Laudation in honour of Professor Dr. EVanc Vodopivec on the occasion of his 65th birthday
Professor Dr. Franc Vodopivec, scientific councillor, former director of Institute of Metals and Tech-nology and member of the State Council of Republic Slovenia is celebrating his 65th birthday. This birthday is the occasion to look at the background and the development of this well known scientist and at the influence which his research work has in the field of elaboration, transformation and use of metals and alloys in Slovenia and abroad.
F. Vodopivec was born in Rakitnik, a small village in the former Italy on 8th October 1931. After ftnishing with distinction the secondary school education, he studied Metallurgy at the University of Ljubljana. In 1956 he passed the final examinations and second degree thesis as the first of his class. During the university study he was for three years assistant-student for lectures of Mechanics and Kinematics. In 1956 he joined Metallurgical Institute, present Institute of Metals and Technology in Ljubljana directed by the founder Professor Ciril Rekar. After the military service 1958/59 he re-ceived through the International Agency of Atomic Energy in Vienna a scholarship from the French Government. Working in the Institute de Recherche de la Siderurgie, in St.Germain en Laye, France, from 1960 to 1962 he prepared his Dr.-thesis and graduated in 1962 at the University of Pariš, France with the thesis: Study of the behaviour of arsenic and phosphorous by selective oxidation of iron alloys vvith low contents of both elements.
He returned in 1962 to the Metallurgical Institute and worked as founder and head of the Laboratory for Metalography to 1972, head of Technology Department to 1978, assistant director to 1990 and director from 1990 to April 1996 when he retired. In 1992, Professor Vodopivec was elected in the Council State of Republic Slovenia by the community of researchers and engineers.
He is the editor-in-chief of Slovenian scientific journal Metals Alloys Technologies since 1994.
Professor Vodopivec is full of development špirit and creative ideas. He has been doing research work on the behaviour of metals in oxidative atmosphere, microstructure characterization of metals by optical and electron microscopy, electron probe analysis, mechanical testing; behaviour of material in use at medium and high temperature, hot and cold working of metals, recovery, recrystallization and grain growth. His present research interest includes: ductile permanent magnet alloys, non oriented electrical steel sheets, grain growth induced by selective surface segregation, topology of microstructure and behaviour of metals in use.
Professor Vodopivec has published over 150 papers in intemational journals and conferences and 240 papers in Slovenian journals and conferences on topics of science, technology and use of metals and alloys.
Professor Vodopivec has been supervisor to several Ph.D. and Master Degree students at the Univer-sities of Ljubljana, Maribor, Belgrade and Zagreb. He is also very active in the intemational academic field. He was a chairman of intemational scientific conferences and project evaluator in EU COST actions.
He is the president of Slovenian Society of Materials, member of executive council of Slovenian Vacuum Society, member of Slovenian Electron and Microelectronics Society, Slovenian Society of Chemistry, Historical Society of Ljubljana, chairman of the R&D group of the Slovenian Association of Engineers, chairman of annual Conferences on Materials and Technologies from 1990 to present, and member of Vacuum Metallurgy scientific division of IUVSTA - International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications. He wrote in Slovenian newspaper several tens of articles of
industrial and research policy. In 1978 he was awarded by the Boris Kidrič Foundation Award and in 1984 the Boris Kidrič State Award for Science.
His many projects were supported by 21 industrial societies and associations in Slovenia and the former Yugoslavia from Metallurgy, over mechanical industry to power stations as well as the Slovenian and the Yugoslav governments. He was involved also in the projects of international cooperations EU RD actions and USA- Slovenia projects.
He prepared forensic analysis of several industrial failures vvhich qualified Slovenian societies to win arbitration for retributions of damages from foreign companies suppliers of industrial equipment.
His colleagues hope very much that he vvill instead of the retirement, take part in discussions, lectures and publications. Most of ali we would like to wish him and his family many years to come in good health.
Monika Jenko