Prof. Elżbieta Żądzińska, Rector of the University of Lodz welcomed the distinguished guest – Prof. Klaus von Klitzing and the audience of his lecture, including Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwik, Rector of the Lodz University of Technology; Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, Metropolitan of Lodz, as well as scientists from Lodz universities and residents of Lodz in the Green Room at the Biedermann’s Palace. Prof. Aleksander Welfe, coordinator of the Rector's Lectures programme, introduced the idea of the lectures, emphasising the fact that Prof. Klaus von Klitzing was yet another Nobel Prize winner who was delivering the Rector's Lecture at the invitation of the University of Lodz.
"Solar Energy: Can Photovoltaic Prevent Climate Catastrophe?". The scientist, who is a Director and a Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), focused on environment protection issues with the use of renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, so as to prevent a climate catastrophe.
After the lecture, the eminent physicist answered questions from the audience and an interesting discussion started. Prof. Julian Sitarek from the Faculty of Physics and Applied Informatics at the University of Lodz asked, among other things, whether photovoltaic panels were energy-efficient, given that their creation was also accompanied by a carbon footprint. The Nobel Prize winner's answer was yes. According to various estimates, after two to five years the energy generated by the panels exceeds the energy used to make them. And their production technologies are becoming more modern and less energy-intensive. In general, according to Prof. von Klitzing, solar energy is the future of humanity in the fight against climate change.
Prof. Klaus von Klitzing received the Nobel Prize in 1985 for his discovery of the quantum Hall effect, which opened up new scientific possibilities in metrology. The significance of Klitzing's discovery was immediately recognized and triggered the introduction of a new international system of units based on constants of nature. All the research, which has been carried out in recent years thanks to, among other things, Prof Klitzing's discoveries, has made it possible to construct a set of physical constants that are completely invariant because they are based on the quantum world
– explains Dr hab. Paweł Kowalczyk, Professor at the University of Lodz, Head of the Department of Solid State Physics at the Faculty of Physics and Applied Informatics at the University of Lodz.
The Rector's Lectures, which have been organised by the University of Lodz for more than ten years, have become a kind of institution – they are attractive to a wide audience, which guarantees interesting discussions and exchange of views. As part of the Rector's Lectures, in addition to the Nobel Prize winners, we have had the honour of hosting presidents of countries, ambassadors, the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences, luminaries of science, great moral authorities, eminent figures of scientific and social life, whose achievements are usually interdisciplinary and go far beyond the walls of the university. This initiative serves the entire academic community of Lodz, as well as its residents.
Prof. Dr hab. Aleksander Welfe, who is a macroeconomist, an econometrician, a Full Professor at the University of Lodz and the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Vice-President of the Polish Academy of Sciences for the 2023-2026 term, has been the coordinator of the Rector’s Lectures Project from the very beginning.
The lecture by Prof. Klitzing is unique for the University of Lodz, especially for physicists and chemists. Professor Klitzing is one of few physicist-the Nobel Prize winners we have had the opportunity to listen to here. It is a unique honour for the university and the entire academic community and the community of Lodz that we have had the opportunity to host such a distinguished scientist as Prof. Klitzing
– adds Dr hab. Paweł Kowalczyk, Professor at the University of Lodz.
Prof Klaus von Klitzing is the third Nobel Prize winner invited by the University of Lodz to deliver the Rector's Lecture. Previously, we have hosted Prof. Roger Penrose – "Aeons Before the Big Bang", 2020 Nobel Prize in the field of economics (1st Rector’s Lecture) and Prof Svante Pääbo – "The Impact of Neandertals and Denisovans on human evolutionary history", 2022 Nobel Prize in the field of medicine (28th Rector’s Lecture).
Source: Faculty of Physics and Applied Informatics, University of Lodz
Edit: Michał Gruda, Marcin Kowalczyk (Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz)