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Maria Stȩślicka: Aeternum Vale
Progress in Surface Science 71 (2002) 89–91 www.elsevier.com/locate/progsurf
Personal Report
Maria Steßslicka: Aeternum Vale
1937–2002 With the death of Professor Maria Steßslicka on July 15, 2002, the University of Wrocław and the surface world suffered an irreparable loss of a truly inspiring personality. Maria was born into a poor family on January 16, 1937, in the Polish village of Owsieniszki, near Vilnius, Lithuania. After suffering the scourge of World War II, they moved south to the small town of Piechowice in the Sudetian Mountains, where Maria attended primary school. During her secondary school years in nearby Cieplice, now a suburb of Jelenia G ora, she displayed a universal ability in both the sciences and the humanities. However, before going on to university, she spent a year book-keeping in a local factory to help support her family. In 1956, she entered the University of Wrocław (Max BornÕs alma mater) and studied experimental physics PII: S 0 0 7 9 - 6 8 1 6 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 2 0 - 5
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Personal Report / Progress in Surface Science 71 (2002) 89–91
for her M.Sc., which she obtained in 1961. Subsequently, she switched to theory for her Ph.D., and graduated in 1968. Her thesis work on surface states led to Sydney DavisonÕs offer of a post-doctoral fellowship at Waterloo in 1969. Thus, began their long and fruitful collaboration. During her 18-month stay, they formulated and developed the first relativistic treatment of surface states. It was at this time that the seed of their book on ‘‘Basic Theory of Surface States’’ was planted, though it took another 20 years for it to see the light of day. Returning to Wrocław, Maria embarked on her career in the Institute of Experimental Physics. She passed her habilitation in 1974, became a Docent (Associate Professor) in 1977, and Professor in 1988. Besides her normal teaching and research duties, Maria played an active role in the organizational aspects of the institute, being its Vice-Director between 1976 and 1979. She established the Surface Theory Group in 1989 and headed it until her death. Outside the institute, she served as a Member of the State Committee for Scientific Research from 1993 to 1995, and joined the Advisory Board of Progress in Surface Science in 1992. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to Polish science, she received the Polish Ministry of Education Award three times. Throughout her research life, Maria devoted herself to the study of localized electronic states and published over one hundred papers. Her first love was surface states, which evolved into an interest in image states. Here, with Leszek Jurczyszyn and Robert Kucharczyk, she constructed a model for studying the properties of surface and image states in the presence of an external electric field, i.e., under conditions typically found in field-emission, field-ion and scanning-tunneling microscopes. Underlying all her investigations, was the strong belief in the value of simple models, which was vindicated by her successful use (with Robert Kucharczyk and Larry Glasser) of the Kronig–Penney model to predict the existence of Tamm states in superlattices in 1990, which was confirmed experimentally that same year. It was her work in this area that brought her into close contact with Leonard Dobrzynski and his group at Lille, France. During the twilight months of her life, she made a great effort to complete an extensive review of this field of research, so her co-authors were particularly pleased that she saw the final Surface Science Reports proofs just prior to her untimely death. To surfacists around the world, Maria Steßslicka epitomized the consummate conference organizer. Her innate talent in this direction emerged in late 1960s, when she was actively involved in the Karpacz Winter School in Theoretical Physics, at which her life-long friendship with Anthony Leggett began in 1972. She gained further experience in 1976, when the First Seminar in Surface Physics took place at Łag ow. By 1980, the success of this annual meeting resulted in it becoming known as the International Seminar on Surface Physics (ISSP). Over the next two decades, Maria was the ISSP Director five times, the last occasion being the 20th gathering in Kudowa–Zdr oj celebrating the millennium and the 300th anniversary of the University of Wrocław. In addition to her participation in running ISSP, Maria was also mainly responsible for editing the Proceedings, which were published initially in Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis (1977–1987), then in Surface Science (1988–1991) and, most recently, in Progress in Surface Science and Vacuum.
Personal Report / Progress in Surface Science 71 (2002) 89–91
91
The Wrocław Seminars were born in the Cold War era, when Soviet domination of Central Europe made everyday life a struggle for survival, so that even providing food for the conferences was a great challenge to the organizers. However, in contrast to the USSR boarders, those of Poland were comparatively transparent, which enabled the ISSP to become a focal point for scientists from both East and West. Of course, the seminars also blossomed in Wrocław, because of the longstanding tradition of surface science at the Institute of Experimental Physics, and the unfailing commitment of its members to the ISSP over the years. For her part, Maria created an extraordinarily friendly atmosphere at the gatherings, which encouraged the fruitful exchange of ideas between the attendees. Indeed, it is this unique contribution to the ISSP that will be one of her lasting legacies. MariaÕs lot, with its humble beginnings, was not an easy one, but her dogged determination overcame whatever difficulties she encountered. Even so, she always rendered care and comfort to those she met along lifeÕs road, and the stories of her kind concern for others are legion. Her passing has left a terrible void in the hearts of all who were privileged to know her for the world shall not see the likes of her again. So, as we mourn our loss with profound sadness, let us cherish the wonderful memories she left us, and bid our last farewell to our beloved Maria. Sydney G. Davison University of Waterloo Canada Robert Kucharczyk University of Wrocław Poland Anton G. Naumovets Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences Kiev, Ukraine
Anthony J. Leggett University of Illinois Urbana, USA Fernando Flores Universidad Autonoma de Madrid Spain Bahram Djafari-Rouhani Universit e de Lille France
Personal Report
Maria Steßslicka: Aeternum Vale
1937–2002 With the death of Professor Maria Steßslicka on July 15, 2002, the University of Wrocław and the surface world suffered an irreparable loss of a truly inspiring personality. Maria was born into a poor family on January 16, 1937, in the Polish village of Owsieniszki, near Vilnius, Lithuania. After suffering the scourge of World War II, they moved south to the small town of Piechowice in the Sudetian Mountains, where Maria attended primary school. During her secondary school years in nearby Cieplice, now a suburb of Jelenia G ora, she displayed a universal ability in both the sciences and the humanities. However, before going on to university, she spent a year book-keeping in a local factory to help support her family. In 1956, she entered the University of Wrocław (Max BornÕs alma mater) and studied experimental physics PII: S 0 0 7 9 - 6 8 1 6 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 2 0 - 5
90
Personal Report / Progress in Surface Science 71 (2002) 89–91
for her M.Sc., which she obtained in 1961. Subsequently, she switched to theory for her Ph.D., and graduated in 1968. Her thesis work on surface states led to Sydney DavisonÕs offer of a post-doctoral fellowship at Waterloo in 1969. Thus, began their long and fruitful collaboration. During her 18-month stay, they formulated and developed the first relativistic treatment of surface states. It was at this time that the seed of their book on ‘‘Basic Theory of Surface States’’ was planted, though it took another 20 years for it to see the light of day. Returning to Wrocław, Maria embarked on her career in the Institute of Experimental Physics. She passed her habilitation in 1974, became a Docent (Associate Professor) in 1977, and Professor in 1988. Besides her normal teaching and research duties, Maria played an active role in the organizational aspects of the institute, being its Vice-Director between 1976 and 1979. She established the Surface Theory Group in 1989 and headed it until her death. Outside the institute, she served as a Member of the State Committee for Scientific Research from 1993 to 1995, and joined the Advisory Board of Progress in Surface Science in 1992. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to Polish science, she received the Polish Ministry of Education Award three times. Throughout her research life, Maria devoted herself to the study of localized electronic states and published over one hundred papers. Her first love was surface states, which evolved into an interest in image states. Here, with Leszek Jurczyszyn and Robert Kucharczyk, she constructed a model for studying the properties of surface and image states in the presence of an external electric field, i.e., under conditions typically found in field-emission, field-ion and scanning-tunneling microscopes. Underlying all her investigations, was the strong belief in the value of simple models, which was vindicated by her successful use (with Robert Kucharczyk and Larry Glasser) of the Kronig–Penney model to predict the existence of Tamm states in superlattices in 1990, which was confirmed experimentally that same year. It was her work in this area that brought her into close contact with Leonard Dobrzynski and his group at Lille, France. During the twilight months of her life, she made a great effort to complete an extensive review of this field of research, so her co-authors were particularly pleased that she saw the final Surface Science Reports proofs just prior to her untimely death. To surfacists around the world, Maria Steßslicka epitomized the consummate conference organizer. Her innate talent in this direction emerged in late 1960s, when she was actively involved in the Karpacz Winter School in Theoretical Physics, at which her life-long friendship with Anthony Leggett began in 1972. She gained further experience in 1976, when the First Seminar in Surface Physics took place at Łag ow. By 1980, the success of this annual meeting resulted in it becoming known as the International Seminar on Surface Physics (ISSP). Over the next two decades, Maria was the ISSP Director five times, the last occasion being the 20th gathering in Kudowa–Zdr oj celebrating the millennium and the 300th anniversary of the University of Wrocław. In addition to her participation in running ISSP, Maria was also mainly responsible for editing the Proceedings, which were published initially in Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis (1977–1987), then in Surface Science (1988–1991) and, most recently, in Progress in Surface Science and Vacuum.
Personal Report / Progress in Surface Science 71 (2002) 89–91
91
The Wrocław Seminars were born in the Cold War era, when Soviet domination of Central Europe made everyday life a struggle for survival, so that even providing food for the conferences was a great challenge to the organizers. However, in contrast to the USSR boarders, those of Poland were comparatively transparent, which enabled the ISSP to become a focal point for scientists from both East and West. Of course, the seminars also blossomed in Wrocław, because of the longstanding tradition of surface science at the Institute of Experimental Physics, and the unfailing commitment of its members to the ISSP over the years. For her part, Maria created an extraordinarily friendly atmosphere at the gatherings, which encouraged the fruitful exchange of ideas between the attendees. Indeed, it is this unique contribution to the ISSP that will be one of her lasting legacies. MariaÕs lot, with its humble beginnings, was not an easy one, but her dogged determination overcame whatever difficulties she encountered. Even so, she always rendered care and comfort to those she met along lifeÕs road, and the stories of her kind concern for others are legion. Her passing has left a terrible void in the hearts of all who were privileged to know her for the world shall not see the likes of her again. So, as we mourn our loss with profound sadness, let us cherish the wonderful memories she left us, and bid our last farewell to our beloved Maria. Sydney G. Davison University of Waterloo Canada Robert Kucharczyk University of Wrocław Poland Anton G. Naumovets Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences Kiev, Ukraine
Anthony J. Leggett University of Illinois Urbana, USA Fernando Flores Universidad Autonoma de Madrid Spain Bahram Djafari-Rouhani Universit e de Lille France