Author: Ionut Topala

On the 22nd May 2023, the Faculty of Physics of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC) has been named a “Historic Site” by the European Physical Society (EPS). The Faculty of Physics in Iasi is only the second Romanian institution to receive this honour, after the Magurele Physics Campus in 2017.

A plaque declaring the Faculty of Physics at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC) as an EPS Historic Site was unveiled near the Dean’s office by the EPS representative, Prof. Goran Djordjević, member of the EPS HS committee. The messages from Prof. Luc Bergé, EPS President, Prof. Karl Grandin, EPS Historic Sites Committee president, and Prof. Djordjević himself have been conveyed during the meeting and appreciated by all participants. “I’m confident that this moment will act as a model for all next generation of students in Physics here in Iași” said Prof. Gheorghe Popa, former Secretary of State for Research in Romania and former Rector of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași.

The participants were made up of former and actual decision-makers at Faculty of Physics: Cristian Enachescu, Dean of the Faculty of Physics, Ionut Topala, Deputy Dean and president of Romanian Physics Society Iasi Branch, Alexandru Stancu, founder of the Museum of the Faculty, Violeta Georgescu, former Deputy Dean and Dumitru Luca, former Dean and Vice-Rector.

The EPS Historic Site plaque is a symbol to recognise that the city of Iași has been at the forefront of physics research in the region. As mentioned on the plaque, some of the scientific landmarks which shaped the world of physics are “the successful bone X-ray imaging and X-ray experiments (1896-1906) and the first scientific paper describing the effect of magnetic fields on chemical reactions (1894), both published by Dragomir Hurmuzescu. Another landmark is the first correct calculation of the theoretical magneton, the physical constant still used to describe the magnetic moment of an electron by Stefan Procopiu (1912-1913). In addition, since 1849, Teodor Stamati and later Stefan Procopiu had developed significant observations on geomagnetism in Romania. The Faculty of Physics has come a long way since then, becoming a distinct department at UAIC in 1962”.

The inauguration continued with the ceremony of awarding the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași to Dr. Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, the first and only Romanian to go to perform a scientific mission in space.  

Visitors can now start their journey with this EPS Historic Site plaque and then continue with the Physics museum at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, there where pieces of instruments and laboratory equipment dating back from late nineteenth and early twentieth century can be admired.

More information

• Faculty of Physics, UAIC
• Article about the inauguration in Romanian
• Article about the Doctor Honoris Causa ceremony in Romanian
• EPS Historic Sites

The plaque for the EPS Historic Site, Faculty of Physics at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania - image credit: Ionut Topala

FLTR: Ionut Topala, Violeta Georgescu, Gheorghe Popa,Alexandru Stancu, Radu Tanasa,
Cristian Enachescu, Dumitru Prunariu,Dumitru Luca, Goran Djordjević

The main building of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania, hosting the Faculty of Physics

FLTR: Ionut Topala, Alexandru Stancu, Goran Djordjević, Cristian Enachescu