Belgrade (SRB), 2009-12-16. Belgrade was under the siege of a heavy snow storm. A traffic collapsed. A small group of scientists in the Photonics Center was patiently expecting guests, finishing Tuesday's regular job tasks. Less patient researchers started frequently to consult their wrist watches. Some cell phones rang, warning the others that the family members warried. The possibility the guests would not appear at all due to the terrible weather conditions increased. Outside, the darkness, fog and snow became thicker.

Suddenly, the lab door opened and a group of people wearing suits, hair covered with snowflakes, entered the lab (Fig. 218-01). Persistent guests from Zagreb did not care for the snow storm. They did not want to disappoint their colleagues from the Photonics Center who were expecting them. Led by Minister Radovan Fuchs, PhD, the delegation from the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia kindly paid the visit to the Photonics Center in the Institute of Physics.

Fig. 218-01. A delegation from the Croatian Ministry in the Photonics Center.	Fig. 218-02. Showing the setup for quantum optics experiments.
Fig. 218-03. Pointing out a troublesome device.	Fig. 218-04. Explaining the experiments with femtosecond pulses.

Minister Fuchs patiently listened the explanations of prof. Branislav Jelenković, the leader of the Photonics Center. Prof. Jelenković introduced Minister Fuchs into main directions of the Center's research and showed the experiments in quantum optics (Figs. 218-02 and 03), ultrafast (femtosecond) laser beam interactions with materials and matter (Fig. 218-04) and holography (Fig. 218-05). Some particular points were stressed, like the cooperation with the Institute of Physics in Zagreb and the similarity of the research areas. Particular interest was paid to the topics of the ultrafast pulses interaction with biological materials with possible applications in medicine.

Fig. 218-05. "Now I shall show you that stepping on this 5-ton concrete block which floats in the air is perfectly safe..."

After being informed about the current research activities in the Center, the delegation left with content, hurrying. Their other tasks waited to be finished.

Acknowledgments

Photographed by DV; photos enhanced by siteEditor.

References

[218-1] News webpage of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia ^(hr)

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