York physicist wins prestigious Polish award

Posted on Tuesday 11 August 2015

The society awarded Professor Jacek Dobaczewski the annual scientific prize for fundamental studies in density functional theory (DFT) and its applications in nuclear physics.

The DFT is a universal tool used mainly to describe systems of many electrons in condensed matter physics, atomic physics, or quantum chemistry. Due to the complexity of nucleon to nucleon interaction, research in nuclear DFT requires novel theoretical approaches and estimating related theoretical uncertainties – a pioneering aspect of Professor Dobaczewski’s work.

Significantly contributing to DFT applications in nuclear physics, Professor Dobaczewski has published more than 40 scientific papers in World of Sciences indexed journals, and has presented dozens of invited papers at nuclear-physics conferences, including the International Nuclear Physics Conference, where he summarised the state of research in the field in 2010.

Professor Dobaczewski said: "I am extremely proud to be awarded the PTF prize - recognition by peers is something that I value above all.

“The Wojciech Rubinowicz prize is named after the founder of theoretical physics research in Warsaw.  It is the only scientific distinction awarded by the PTF each year, representing the entire community of Polish physicists, which covers all domains of physics. It is with great joy and satisfaction I will participate in the 43rd Congress of PTF, during which I will be presented with the prize on 10 September 2015.”

Professor Dobaczewski is one of the world’s foremost nuclear physics theorists and was previously Head of the Nuclear Structure Theory Division at the University of Warsaw. He joined the University of York this year, as part of a joint initiative between York and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to significantly strengthen the UK’s nuclear physics research community.