30 years of biophysics in Croatia
1966.
The Physics Commission of the “Federal Council for the Coordination of Scientific Activities” of the former Yugoslavia is launching a “Study on the Need for Interdisciplinary Research in the country”.
1970.
6/26/1970 Dr. Siniša Maričić organized a meeting of 26 scientists in the Club of University professors and after the discussion it was concluded that it is necessary to organize a professional meeting of scientists in the field of biophysics.
On November 5-7, 1970, the First Professional Meeting of Biophysicists in Yugoslavia and the Founding Assembly of the Yugoslav Biophysical Society (JBD) were held in Krapinske Toplice.
The first president of the society was Dr. Siniša Maričić. From Croatia, the Society was also chaired by Dr. Greta Pifat, Dr. Janko Herak and Dr. Jasminka Brnjas-Kraljević. For the first ten years, the Society held scientific meetings every year in a different city and changed presidents of the Society according to the national key.
1971.
The society was admitted to IUPAB, and two members, Dr. Siniša Maričić and Dr. Saša Svetina, became members of IUPAB commissions. It is convenient to mention that out of 86 members of JBD, 36 of them were from Croatia and they are still members of the Croatian Biophysical Society.
1973.
Zagreb is becoming a center of the education of young scientists in the field of biophysics. Together with the University of Ljubljana, postgraduate classes were organized, which were also held through summer schools. By 1980, three summer schools have taken place. Most of the lecturers were recognized international scientists, including Nobel laureates. In the same period, the course of biophysics was introduced in undergraduate teaching at the physics department of the Faculty of Science. Initially, this course was led by prof. Janko Herak.
1980.
Republican societies were founded, and the Yugoslav Society became the Union of Societies.
The Croatian Biophysical Society was founded at a meeting in Medena, and the first elected president was prof. Janko Herak.
At the initiative of Dr. Greta Pifat, the Croatian Biophysical Society begins a cycle of monthly popular scientific lectures, designed so that they can be followed by interested scientists in related fields. During ten years of regular lectures, biophysicists and scientific friends of biophysics were introduced to many names of world science and covered many different areas of biophysics. These lectures were then very well attended.
1981.
The Croatian Biophysical Society is organizing the first of seven Summer Schools in Biophysics in Dubrovnik under the auspices of UNESCO and IUPAB. After three years the school in Dubrovnik was interrupted in 1993 due to the destruction of the war, and the fifth Summer School was held in 1994 in Rovinj. We all know everything about the success and recognition of these schools.
1990.
The last JBD meeting was held in Rogaška Slatina.
1991.
Due to the Yugoslav attack on Croatia, the Croatian Biophysical Society withdrew from the Association of Yugoslav Societies and, as an independent Society, competed for admission to IUPAB. At the 11th World Congress of Biophysicists in Budapest in 1993. The Croatian Biophysical Society was accepted as an equal member in both IUPAB and EBSA, and two members of the presidency, prof. Greta Pifat and prof. Jasminka Brnjas-Kraljević were admitted to the IUPAB commission.
The society’s activities slowed down a bit in the early 1990s. Lectures are irregular and less and less attended, although the lecturers are recognized and well-known scientists, and the topics are hot for biophysicists.
New lecturer in biophysics at the Faculty of Science, doc. Dr. Selma Supek raises hopes for the revival of the Society with new young forces.
1999.
The first scientific meeting of biophysicists in Croatia was held and the attendance was not bad.
A section of young biophysicists, mostly physics students, has been established in the Society
2000.
Gallery
