THE ROYAL PHYSIOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF LUND ACADEMY FOR THE NATURAL SCIENCES, MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY THE ROYAL PHYSIOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF LUND practical commercial enterprises, in ac- The Social Life of the Society cordance with the ideals of the Age of FOUNDED ON DECEMBER 2nd 1772 Enlightenment. As early as the first de- During the 18th and 19th centuries, and cades of the 19th century, however, the also into the 20th century, the Society´s activities that occupied the Society ten- meetings were held in members´ homes, ded to shift towards more fundamental providing an environment in which scien- scientific fields. tific business could be combined with so- cial contacts. The number of members is A thorough modernisation of the char- nowadays prohibitive for such an arrang- ter was sanctioned by King Carl XV on ement, and the social activities consist of November 28th 1862. During the 1950´s suppers taken after the monthly public and later, certain alterations and amend- lectures and plenary meetings, the annual ments were made to this version. After excursion with spouses in September, elaborate preparatory work, new statutes and the annual dinner and ball on Decem- were established by the government on ber 2nd to commemorate the date of the May 22nd 1997. His Majesty the King founding of the Society. This is a formal of Sweden is the Patron of the Society. and festive occasion, with the Permanent Anders Jahan Retzius Nils Hesslén Andreas Barfoth Secretary’s yearly report, the outgoing In 1773 the Society had 20 Swedish President’s formal address, as well as the members, and that year the first foreign awarding of prizes and medals. The dress HISTORY member, Peter Christian Abildgaard, code is formal, and for male Fellows this Professor at the University of Copenha- requires a black vest and a black bow tie, The primus motor and one of the foun- the Royal Physiographic Society was to gen and founder of the Danish Veterina- traditionally considered to be the working ders of this learned society was Anders have “two such interesting and useful ry Institute, was elected to the Society. A dress at meetings of Fellows of the So- Jahan Retzius, Professor of Natural His- aims as Natural History and Economics”. distinction between Swedish and foreign ciety from the Society’s inception. In pa- tory at Lund University, together with members, however, was not made until rallel to the Society’s meetings, the wives Nils Hesslén, theologian, later to become Even though this initial charter of 1772 1815. of male Fellows often meet informally Bishop and Vice Chancellor of the Uni- was retained, over the years additions and according to Section at someone’s home, versity, and Dr. Andreas Barfoth, M.D. amendments were made. The objectives The aim of the Society is, and has been the so-called ”Ladies Fysiografen”. On May 6th 1778 the Society was san- of the Society were initially focussed on from its establishment, to provide re- ctioned by Royal Command by searchers and scholars from different King Gustav III, and has since then disciplines the opportunity to meet and Physiographic Society had the epithet “Royal”. hear presentations of new research re- - what does the name mean? sults and to exchange thoughts and ide- The Nordiska Familjebok (The Nordic A model for the Royal Physio- as. The Society also provides support to Family Encyclopaedia), (second edition, graphic Society of Lund was research within its areas of interest. Vol. 9, 1908), gives the derivation: Phy- siography (from the Greek, fýsis, nature, the Royal Swedish Academy of and graphein, to write), the description of Sciences in Stockholm, which had The history of the Society has been trea- nature. - Physiographer, one who descri- earlier been founded in 1739, and ted by Otto Gertz in “The Royal Phy- bes the landscape. - Physiographic, des- which had similar objectives. The siographic Society in Lund, 1772-1940” cribing nature. The word has fallen from Swedish Academy was established (Publ.: C.W.K.Gleerup, Lund, 1940) and general use, but the above definition fits somewhat later, in 1786. Håkan Westling in “The Royal Physio- the Physiographic Society precisely, be- Picture from Lund 1782. Plate by J.F. Martin after ing an academy for the Natural Sciences, an oil painting by Elias Martin. Source: The Medical graphic Society in Lund, 1772-2006” Technology and Medicine. According to the original statutes, Historical Society of Southern Sweden (Publ.:Wallin & Dalholm, Lund 2006) THE ROYAL PHYSIOGRAPHIC SOCIETY TODAY THE SOCIETY’S ORGANISATION

The Royal Physiographic Society has importance of basic research for our As is the case in other learned societies, A special panel appointed for each do- had its administrative secretariat in cen- medical and technological wellbeing. candidates are proposed for membership. nation administers the incoming appli- tral Lund since 1991, with offices for the This is realised via public lectures at the The elected Fellows of the Royal Physio- cations and proposes recipients of the office staff and its elected members. It is Society’s meetings and via symposia that graphic Society are assigned to sections, grants. Members are elected for three also here that the Society´s documents are open to the general public. which are sub-divided into classes. Each years and can be re-elected once. There and archives are kept. There are also class has a prescribed number of Fellows are also panels for the selection of candi- meeting rooms for the Society´s Board, The Society also considers it important below the age of 65 years. When a Fellow dates for the Society’s prizes and medals. panels and committees. to stimulate discussions on current pu- reaches 65 years of age, a new Fellow can A central role is played by the Economic blic science policy within the research be elected to take their place. Older Fel- Advisory Council, whose task it is to ad- Due to the fact that the word “Physio- community, and this it does via yearly lows however remain in their class, and vise the Society in the administration of graphy” is no longer in use, the Society symposia. The proceedings of these membership of the Society is for life. its assets. The Economic Advisory Coun- some years ago adopted a sub-title, na- symposia are recorded for posterity in cil meets five times per year, and consists mely, “Academy for the Natural Sci- book form and are also filmed (and can Even if the majority of the Swedish Fel- of the Permanent Secretary/Treasurer, the ences, Medicine and Technology”. The be viewed afterwards on the Society’s lows are affiliated with the academic in- Society’s economist and members that objective of the Society is to encourage home page). stitutions of Skåne, many Fellows are at- have competence and experience from and support research within these fields. tached to the country’s other Universities the bank, finance and business sectors. The Society publishes an annual report, and Colleges, while others come from Members of the Society’s Board often at- The Society is the trustee of several large comprising a list of all its members and the world of industry, commerce and the tend the meetings of the Economic Advi- donations, from which the investment re- officials, an excerpt from the Society´s public service sector. A special group are sory Council. turns are used to finance research grants. financial report, obituaries over de- the Foreign Fellows who, just as for Swe- As a result, the Society plays an ever in- ceased members, and reports of the mee- dish Fellows, are assigned to sections and creasing role in the research community. tings and lectures given during the year. classes. The Society also elects Honorary The vast majority of grants are awarded Furthermore, several volumes treating Fellows of whom there are five at the pre- to researchers at Lund University, and of specialised subjects have been published sent time. these priority is given to PhD students and can be found on the Society’s home and younger unestablished researchers. page under Publications. The Society is administered by a Board consisting of the Preses (President), two The Society also administers donations The Royal Physiographic Society meets Vice Preses (the two outgoing Preses created to provide funds for prizes and in plenum once a month during the aca- from the previous two years), the inco- medals. In these cases it is a question of demic term. At these meetings questions ming Preses, the Permanent Secretary/ rewarding outstanding and prestigious concerning the business of the Society Treasurer and three other members. The research, and, for obvious reasons, it is are discussed and decided upon, such as Permanent Secretary/Treasurer is elec- usually the work of well-established the election of new Fellows, the distribu- ted for a period of five years. The Preses scholars that is considered. tion of grants and the awarding of prizes is elected for one year at a time, but is a and medals. These meetings begin with a member of the Board for the year prior to As in other learned societies, the President his/her term as the incoming Preses, and has the title Preses (from the Latin praesidio, Today, the Society recognises the ur- public lecture. to sit in front of). The chain borne by the Pre- gent need to spread information about the two years after his/her term as the out- ses is of silver with a gold-plated seal, made outstanding research beyond the walls The Society is independent of the univer- going Preses. The other Board members by the goldsmith S. Albrechtsson of Lund, and are elected for two plus two years. is a gift presented by the Crafoord Founda- of the university by reaching out to the sity, both in its administration and eco- tion in 1989. It is borne by the Preses on for- general public, thereby showcasing the nomically. mal occasions. THE SOCIETY’S ECONOMIC STATUS NANO SCIENCE - FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH WITH GREAT POTENTIAL FOR APPLICATIONS The Society receives no public funding. curities portfolio are proposed. The final Its economic status is based on about 50 decisions concerning these proposals are an understanding of the basic physics, donations that have been received at va- taken by the Society’s Board. The value the ability to optimize the phenomena rious times during the Society’s history, of the Society’s donations and endow- that determine the material properties at some as bequests, some during the life of ments have risen steadily over the years. the macro scale. For example, optical, the donor. Each donation has its particular The major proportion of the Society’s electrical and magnetic properties are, in directives, normally specified by the do- assets have been invested in shares in principle, all macroscopic manifestations nor, and which may be quite general, for well-reputed Swedish businesses. Other of quantum physics phenomena at the instance, for research in the field of Natu- investments are shares in overseas bu- very small scale. In most cases one wants, ral Science at Lund University. In other sinesses, equity funds and bonds. Since with the approach of Nanotechnology, to cases a certain research field is specified 2015 the market value of the Society’s as- be able to build or construct such functional for support. sets has exceeded 1 billion SEK. During materials and devices. recent years the annual financial invest- The administration of the Society´s assets ment return – used almost entirely for Materials Research: Different forms has as its aim a long-term and uniform research grants and scientific prizes – has of crystal growth constitute the basis growth. At the same time a high and even amounted to approximately 30 million of nearly all our research and enables financial return is desirable. The econo- SEK. well controlled creation of crystals with mic administration of the total portfolio Professor Lars Samuelson, Solid State Physics and control right down to the atomic level. is handled at the Society´s offices. The Awarded applications Nano Lund, Lund University. Member of the Royal Already in 1980, when I had just retur- Physiographic Society in Lund, KVA, the Royal Swe- ned to Lund from my postdoc at the IBM Society´s Economic Advisory Council A large number of applications are dish Academy of Sciences (Physics class) and of IVA, plays a vital role in deciding the long-term awarded every year – of 810 app- the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Research Laboratory in California, we economic strategy. At the meetings of this lications submitted during 2016, started northern Europe’s first laboratory Council major changes to the portfolio are 424 were awarded. Research on Nanoscience and Nanotech- for MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical discussed and changes to the Society’s se- nology started in Lund more than 25 Vapor Deposition), a technology that en- years ago when a new interdisciplinary ables accurately controlled manufacturing research team was initiated: the Nanome- of semiconductors atomic layer by atomic ter Structure Consortium, or nmC, a cen- layer. The family of semiconductor ma- ter that from 2015 was renamed as Nano- terials called III-V semiconductors, for Lund. One nanometer (nm) corresponds example GaAs, InP and GaN, is the base to 10-9 m or one billionth of a meter. One for optoelectronics as well as high-speed usually says that nanoscience is concer- electronics. By ”blending” atoms of these ned with understanding, creating and materials it is, for instance, possible to applying phenomena on the scale 1-100 obtain emission of various colors, from nm. This is a size range where much of infrared light through visible light, and the material’s properties change radical- all the way out in the ultraviolet spectral ly and where you can, right down to the range. Materials research, being so key atomic level, design the functionality of to us, takes place in an exciting border- land between physics and chemistry, “Deed of donations to the Royal materials and devices. This is something Physiographic Society in conjun- very different from studies of small and where e.g. atomically resolved micro- ction with the 250th anniversary large molecules, as one has long done in scopy provides unique opportunities and of Lund University” chemistry. Instead, it is about, based on deeper understanding. Quantum dots: Much later, starting Nanowires: Our probably most important • We also developed new solar cell con- ment consists of purely academic basic around 1994, we belonged to the pione- contributions to nanoscience were initia- cepts where extremely small nanowires research into how nanowires can grow ers in the research on so-called quantum ted in the mid-1990s, while I was Visiting act like nano-photonic antennas that in a radically new way with an extre- dots, consisting of ultra-small volumes Professor at the Riken Institute in Japan, absorb sunlight and converts it to electri- mely fast crystal growth.method. This is of a semiconductor with a smaller band at a time when I developed close contacts cal power. This research is also operated performed in an aerosol phase, a method gap surrounded by another material with with a leading researcher at Hitachi Cen- as a large EU project which we are the we have given the name ”Aerotaxy”, larger band gap. By making the enclosed tral Research, Dr. Kenji Hiruma. He had leaders of. which was first published in Nature a volume very small, typically <10 nm already shown that it is possible to control • In other cases, we have realized the few years ago. in diameter, the energy structure of the crystal growth not only as thin films but world’s smallest LEDs, where a single na- quantum dot can be created such that it with a lateral control such that the crystal nowire works as a nanoscopic light source, Research on nanometer structures that resembles the discrete energy levels in grows in only one direction, an achieve- and where up to a hundred thousand such started more than 25 years ago with 10-15 an atom, which has given the quantum ment that formed the basis of what is now nanowires together form a macroscopic participating researchers has grown into dots the nickname artificial atoms. These an internationally extensive research ef- LED. one of Lund´s most comprehensive and nanostructures have enabled the study of fort on nanowires. These are not tubular • Special forms of hollow nanowires can multidisciplinary research environments, structures like the carbon nanotu- in our research operate as nano-syringes, with more than 250 active researchers bes, but are rod shaped, crystalline so small that they can penetrate the cell at the engineering, natural science and semiconductors. After some pro- membrane without causing damage, medical faculties. Since 2010, we consti- mising experiments in Lund we and may thus be used as unique tools for tute one of Sweden’s Strategic Research decided to make a concentrated medical studies at the single cell level. Areas (SFOs). effort in this field, which proved to be a very good decision. After Applications: In addition to the academic In the summer of 2015 the Nanometer a few years of pure basic research research, an extensive Industrial Research Structure Consortium changed its name on the understanding of growth and Development effort has been created to NanoLund as it became a center within of nanowires and studies of their in the spin-off companies working on the Lund university. The Director of the physical properties we established commercialization of nanowire research. NanoLund is Prof. Heiner Linke with a versatile research effort on na- This applies especially to QuNano AB, Lars Samuelson as Vice-Director. nowires, ranging from basic nano- Sol Voltaics AB and Glo AB, physics via various applications, and recently Hexagem AB. all the way over to biomedicine: Out of these Ideon companies, This image was produced by Gustav Nylund • We focused on the study of Glo AB has made the most Fig. 1 An array of standing nanowires of InP grown by the quantum physics dominated one- progress towards commercia- MOCVD technique, with the perfectly ordered structure defined dimensional electron transport, lizing nanowire-based LEDs by Electron beam lithography. Wire diameter about 60-80nm and the length of wire about 1,5-2μm. A similar technique was popularly described as the realiza- for display applications. Sol used in a highly cited Science article, in which we reported a so- tion of a one-dimensional steeple- Voltaics AB develops 3rd ge- lar cell record with about 14% efficiency despite nanowires cove- chase for electrons. neration solar cells, where a red only 12% of the surface. • Early on, we initiated a major flexible film of nanowires can different optical quantum phenomena EU-financed Integrated Project jointly be added to a traditional sili- and are also widely used in biomedical with European electronics industry and con solar cell, wherein the to- research where they operate as fluoro- research institutes, where we developed tal efficiency can be increased This image was produced by Gustav Nylund phores ideal for optical marking of nanowire-based electronics. This tech- from the current 17-20% up Fig. 2: The green colored nanowire consisting of InAs, grown by cells and biomolecules. Quantum dots nology is now, more than 10 years later, to 26-29%, which is predicted the CBE technique, with the wire contacted using Ni/Au contacts are today also used as ultra-bright RGB expected to become of great importance to become a key technology (gold-colored), also here with patterning made by electron beam lithography. This constitutes a component for quantum transport (Red, Green and Blue) light sources in now that the size of the transistors, within in the future.The basis of this physics, typically carried out at very low temperatures, somewhere flat panel TVs. a few years, will approach 5 nm in size. specific industrial develop- between 10 mK and 4 K, i.e. very near absolute zero. FELLOWS MEDALS The Memorial Medal in Gold – awarded every third year. (alternates between Biology, Mathematics-Physics-Chemistry and Medicine) The Fellows are assigned to sections, sitions for Swedish members under the The Memorial Medal in Silver (for special services supporting the which in turn are sub-divided into classes. age of 67, and the maximum number of objectives of the Society) The current number of Fellows (within places in foreign sections/classes, which The Engeström Gold Medal in Applied Natural Science – awarded every third year. parenthesis the prescribed number of po- are independent of age). The Rosén Linnaeus Medal in Gold (Botany) - awarded every third year.

Swedish members Foreign members Section for Biology and Geological Science Biology class 75 (30) 23 (25) Geoscience class 30 (11) 9 ( 9)

Section for Mathematics and Physics Mathematics class 17 (9) 6 (6) Physics and Astronomy class 55 (23) 13 (15) Chemistry class 46 (16) 7 (10) PRIZES Section for Medical Science 160 (55) 17 (22) Bengt Jönsson’s Prize (Botany) – awarded every fifth year. The Wilhelm Westrup Award (the application of natural science in agriculture and Section for Humanities 24 (6) -- industry) Section for Applied Science The Rosén Linnaeus Prize for Botany - awarded every third year. and Entrepreneurship The Rosén Linnaeus Prize for Zoology - awarded every third year. Agriculture class 28 (8) 5 (6) Assar Hadding’s Prize (Geology) - awarded every third year. Technology class 62 (29) 10 (12) Fabian Gyllenberg’s Prize (Chemistry) - awarded every third year. Economic and Entrepreneurship class 14 (6) -- Rolf Dahlgren’s Prize (international prize in Botany) - awarded every third year. Sven Berggren’s Lecture and Prize (subject not specified) – awarded every year. Total 511 (190) 90 (105) Sten von Friesen‘s Prize (Physics) - awarded every third year. Sten and Ingrid Ahrland’s Prize (Chemistry, Nordic countries) - awarded THE GAVEL every fifth year. The Royal Physiographic Society´s chairman’s gavel was Eva and Lars Gårding’s Prize (Mathematics, Linguistics) - awarded every year. made in 1935, and is of ivory. Its head is decorated with the crown of the society´s emblem, complete with its attributes. THE HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY’S SEAL The Society´s seal is embellished with a laurel wreath, the symbol of victory and learning, and above it a crown which indicates the royal status of the society, albeit the details of the crown are not regal. Here we find symbols of Nature’s three kingdoms: the animal kingdom, (the lion), the plant kingdom, (the tree) and the minerals (the mountain). They obviously also BALLOTING symbolise the disciplines Zoology, Botany and Geology. The front A ballot, (from the French “ballotte”, a small ball) was of the crown has Aesculapius´s snake and stave, the symbol of the earlier a procedure for the secret election of persons into Medical Sciences, and above all of these shines the Polar Star, the a closed society. The voters each deposited either a white or a black token into a casket - too many black tokens bright symbol of learning and genius. and the candidate was rejected. However, this procedure is not used today since elections are very well prepared Printed by Blom´s Book Printers, Lund, 2017. Layout och produktion: within various planning groups. Lars O Svensson. Foto: Per Lindström, sidorna 2, 5, 6, 10, 11 och 12 The Royal Physiographic Society of Lund. Address: Stortorget 6, 222 23 Lund. Tel. Int. +46 - 46-13 25 28. E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.fysiografen.se Permanent secretary and treasurer: Professor Per Alm The picture shows the minutes of the meeting of December 2nd 1772 at which the Physiographic Society was founded.