Kip Thorne Pays Tribute to Jiří Bičák
From 28 to 30 May, an international conference was held in Prague to honour the memory of theoretical physicist Jiří Bičák. Among the distinguished guests was also the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Kip Thorne, whose public lecture crowded the Blue Lecture Hall at the Carolinum.
Jiří Bičák Memorial Conference (Photo: Tomáš Rubín)
Jiří Bičák (1942–2024) was a world-renowned expert in the theory of gravitation. After returning from a research stay at Caltech in 1971, he established a course at Matfyz in relativistic physics. Together with a later-added course in differential geometry, this formed one of the most thorough introductions to gravitational physics anywhere in the world.
His legacy comprises both a wealth of significant publications and a long-standing commitment to teaching. Jiří Bičák was an inspiring figure who left a lasting mark on the physics community and on the life of the faculty. This year’s Jiří Bičák Memorial Conference was therefore devoted not only to expert topics, but also to personal memories.
The programme at the Troja campus of Matfyz included a panel discussion on the past and future of gravitational physics, featuring Hermann Nicolai, Kip Thorne, Tsvi Piran and Valeri Frolov. Kip Thorne delivered a public lecture at the Carolinum, which drew a full house. The lecture included further tributes to Jiří Bičák, as well as reflections on the current state of science and research in the United States.
The conference was organised under the leadership of David Kubizňák by the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, in collaboration with the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The event was supported by the Space for Humanity programme and the university project UNCE 24/SCI/016.
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