Research

Studies

Popularization

General Information

Address

Hoża 69, PL-00-681 Warsaw, Poland
switchboard: + (48 22) 55-32000
Dean's Office:
tel. + (48 22) 55-32123, 6215448, e-mail: dziekfiz@fuw.edu.pl (employees);
tel. + (48 22) 55-32156, 6219775, e-mail: studfiz@fuw.edu.pl (students)
fax. + (48 22) 55-32333

Authorities

Dean: Teresa Rząca-Urban
Deputy Deans: Marek Trippenbach, Dariusz Wasik, Andrzej Wysmołek

Historical note

Physics and astronomy have been present in Warsaw University since its very foundation, in 1816. The leading professors of the period 1816-1831 were physicist Karol Skrodzki (1787 - 1832), the second rector of the university, and astronomer Franciszek Armiński (1789 - 1848), the founder of the Astronomical Observatory. The observatory, formally inaugurated in 1825, when the construction of its building was completed, continued to exist as a scientific institution even after closing down of the university in 1831.

Among several renowned Warsaw astronomers one should single out Michał Kamieński (1879 - 1973), one of the best world experts on cometary orbits, who was director of the Astronomical Observatory in the period 1923-1945.

The first part of the physics building at Hoża 69 was officially opened in January, 1921. Its founder, Stefan Pieńkowski (1883 - 1953), later also the rector of Warsaw University, launched an ambitious program of creating in Warsaw a strong and internationally recognized center of physics. He started almost from nothing but in a short time succeeded to organize a world-renowned institute of experimental molecular optics which was Pieńkowski's own field. He was later joined by Czesław Białobrzeski (1878 - 1953), who started theoretical physics. Białobrzeski, one of the best known Polish theorists, was the first to point out (in 1913) the importance of radiation pressure in the internal constitution of the stars.

During World War II the astronomical observatory and the physics institute at Hoża were completely destroyed. Pieńkowski had once more to start building Warsaw physics center while Włodzimierz Zonn (1905 - 1975) took himself to rebuild Warsaw astronomy. Together with Stefan Piotrowski (1910 - 1985) he soon transformed Warsaw Astronomical Observatory into world-known center of astrophysics.

The activity of the Institute of Experimental Physics at Hoża has soon expanded into several areas of physics. Pieńkowski reestablished optical research while his pupils developed studies in other fields. Andrzej Sołtan (1897 - 1959) formed nuclear physics group. Leonard Sosnowski (1911 - 1986), one of the pioneers of the p-n junction study in semiconductors, organized solid state physics group. Marian Danysz (1909 - 1983) and Jerzy Pniewski (1913 - 1989) started elementary particle physics group and in 1952 discovered hypernuclei, which many regard as the most important discovery in post-war Polish physics.

Wojciech Rubinowicz (1889 - 1974), known for his discovery of atomic selection rules, has joined Białobrzeski in rebuilding theoretical physics at Hoża. But the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Hoża has been formally founded and greatly expanded by famous Leopold Infeld (1898 - 1968). Soon the research program, in addition to the classical domain of mechanics, thermodynamics, electrodynamics and theory of relativity, included also theory of the atomic nuclei and elementary particles, theory of the solid state, statistical physics, and mathematical methods in physics.

Before 1926 physics and astronomy were parts of the Faculty of Philosophy, then, until 1949 - of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. For the following three years there was the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, then Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, and finally, in 1969, a separate Faculty of Physics was created. The Faculty of Physics was headed successively by the deans: Leonard Sosnowski (1969 - 1972), Janusz Zakrzewski (1972 - 1975), Jerzy Pniewski (1975 - 1981), Stanisław Woronowicz (1981 - 1984), Jerzy Mycielski (1984 - 1986), Andrzej K. Wróblewski (1986 - 1989), Krzysztof Ernst (1989 - 1996), Katarzyna Chałasińska-Macukow (1996 - 2002), Jan Bartelski (2002 - 2008), Teresa Rząca-Urban (2008 - ).

Organization

The Faculty of Physics of Warsaw University includes the following institutions:

  • Institute of Experimental Physics
  • Institute of Theoretical Physics
  • Institute of Geophysics
  • Astronomical Observatory
  • Chair of Mathematical Methods in Physics

Three teaching institutions belong also to the Faculty of Physics:

  • The Post-graduate Studies (Ph.D. Studies)
  • The Continuing Education Courses in Physics and Astronomy for Teachers

The highly specialized libraries, with rich resources, serve both the students and the academic staff.

Laboratories for students of the Faculty of Physics include: Physics Laboratories for beginners and advanced level, Electronics Laboratory, Demonstration Experiments for courses, Laboratory for Physics Teachers, Laboratory of physical methods in environmental studies.

The students have access to well equipped computer center of the Faculty of Physics with over 100 terminals connected to the Internet.

Research activities

The Faculty of Physics is known for its well equipped specialized research laboratories.

Experimental and theoretical research in both Institutes of Physics is oriented on the study of physical objects - from the most fundamental ones, such as elementary particles and atomic nuclei, to more complicated ones - atoms, molecules, solid state, biological systems, up to the most complicated object - the Universe. There is also a research program in mathematical physics, a study of foundation and mathematical methods in physical theories.

Institute of Geophysics is the only place in Poland where geophysical research and educational programs are led, preparing specialists in the field of the physics of the Earth and planetary interiors, physics of the atmosphere and optical and digital methods of image processing and geophysical data analysis.

Research program of the Astronomical Observatory is centered on theoretical and observational astrophysics, extragalactic astronomy, theory of relativity, and cosmology. Observations of various stars and heavenly bodies are conducted. Recently observational capacity has been enriched by the telescope which Warsaw University built in Las Campanas, Chile.

The research program at the Chair of Mathematical Methods in Physics encompasses applications of modern mathematics to physics.

International Collaboration

The Faculty of Physics maintains a lively exchange and collaboration programs with many academic and research institutions around the world. The collaboration is financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN), within a system of international agreements at the state level, by statutory and individual subvention system.

The Faculty of Physics has signed documents of collaboration with several Universities:

Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic), Humboldt University, Berlin (Germany), Konstanz University (Germany), Bonn University (Germany), Hamburg University (Germany), Saarbrucken University (Germany), University Paris VI (France), Naples University (Italy), University Roma I (Italy), University of Camerino (Italy), University of Moscow, (Russia), Catholic University, Louvain (Belgium), University of Geneva (Switzerland), Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Valencia (Spain)

Physicists from the Faculty participate in international research collaborations, among others - European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) - Geneva, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY) - Hamburg, Observational Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) - USA, Institute Nationale de Physique Nucleaire et de Physique des Particules - Paris, International Centre for Theoretical Physics - Trieste, High Magnetic Field Laboratory - Grenoble, GANIL - Caen, GSI - Darmstadt, Niels Bohr Institute (NBI) - Copenhagen, Institut fur Physik der Atmosphere Deutsche Forschunganstalt fur Luft und Raumfahrt - Oberpfaffen.

The Faculty has been participating in several special research programs financed by the Polish-German Foundation, Hughes Medical Institute, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Fund, and the European Union (including 5th and 6th Framework Programmes).

Students and Study Programs

Students at the Faculty of Physics can major in physics or astronomy. Within the physics orientation, there are also studies on the teacher speciaslization. Various study programs are offered in both major subjects. Programs in physics are organized as follows:

  • 5 or 5.5 years program, depending on the specialization, leading to the Master degree,
  • three year study program towards the licentiate (Bachelor degree),
  • three year supplementary program leading towards the Master degree.

The Program in astronomy lasts five years, leading towards the Master degree.

Post-graduate (Ph.D.) studies in physics and astronomy last 4 years.

The students of our Faculty take part in students exchange in frame of the European Union Programs: TEMPUS and SOCRATES, and European Mobility Scheme for Physics Students (EMSPS). Warsaw University is presently the associate member of the European Physics Education Network (EUPEN).

Admission rules. The winners of the central olympic contests, the finalists of such contests, and present year high school graduates with good average marks in physics and mathematics enjoy a free entry. A free entry is also granted to the candidates with international baccalaureate diplomas with the appropriate grades. The remaining candidates have to pass a written examination of admission in physics and mathematics.

Recently there are more than 1000 students in Bachelor and Master degree courses and more than 100 post-graduate students.

Physics and astronomy curricula are organized as follows:

  • the first two years are common for all students (Bachelor and Master degree students of physics, and Master degree students of astronomy). Students can choose the level of proposed physics and mathematics courses (three level), and in addition during the second year they can choose courses from the proposed curriculum of general studies.

After the second year the students have to choose between the study program for Master or Bachelor degree.

  • Bachelor degree program lasts two semesters and can be completed in three specializations: computer methods in physics, environmental physics, material science and optics. During the third year the students follow the courses according to the chosen specialization. After passing the required exams, submitting the licentiate Thesis, and passing the final examination, they obtain the licentiate degree in physics. Two year supplementary program leads towards the Master degree.
  • During the third year of studies for Master degree in physics and astronomy the students have a choice of courses from the proposed curriculum of general studies. The last period of studies for Master degree in physics and astronomy lasts 2 or 2.5 years, and is devoted for specialization and preparation of Master Thesis. The students have a choice from among sixteen specializations represented at the Faculty (experimental physics: biophysics, solid state physics, physics of the elementary particles and fundamental interactions, nuclear physics, computer physics, biomedical physics, environmental physics, nuclear methods in solid state physics, optics, Fourier optics and image processing, X-ray structural studies, and nuclear spectroscopy, theoretical physics, geophysics, astronomy, didactics and popularization of physics). They are introduced to research work, attend specialized courses, and participate in seminars of research groups. After passing all required exams, submitting the Thesis and passing the graduation examination, the students receive the degree of Master (Magister) in physics or astronomy.

Physics and astronomy graduates can also acquire teaching credentials if they follow the courses in the pedagogical line of study.

There are two levels of studies on the teacher specialization. After the three years study (licenciate degree) the students obtain teaching credentials for teaching physics, mathematics and chemistry in elementary schools. They can then follow an additional three year study program towards the master degree and obtain the credentials for teaching physics in all kinds of secondary schools. The students who qualify for this additional three year study prepare their Master Thesis in a chosen specialization within the Faculty of Physics.

A four year post-graduate (PhD) studies are the continuation of specialization studies. The students follow individual study lines under the guidance of their doctoral supervisors. The doctoral program is maintained in all specializations represented in the Faculty. The candidates for this study, who have the Master (Magister) degree can submit their applications each year, and their acceptance is based on individual assessment.

The Continuing Education Courses in Physics and Astronomy for Teachers offers a three semester course for the science teachers, who want to upgrade their qualifications.

Academic staff

  • full professors:

Barbara Badełek, Michał Baj, Jacek Baranowski, Witold Bardyszewski, Jan Bartelski, Katarzyna Chałasińska-Macukow, Piotr Chankowski, Jacek Ciborowski, Bogdan Cichocki, Katarzyna Cieślak-Blinowska, Marek Demiański, Jan Dereziński, Tomasz Dietl, Jacek Dobaczewski, Krzysztof Doroba, Chrystian Droste, Wojciech Dziembowski, Jan Gaj, Krzysztof Górski, Marek Grad, Marian Grynberg, Bohdan Grządkowski, Krzysztof Haman, Michał Jaroszyński, Jan Kalinowski, Maria Kamińska, Jerzy Kamiński, Marta Kicińska-Habior, Wojciech Kopczyński, Paweł Kowalczyk, Maria Krawczyk, Jan Królikowski, Andrzej Kruszewski, Marcin Kubiak, Wiktor Kurcewicz, Zygmunt Lalak, Jacek Leliwa-Kopystyński, Bogdan Lesyng, Jerzy Lewandowski, Szymon Malinowski, Krzysztof Meissner, Bogdan Mielnik, Marek Napiórkowski, Michał Nawrocki, Witold Nazarewicz, Jarosław Piasecki, Andrzej Płochocki, Stefan Pokorski, Czesław Radzewicz, Krystyna Siwek-Wilczyńska, Kazimierz Stępień, Izabela Sosnowska, Tadeusz Stacewicz, Roman Stępniewski, Ryszard Stolarski, Antoni Sym, Tomasz Szoplik, Andrzej Szymacha, Andrzej Twardowski, Andrzej Udalski, Waldemar Urban, Stanisław L. Woronowicz, Krzysztof Wódkiewicz, Aleksander Filip Żarnecki

  • retired professors:

Stanisław Bażański, Iwo Białynicki-Birula, Barbara Czochralska, Jerzy Ginter, Mirosław Kozłowski, Wojciech Królikowski, Maria Lefeld-Sosnowska, Aleksandra Leliwa-Kopystyńska, Krzysztof Maurin, Józef Namysłowski, Wacław Nazarewicz, Stanisław G. Rohoziński, David Shugar, Ewa Skrzypczak, Andrzej Trautman, Zdzisław Wilhelmi, Andrzej K. Wróblewski, Jan Żylicz,

  • associate professors:

Jan Antosiewicz, Tomasz Bulik, Edward Darżynkiewicz, Wojciech Dominik,  Stanisław Głazek, Jerzy Gronkowski, Jacek Jezierski, Danuta Kiełczewska, Marek Kowalczyk, Jerzy Krupski, Ryszard Kutner, Jerzy Madej, Jacek Majewski, Andrzej Majhofer, Tomasz Matulewicz, Mikołaj Misiak, Kazimierz Napiórkowski, Marek Olechowski, Krzysztof Pachucki, Jacek Pawełczyk, Hanna Pawłowska, Marek Pfützner, Grzegorz Pojmański, Radosław Przeniosło, Teresa Rząca-Urban, Wojciech Satuła, Jacek Tafel, Marek Trippenbach, Paweł Urbański

  • remaining researchers and teaching staff:

100 adjoint professors, senior lecturers, lecturers, and assistant professors.

Honorary Degrees for our professors

Stefan Pieńkowski (1883-1953), Heidelberg University, Germany

Wojciech Rubinowicz (1889-1974), Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland

Marian Danysz (1909-1983), Warsaw University, Poland

Leonard Sosnowski (1911-1986), University Paris VI, France

Jerzy Pniewski (1913-1989), Lyon University, France; Heidelberg University, Germany

Zdzisław Szymański (1926 - 1999), Lund University, Sweden

Andrzej M. Trautman, Silesian University, Opava, Czech Republic;

Andrzej K. Wróblewski, Siegen University, Germany; Chapman University in Orange, California, USA; Glasgow University, United Kingdom

David Shugar, Warsaw University, Poland

INSTITUTE OF EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS

Director: Tomasz Matulewicz

Deputy Directors: Paweł Kowalczyk, Adam Babiński

  • Hoza 69, PL-00-681 Warsaw, Poland
  • tel. +48 22 55-32000, +48 22 621-38-10
  • fax +48 22 622-61-54
  • e-mail: ifduw@fuw.edu.pl

The Institute includes ten research divisions:

  • Biophysics
  • Didactics of Physics
  • Nuclear Spectroscopy
  • Optics
  • Particles and Fundamental Interactions
  • Physics of Atomic Nuclei
  • Solid State Physics
  • X-Ray and Neutron Diffraction
  • Biomedical Physics
  • Lattice Structure and Dynamics

The Institute has research programs in various domains of contemporary physics, from the solid state physics and optics, biophysics and medical physics, to nuclear physics and the physics of elementary particles and fundamental interactions. The Division of Didactics of Physics specializes in the problems of physics teaching and education of physics teachers.

Physicists from the Division of Particles and Fundamental Interactions take part in experiments in international laboratories for high energy physics, such as CERN in Geneva and DESY in Hamburg. Large part of the data analysis is performed in Warsaw. Important parts of complicated detector systems for high energy experiments have been constructed in Warsaw.

Physicists from the Divisions of the Physics of Atomic Nuclei and of Nuclear Spectroscopy for many years performed their experiments in foreign laboratories. With the opening of Heavy Ions Laboratory in Warsaw the situation has somewhat improved, opening up the possibilities to perform some experiments in Warsaw.

Physicists from the Divisions of Solid State Physics, X-Ray and Neutron Diffraction, and Lattice Structure and Dynamics also maintain large scale collaboration with the research groups abroad. At the same time, they have put years of effort to build well equipped research laboratories (in particular, measurement equipment for the investi-gation of semiconductor properties in the external magnetic field), which allows now for advanced research programs at the Institute.

In the Division of Optics a high quality equipment for laser spectroscopy, femto-second laser, and mobile lidar for the investigation of atmospheric pollution are available. In the Division of Biophysics various physicochemical methods for the analysis of biological active molecules are developed.

The activities of the Division of Biomedical Physics concentrate on the digital methods of data interpretation and modeling of biological processes important for medical applications.

A close collaboration between the Institute of Experimental Physics and the Institute of Theoretical Physics is pursued.

INSTITUTE OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS

Director: Marek Napiórkowski

Deputy Directors: Wojciech Satuła, Krzysztof Pachucki

  • Hoza 69, PL-00-681 Warsaw, Poland
  • tel. +48 22 55-32000, +48 22 628-33-96
  • fax +48 22 621-94-75
  • e-mail: iftuw@fuw.edu.pl

The Institute includes Library, Laboratory of Computer Physics and six Chairs:

  • Condensed Matter Physics,
  • Quantum Optics and Atomic Physics,
  • Theory of Hadrons and Leptons,
  • Theory of Particles and Elementary Interactions,
  • Theory of Relativity and Gravitation,
  • Theory of the Structure of Atomic Nuclei.

The Institute has a wide research program in most domains of the contemporary theoretical physics. The research subject is a theoretical description of physical systems, from simple to the most complicated ones. Thus there are works on the structure of the space-time, on the theory of gravitation and its possible extensions, in particular - the formulation of the quantum gravity theory. For the description of strong and electroweak fundamental interactions and particles, a quantum gauge field theory is applied. There are works on the quark structure of strongly interacting particles - hadrons. Theory of supersymmetry and string theory is analyzed. There are research programs on the structure of the atomic nuclei, in particular - their exotic states (high spin states, large deformations, low binding energy). Atoms and their interactions with an electromagnetic field (especially - with strong fields) are the subject of study in quantum electrodynamics. There are investigations in the domain of the quantum structure of solids, in particular semimagnetic semiconductors, semiconductor microstructure, and high temperature semiconductors. The statistical physics is applied for the study of composite objects, build up from a large number of microscopic objects. In such systems, the equilibrium phenomena are studied, such as phase transitions and critical phenomena, and also non-equilibrium phenomena, such as transport processes. There are works on cosmology and theoretical astrophysics, and its relation to the theory of nuclear physics and elementary particles.

INSTITUTE OF GEOPHYSICS

Director: Hanna Pawłowska

Deputy Director: Jacek Pniewski

  • Pasteura 7, PL-02-093 Warsaw, Poland
  • tel. +48 22 55-46827, +48 22 823-52-81
  • fax +48 22 822-23-87
  • e-mail: tszoplik@mimuw.edu.pl

The Institute includes three research groups:

  • Division of Physics of the Atmosphere
  • Division of Physics of the Litosphere
  • Division of Information Optics

The Institute is the only Polish university level center for education of specialists in the domain of physics of the interior of the Earth and planets (structural seismology, modeling of the processes in the interior of planets and satelites, modeling of the convection processes inside the Earth, generating of the Earth`s magnetic field), in the physics of the atmosphere (experimental and theoretical research on the dynamics of clouds, computer modeling of the convection phenomena, investigation of the industrial pollution effects), in the optical and digital methods of geophysical data analysis (image processing and pattern recognition, matched filtering and rank-order filters, wave-front generation). Research programs are conducted in collaboration with other research institutes in Poland and abroad. This enables the exchange of data, participation in international research programs, access to modern equipment and in particular - access to large and powerful computers, which are the basic tools of contemporary geophysics.

ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

Director: Andrzej Udalski

Deputy Directors: Michał Jaroszyński, Michał Szymański

  • Al. Ujazdowskie 4, PL-00-478 Warsaw, Poland
  • tel. +48 22 55-30507 do 55-30509, +48 22 6295346
  • fax +48 22 629-49-67
  • e-mail: mk@sirius.astrouw.edu.pl

Astronomical Observatory conducts research programs in the following domains: extragalactic astronomy, theory of relativity and cosmology, theory of stellar atmospheres, theory of hydrodynamical flow in binary systems and in interstellar matter, observations of variable stars (binaries, pulsating, chromospherically active), photometry of the stellar clusters, spectroscopy of variable stars and of chemically peculiar stars.

CHAIR OF MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN PHYSICS

Head: Jacek Jezierski

Deputy head: Jan Dereziński

  • Hoza 74, PL-00-682 Warsaw, Poland
  • tel. +48 22 55-32000, +48 22 621-77-57
  • fax +48 22 622-45-08
  • e-mail: kmmfsekr@fuw.edu.pl

Main research areas at the Chair are: geometric foundations of physical theories (e.g. theory of gravitation, quantum field theory, mechanics of the charged matter, theory of static control systems), theory of operator algebra and its applications to the statistical physics and scattering theory, theory of classical groups (geometrical aspect) and quantum groups (operator aspect and topological aspect), general theory of representations and duality, and special functions.


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