Jan Żukrowski (1947-2024)

Jan Żukrowski (1947-2024)

It is with great sadness that we inform the Mössbauer community around the world about the death of Dr. Jan Żukrowski from the AGH University of Kraków, on September 26, 2024, in Krakow, at the age of 77.

Jan Żukrowski was born on September 12, 1947, in Chałupki, near Racibórz, Poland. He studied physics at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, obtaining MSc degree in 1970. After graduation, he started working at the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy, Kraków (present name AGH University of Kraków) as an assistant (1970-1978). After completing his PhD thesis in 1978 in solid state physics he worked as an assistant professor (1978-2024). Since 2015 he had been employed at the Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Kraków. In the years 1980-2005 he completed many long- and short-term research stays, including Freie Universität Berlin, Technische Universität Clausthal and Max-Planck Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik in Germany, University of Canberra, Australia, Technische Universität Wien, Austria and Ottawa University, Canada.

Dr. Jan Żukrowski worked in the field of Mössbauer spectroscopy for nearly 50 years using plenty of Mössbauer isotopes (57Fe, 119Sn, 151Eu, 155Gd, 161Dy, 166Er, and 169Tm). Among 207 scientific papers co-authored by Jan Żukrowski, recorded in SCOPUS, 146 are devoted directly to the applications of Mössbauer effect in diverse studies closely related to the solid state physics, like investigations of phase transitions in intermetallics, oxides, hydrogenated materials, superconductors, thin films and nanomaterials using transmission or CEMS techniques as well as synchrotron radiation under ambient and high external pressures. Many papers co-authored by Jan Żukrowski were also devoted to study charge- and spin- density waves phenomena in various elemental, alloy or compound systems and the coexistence of and/or competition between superconductivity and magnetic order observed for iron superconducting pnictides. Dr. Jan Żukrowski wrote also many outstanding computer codes for analysis of Mössbauer spectra which he shared free of charge with other researchers not only in Poland but all over the world.

He was an open personality, always ready to help, which allowed him to establish a large number of scientific collaborations in Poland and abroad. His valuable advices and vast scientific experience are well known among members of the world Mössbauer community. He remains in our memory forever!

Elżbieta Jartych (Lublin University of Technology)
Czesław Kapusta (AGH University of Kraków)
Kazimierz Łątka (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)