BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Felix Berezin

Felix Berezin was one of the most original Soviet mathematical physicists. He graduated from the Moscow State University in 1953. In his work he made important contributions to such classical subjects as group representation theory, spectral theory of operators, quantum mechanics, statistical physics and constructive quantum field theory, but he also created new concepts, like a general approach to the quantization problem, the formulation of second quantization in terms of functional integrals and the theory of supersymmetry and supermanifolds. To acknowledge the importance of Berezin's contributions in supersymmetry the integral over anticommuting Grassmann variables is called the Berezin integral, and the "super"-analog of the determinant is called the Berezinian. At the age of 49 Berezin drowned after the dinghy in which he traveled capsized on a rough remote Siberian river.

Please read an extended article about F.A. Berezin compiled by R. A. Minlos, Yu. A. Neretin and A. M. Stepin.

Bogdan Mielnik

Bogdan Mielnik graduated in 1957 from the Physics Department of the University of Warsaw. He published papers on the geometry of quantum systems, the foundations of quantum mechanics, quantum control and the evolution loops and on the problem of time in quantum mechanics, which sparked a broad international interest and brought Mielnik an international recognition. He also became very emotionally involved in the defense of our environment, especially of the Amazon rain forest. Mielnik through his original approach to many problems had an important influence on many people, both in Poland and Mexico. He is presently Professor at the Department of Physics of the research center CINVESTAV in Mexico.

Stanisław Lech Woronowicz

Stanisław Lech Woronowicz graduated in 1962 from the Physics Department of the University of Warsaw. Then he joined the Chair of the Mathematical Methods of Physics at University of Warsaw. His research interests were always physics oriented with strong emphasis on mathematical precision. The important result of his research include a series of papers on the mathematical aspects of quantum field theory. The most outstanding result is the introduction of the notion of the compact quantum group, developed on the basis of the C*-algebras. Woronowicz received various important distinctions: the Stefan Banach Medal for his contributions in the development of mathematics, the "Humboldt Research Award" and a special prize of the Foundation for Polish Science. He is professor at the University of Warsaw and full member of the Polish Academy of Sciences.