Prof. Wiesław Wojnowski, PhD, DSc, Eng. | Faculty of Chemistry at the Gdańsk University of Technology

It is with deep regret that we received the information that on 6 January 2024, Professor Wiesław Wojnowski, the founder of the scientific school of chemistry of organosilicon compounds of international importance, passed away at the age of 90.

Professor Wiesław Wojnowski was born on 7 March 1933 in Toruń, in 1952 he graduated from the Technical Secondary School of Chemistry in Toruń, and then in 1957 he studied at our Faculty.

From 1956, he was an employee of the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Gdańsk Tech Faculty of Chemistry, in the following positions: junior assistant, assistant, senior assistant, adjunct professor, and then associate professor and professor, as an outstanding specialist in the field of inorganic chemistry, mainly the chemistry of silicosulfur compounds, polysilanes and orthosilicic acid esters. .

In 1962, he received his doctoral degree and the supervisor of his dissertation entitled "Ethoxycreosilane" was Professor Włodzimierz Rodziewicz. In 1971, he obtained his habilitation degree, the title of his habilitation thesis was: "Research on the alcoholysis reaction of silicon disulfide". In 1980, he obtained the title of associate professor of chemical sciences and was employed as an associate professor. In 1989, he obtained the title of full professor of chemical sciences and the position of full professor.

In the years 1969–2003 he headed the Scientific Team for Chemistry and Technology of Organosilicon Compounds, and at the same time, in the years 1969–1973, he was a deputy director of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Technology of Gdańsk Tech, and was twice vice-dean of the Faculty of Chemistry (in the years 1978–1981 and 1987–1990). From 1992 to 2003 he headed the Department of Inorganic Chemistry.

He also conducted intensive cooperation with scientific units around the world: in 1975-1976 he worked as a Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison (USA), Department of Chemistry in the team of prof. Robert West, in 1980 he taught at the chemistry department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In 1981, he visited the University of Göttingen, collaborating with prof. Anton Meller. In the years 1983-1985, he worked at Max Planck Solid State Research Institute in Stuttgart, where he collaborated with prof. Hans Georg von Schnering. He established many years of cooperation with the Technical University in Aachen: prof. Welf Bronger and with prof. Peter Paetzold. Since 1981, Professor Wojnowski maintained friendly contacts with Professor Wilhelm Klemm.

He published 152 scientific articles in journals from the Philadelphia list and 30 articles in peer-reviewed materials, and obtained 22 Polish and foreign patents. He supervised 19 doctors.

Professor Wiesław Wojnowski was awarded the Knight's Cross (1977), the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1981), the Medal of the National Education Commission (1997), the Badge of Honor of the Polish Chemical Society (1999), and the Medal of the Chinese Chemical Society (1988). In 2004, he was awarded the Medal of Merit for Gdańsk University of Technology, and in 2017 - the Gold Medal for Merit for Gdańsk University of Technology and prof. Włodzimierz Rodziewicz Medal of Merit "for many years of outstanding teaching activity." In 2008, he received the Gold Medal for Long Service, and in 2014, he was honored with the title of Professor Emeritus of Gdańsk University of Technology.

We say our goodbye to an outstanding and respected scientist, an excellent academic teacher, an educator of many generations of chemists, a wonderful man, colleague and friend.