PIERS 2017: Electromagnetism attracts international scientists to St Petersburg
The Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS) has started its work in St Petersburg in 2017. During four days over 1,300 globally renowned scientists will be discussing progress and recent advances in the modern development of electromagnetic theory and its role in our life.
First held in 1989 by the Electromagnetics Academy in the USA, PIERS attracts globally renowned scientists for the 38th time this year. “Our aim is to advance and share what we know about electromagnetism within and beyond academic community. Apart from Maxwell’s equitations, we will discuss a wide range of issues from optics and computational mathematics to microwave radiation”, — said Prof Len Tsan, Michigan University, President of the Electromagnetics Academy, PIERS Chairperson at the press-conference.
The initiative to hold PIERS 2017 in St Petersburg was suggested by SPbU Professor Ivan Andronov, who is also a chairperson of the organizational committee of the symposium. “At SPbU the last big conference on the electromagnetic theory was held in 1995 on the 100-anniversary of the advent of radio”, — said Ivan Andronov.
Today advances in electromagnetism have their applications in various spheres: from energy industry and transport to medicine and distant probing of earth and atmosphere. “The probes on the satellites can study processes on the surface of the earth, in the oceans, and in the atmosphere. So we can study climate and climate changes, and find mineral resources. We can use microwave data to study ice melting in the Arctic Sea and ice shields in the Antarctic”, — said Len Tsan.
Today economy can greatly benefit from the technologies ensuring high speed of information transmission: broadband networks are possible due to fiber optics. Another area of application of electromagnetic advances is medicine. The source of the magnetic field is an integral part of the CT scan, a vital tool in diagnostics. Microwave hyperthermia for cancer treatment is an important addition to chemotherapy, says Professor Yan Vrb from the Czech Technical University.
Apart from research issues, the symposium focuses on education and teaching of physics. What are the challenges that the universities are facing today will be discussed at the “Education in electromagnetism”.
The programme of PIERS 2017 in St. Petersburg also features a contest of reports of the young scientists. At the first stage, we selected 30 finalists, while at the symposium the experts will evaluate whether the reports are at the forefront of the science, presentation skills and select five winners to award prizes..
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PIERS provides an international forum for reporting progress and recent advances in the modern development of electromagnetic theory and its new and exciting applications. Established by the Electromagnetics Academy in the USA in 1989, it is annually held in Europe, Asia, or USA.
In 2017, PIERS in St Petersburg is supported by St Petersburg University, a centre of St Petersburg school of physics. A number of renowned physicists worked at the University: E. Kh. Lents; О. D. Khvolson; founder ofPetersburg school of optics D.S. Rozhdestvenskii, who educated and prepared renowned scientists А. N. Terenin, Е. F. Gross and S. E. Frish. Three graduates of the University — N. N. Semenov, L. D. Landau, А. М. Prokhorov — are the Nobel Prize winners. Significant contribution in the electromagnetics theory was made by A.S. Popov and V. Fok.