Ivan Aničin

Ivan Aničin, (born 25 March 1944 in Bor, Serbia, Yugoslavia, died 2 April 2016) was Yugoslav and Serbian nuclear physicist, particle physicist, astrophysicist, and cosmologist, university Full Professor and Distinguished (teaching/research) Professor of scientific institutes in Belgrade (Serbia), Bristol (United Kingdom), Grenoble (France), and Munich (Germany).

He has been Head of Department of Nuclear and Particle Physics at University of Belgrade and Chief of Chair of Nuclear and Particle physics at Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, since 1997, and Director of Doctoral Studies in Nuclear and Particle Physics at University of Belgrade. Professor Aničin was distinguished professor of both Institute of Physics Belgrade and Vinča Institute for Nuclear Sciences, where he led projects in cosmology and astroparticle physics.

Aničin was member of several international projects, including LHC CERN, ILIAS, LOREX, and projects funded by the Serbian Ministry of Science and Technology.

Ivan Aničin was educated in Yugoslavia (Belgrade), United Kingdom (Bristol), France (Grenoble), and Germany (Munich).

He completed elementary school and Gymnasium education in Belgrade. At University of Belgrade he attained a First Class degree in physics in 1967, completed his Magister of Sciences in Physics or PhD degree in Physics in 1970, and Doctor of Sciences in Physics degree in 1973.

Aničin did his postdoctoral studies, research, and, for some time, teaching, in the United Kingdom at University of Bristol, in Grenoble, France, at the Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (IN2P3) of the National Center of Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, or CNRS), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), and the Institut Laue-Langevin, or ILL, in Munich, Germany, at Max Planck Institute for Physics, and in Yugoslavia, at the Institute for Nuclear Sciences "Boris Kidrič" (later renamed to INS "Vinča").

Ivan Aničin earned Magister of Sciences in Physics or PhD degree in Physics in 1970, and Doctor of Sciences in Physics degree in 1973., in the field of nuclear physics. His interests and research are in the fields of nuclear spectroscopy of gamma radiation and conversion electrons and their angle correlations, studies of rare and low probability nuclear and fundamental processes (especially neutrinoless double beta decay, non-resonant excitations), detection of solar neutrinos, detection of dark matter, measurements of cosmic radiation, and methodology of experimental nuclear physics in general.

During and after holding post-doctoral research positions in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Yugoslavia, Aničin mostly taught at Belgrade University and the University of Novi Sad, at the Institute for Nuclear Sciences "Boris Kidrič" (later renamed to INS "Vinča")[3]), and Institute of Physics Zemun (renamed to "Institute of Physics Belgrade")[4].

Aničin started his teaching career at 1969, as Assistant professor for Nuclear Physics and for General Courses in Physics, at University of Novi Sad. He also taught two more subjects at University of Novi Sad: Methods of Measurements, and Data Treatment.

At University of Belgrade, professor Aničin teaches or had taught the following subjects: Data Treatment in Physics, Order of Magnitude Physics, various courses of Nuclear Physics, Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics, Foundations of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Higher Course in Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Instrumentation, Nuclear Spectroscopy, Selected Chapters of High Energy Physics, Detectors, Nondestructive Analysis, Rare Subatomic Processes, Astroparticle Physics, Radiation Physics.

From 1990 Aničin teaches History of Physics and Philosophy of Physics at postgraduate Center for Multidisciplinary Studies at University of Belgrade. From 1980 Aničin teaches specialized courses in "School of Isotopes" in the Institute for Nuclear Sciences "Vinča"[5]). In Belgrade Aničin also taught general courses in physics at the Faculty for Teachers (Pedagogical Academy).

Professor Aničin is a frequent lecturer at Kolarac Institute, where he gives public lectures for a broader (non-physicists) audience.

Professor Aničin is author and lecturer of courses "How to teach physics – order of magnitude physics", "How to teach physics – nuclear and particle physics", and "How to teach physics – astrophysics and cosmology", at University of Belgrade, aimed at college, high school, and elementary school professors and teachers, who need to advance their knowledge both in named fields on physics and in methodology and didactics, and at scientists and engineers at physics teaching positions. The courses are part of broader Master of Science level at Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade. These M.Sc. courses are for teachers, professors, engineers, and graduated physicists only. They are part of postgraduate education scheme "Physics and Engineering Education for Graduated Physicists, Graduated Engineers, College Teachers, and Professors" academic discipline "M.Sc. in Physics and Engineering" with professional title "Professor of Physics, Science, Informatics, and Engineering – Master", awarded jointly by Faculty of Physics and University of Belgrade. This diploma allows its holders to teach in any of the following subject areas, at college, high school, or elementary school level: physics, science, informatics and related subjects (e.g. computer programming languages), engineering, and mathematics.

Professor Aničin mentored or was member of degree granting committee of more than 200 M.Sc., PhD, and Doctor of Sciences in Physics degrees to American, British, Croatian, French, German, Greek, Iraqi, Iranian, Libyan, Montenegrin, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Soviet, and Yugoslavian physicists. He also mentored M.Sc. and Doctor of Sciences in Physics degrees of his colleagues and successors at Faculty of Physics of University of Belgrade: professors Jovan Puzović (at CERN from 2000), and professor Goran Škoro (from 2004 on leave at UK Neutrino Factory).

Ivan Aničin was President of Scientific Committee of Youth International Scientific Conference, "A Step into Science", organized by famous Petnica Science Center, and a great contributor and patron of Petnica Science Center, PSC.