Awards

Thomas Hart Benton Mural Medallion - 1987

10th Anniversary of Exchange Program between IU and Warsaw

Bloomington, Indiana

Presenter: John William Ryan

About Grzegorz Bialkowski

Grzegorz Białkowski attended the University of Warsaw while working at the Institute of Theoretical Physics. He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1955, obtained his doctorate in 1959, and his habilitation in 1965. At the University of Warsaw, he was promoted to associate professor in 1971, a full professor in 1977, and department head for the Department of Theoretical Physics of High Energy before being elected rector in 1985. He served as rector for four years before his death in 1989. He was also elected senator of the Polish People's Republic from the list of the Citizens' Committee in the elections in June 1989 but died before he was able to take the oath of office.

A physicist, poet, and politician, Białkowski lectured at universities around the world and authored textbooks and monographs in the field of physics and several volumes of poetry. His last volume of poetry, Całoprzenie (Burnt Offering) was published in 1986 and received notice from critics.

Białkowski was a member of the European Physical Society, the International Physics Teaching Commission, the Polish Academy of Sciences Physics Committee, the Polish Philosophical Society, and founding member and first president of the Society for the Promotion and Promotion of Sciences. Since 1995, the Society for the Promotion and Promotion of Sciences and the Foundation for Polish Science have jointly given out Grzegorz Białkowski Awards for the most outstanding doctoral dissertations in mathematics, physics, computer science, astronomy, and chemistry defended in the preceding three calendar years. He was awarded the Thomas Hart Benton Mural Medallion from President John W. Ryan during the 10th Anniversary of the Exchange Program between IU and Warsaw in 1987.

Białkowski passed away on June 29, 1989, in Warsaw, Poland.