Prof. Iwo Białynicki-Birula

Theoretical physicist

Prof. Iwo Białynicki-Birula started his career at the Faculty of Physics of the Warsaw University, where he graduated, received a position and became a professor. In 1980 he co-founded the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Polish Academy of Science, which he was directing for many years. CTP PAS has become an important place on the map of Polish research.
He is one of the most eminent Polish scientists, specialising in quantum electrodynamics and field theory. His research concerned fundamental problems in these disciplines. He collaborated with numerous scholars including L. Infeld, J. Mycielski, J. Plebański, J. Rafelski, Z. Białynicka-Birula, B. Mielnik and many others. Among the most important achievements are:

• Proof that Richard Feynman's theorem on invariance of transition amplitudes with respect to gauge transformation in quantum electrodynamics is wrong.
• Solutions of Einstein's equations in terms of gravitational waves with angular momentum that can concentrate gravitational masses.
• Proposing the wave function of a photon in the framework of quantum electrodynamics.
• Formulation of the uncertainty principle for photons.

Scientific father of eighteen PhD students, ten of whom became professors.