Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland

The Institute of Physics at Nicolaus Copernicus University is a division of the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics. The Institute comprises seven scientific divisions, and a dozen teaching laboratories. The Institute of Physics currently employs almost 130 people, including about 100 research and research-and-teaching employees.

The Insitute’s scientists conduct research in modern theoretical and experimental physics, as well as interdisciplinary research in: photonics, quantum physics, atomic and molecular physics, spectroscopy, metrology of frequency and gases, quantum chemistry, mathematical physics, nanotechnology, medical physics, biophysics and bioinformatics. This research places the physics in Toruń at the top of the league in Poland and make it recognizable around the globe. In the last 10 years the Institute’s researchers have realized over 250 research projects funded by external Polish and European research funding agencies for a total budget of over 140 million PLN (over 30 million EUR). The Institute’s reseach potential is also supported by the National Laboratory of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (KL FAMO) – the first Polish laboratory of national reach. The laboratory infrastructure of the Centre for Quantum Optics enables the conduct of high quality research and the teaching of undergraduate as well as graduate students, who then transfer their knowledge to science and economy. Some of the most recognizable and spectacular achievements of the Institute’s scientists include: the optical tomograph, the Polish Optical Atomic Clock, the first and thus far only Bose-Einstein condensate in East-Central Europe, as well as fundamental research in bio- and nanophotonics and photovoltaics.

Academic physics have started in Toruń in 1945, once the Nicolaus Copernicus University was founded. The initiator and organizer of the Department of Physics was prof. Aleksander Jabłoński who came to Toruń with a group of professors from the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius (more). Today’s successes are a direct continuation of pioneering research conducted at the beginning of the existence of academic physics in Toruń.