Founder of Czech nuclear research professor Šimáně dies

From Prague Daily Monitor:  Founder of Czech nuclear research professor Šimáně dies

Prague, Aug 1 (CTK) - Professor Cestmir Simane, Czech nuclear research founder, who focused on experimental nuclear physics, construction and use of accelerators, construction of radiation detectors and nuclear reactors technology, died on July 26, aged 93, the Czech Science Academy (CAV) has written on its web page.

Simane was a "Renaissance man, the last of the generation of founding fathers of Czech nuclear research," Dana Drabova, State Authority for Nuclear Safety (SUJB) chairwoman, told CTk Wednesday.

Simane worked until the last moment on a microtron accelerator and devoted his time to students, Drabova said.

She said Simane was capable of giving 90-minute lectures until recently.

His profession took him to Austria, France and the former Soviet Union. He wrote a number of expert articles and books.

Simane was a member of many Czechoslovak delegations to international conferences on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in 1955-61, according to his biography.

When the SUJB was established, Simane became a member of its advisory body. Until his death he was a scientific worker of the CAV Nuclear Physics Institute in Rez, near Prague.

Simane graduated from Brno University of Technology, focusing on electronics and nuclear physics.
In 1947-49 Simane went to Paris for training with Professor Frederic Joliot-Curie.

In 1948 he was the first employee of the Czech Atomic Physics Institute and he built the Nuclear Physics Laboratory in Prague-Hostivar that was equipped with an eletrostatic accelerator of protons and deuterons.
Simane was also director of the Physical Institute of the Czechoslovak Science Academy (CSAV) and in 1955 he became the first director of the newly established AV Institute of Nuclear Physics in Rez.
From 1961 he headed a division of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.

After he returned home, he became head of the chair of nuclear reactors of the Technological and Nuclear Faculty of the Czech Technical University in Prague. In 1967-72 he was its dean.

In 1973 Simane was elected deputy director of the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna near Moscow and held the post until 1977.