere. Poland’s basic educational system is largely based on pre-war values. By this I mean that the main emphasis is placed on formal skills in mathematics and on the theoretical consistency of given system of thought, i.e., on sophistication factors. Much less effort is directed towards intuitive model building and the invention or ingenuity nee ded in solving problems. The system used Jagiellonian University’s Institute of Physics. to be a defense against the political invasion Jozef Spalek, on the left, with M.D. Mateev. of our minds, and is expressed beautifully agencies, etc. (where they usually earn by the moto of Alma Mater Jagiellonicae: as the solving of complicated problems will much more than full professors at the best “Plus ratio quam vis” (more by reason than involve all these disciplines to obtain holistic universities). by force). As we gain confidence in our free answers. For instance, is the brain merely The economic situation naturally affects dom we have to become more adaptable in an information system ? Or is it a collective the physics community. Newly formed en an ever-changing society. physical system, that reveals itself in an terprises appear at a remarkable rate, but We are probably behind in developing in epileptic attack? almost all are launched in the anticipation of our students the proper physical intuition, Physics is not only a strategically impor quick profits, that is, without any strategic although this is also true of most French, tant discipline but also part of our culture, planning, particularly in R&D. Life seems German and Italian universities. The deve provided one can afford it. Its impact on very disturbing, especially if one considers lopment of an intuitive feeling for physics technology in Poland is very limited today Poland’s technological future. However, 45 and of model building of our world requires a because we lack the link to industry years of neglect shows up acutely and there top-notch creative education and teachers (although the situation is changing, albeit is no way to create a sound, long-term tech of the highest quality. Such an education in slowly). On the other hand, if our advanced nological (and scientific) policy when the creative thinking is built over generations, education system breaks down, the country fundamental structures in banking, telecom but we lack the necessary continuity since will be reduced to providing physical labour munications and the like are missing, and pre-technological thinking still flourishes to the affluent world. Help is needed to where the work force is highly demoralised. through a rapidly strengthening trend to enhance links to industry as it was given to The government’s priority is the essential wards a traditional upbringing. Research individuals for many years so that the best transformation of the production sector for and academic physicists through well-esta people could be promoted by cooperation without an efficient economy, health, educa blished contacts with North America and the schemes to create a self-sustaining mass of tion and social security are doomed; the rest of Europe represent the avant garde human excellence. Individually,

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