Adam Maj

Adam Maj is a Full Professor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ-PAN) in Kraków, where he currently serves as Head of the Division of Nuclear Physics and Strong Interactions. He has held various leadership positions at IFJ-PAN including Scientific Director (2011-2016) and Deputy Head of the Division of Nuclear Physics and Strong Interactions (2016-2020).

His educational background includes:

• M.Sc. in Physics (specializing in nuclear physics) from Jagiellonian University in Kraków (1979)
• Ph.D. from the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kraków (1988)
• Habilitation from the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kraków (2001)
• State-nominated Professor title awarded by the President of Poland (2006)

Professor Maj's research spans multiple areas of nuclear physics, with a particular focus on nuclear structure and spectroscopy. His work has significantly contributed to our understanding of nuclear shapes, including the confirmation of the Jacobi shape transition in atomic nuclei. He has pioneered studies using gamma-ray, conversion-electron and alpha-particle spectroscopy to investigate the structure of atomic nuclei. His research has evolved from early work on magnetic moments of isomeric states to more recent investigations of hot rotating nuclei and exotic nuclear shapes. He has been instrumental in developing novel detector systems, including the PARIS detector for high-energy gamma-ray studies.

Analysis of his publication record shows a consistent focus on nuclear structure physics, with particular emphasis on giant dipole resonances, pygmy dipole resonances, and nuclear shapes. His work often involves international collaborations, particularly with institutions in Denmark, Germany, and France. The publications demonstrate a progression from fundamental nuclear structure studies to more applied research involving detector development and novel experimental techniques.

His notable recognition includes:

• Polish Golden Cross of Merit (2013)

Professor Maj has supervised four successfully promoted Ph.D. students and has been actively involved in numerous research grants and collaborative projects. He has coordinated major European projects including the development of the PARIS detector and has participated in significant international collaborations such as RISING and PRESPEC at GSI Darmstadt. His service to the scientific community includes membership on multiple scientific advisory committees across Europe.

He leads research teams working on several major projects including studies with radioactive beams from the SPIRAL2 accelerator complex in France and the development of next-generation gamma-ray detection systems. His laboratory maintains strong collaborations with major nuclear physics facilities worldwide including GANIL in Caen, the Heavy-Ion Laboratory of University of Warsaw, and GSI-FAIR in Darmstadt.