Марко Вукобрат Јарић : (1952–1997)

Abstract

Th is article presents, succinctly yet in suffi cient detail, the life and accomplishments of Prof. Dr. Marko V. Jarić, a brilliant American physicist of Serbian origin. In fact, Marko is originating from Krajina, a region of Croatia until recently populated by Serbs – and now thoroughly depopulated of them. Marko studied physics in Belgrade, but accomplished greatest scientifi c achievements living and working in the USA. In this, he is not alone, as presently many of the very accomplished physicists in America are of Serbian origin. In fact, in this he enjoys the company of one of the greatest inventors of all time and a fellow Serb from Krajina: Nikola Tesla. Marko’s biography is short but rich; he lived only 45 years. He was born in 1952 in Belgrade, then the capital of Yugoslavia – the country there is no more. He grew up in Belgrade, and when 14, left for the Airforce Academy “Marshal Tito” in Mostar. From the earliest age, he has shown great aptitude for math and physics; so, when the time came in 1970 to choose between fl ying jets and mathematical physics – he chose the latter. He graduated in 1974 as the best student of Belgrade University and immediately departed for Th e City College of New York, to continue graduate studies in theoretical physics. Th is was made possible by a grant from Fulbright Program, and – of course – by Marko’s stellar academic performance. He obtained the PhD degree in 1978, under the mentorship of Prof. Joseph L. Birman. Joe Birman was an expert in the group theory applied to condensed matter physics, and he naturally led Marko in the direction of applying group theory to various physical systems: structural phase transitions in superconductors, equilibrium polymerization, phase problem and structure determination of quasicrystals, icosahedral group and structures, and others. Towards the end of his life, Marko turned to other scientifi c interests: biophysics, DNA, quantum devices and transport, and photorefractive materials. Unfortunately, for these, he did not have enough time. More detail on Marko’s scientifi c interests and achievements can be found in his CV, the fi nal version of which is included in this article. Upon obtaining PhD, in 1978 Marko left for UC Berkeley, where he received the prestigious Miller Fellowship, to work with Profs. Leo Falicov and Marvin Cohen on the problems of magnetic superconductors. Aft er two years, he left for Berlin, to work with Prof. Bennemann on the problems of polymerization, as a Humboldt Fellow. Following these two fellowship positions, Marko started to search for a more permanent academic position. In 1982 he obtained the position of assistant professor at Montana State University in Bozeman, and in 1985 the position of associate professor at North Dakota State University in Fargo. Th ese institutions were far below Marko’s scientifi c standing, but such stumbling blocks in the pursuit of a career in the US are quite common when a young scientist leaves the US before securing a permanent position – and then attempts to come back. Nonetheless, he managed to spend extended periods at the same time at the Institute des Hautes Etudes Scientifi ques, Bures-sur-Yvette, in France, Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and at Harvard University, in 1982–86. Th e stay at Harvard was especially important, as there Marko propelled himself to the fi rst rank of theoretical physicists in condensed matter physics, thanks to his work on quasicrystals. While at Harvard, Marko was off ered associate professorship at Texas A&M University in College Station, which he accepted and stayed there from 1986 until the end of his life. Th e fi rst few years at TAMU were happy and very productive for Marko. He rounded up his research in quasicrystals in four books that he edited at that time, continued to publish profusely, and organized a number of conferences on quasicrystals. Unfortunately, things took a sudden turn for the worse with the advent of Yugoslav crisis in 1991. Marko was devastated by the crisis. It should be recalled that Serbs, as a nation, were the most cohesive part of Yugoslav society and that among Serbs, the Krajina Serbs were the most patriotic. It should also be pointed out that Marko was not a Serbian nationalist; he could not be such by family upbringing and by early education in a Yugoslav military academy. He was simply a Yugoslav patriot, but from a special mix, from the Krajina Serbs: a “Krayishnik”. Th is, probably, is the most volatile, violent, and short-fused but sensitive type of Serbs. No wonder, these were the most abused and traumatized people in the Yugoslav crisis. And Marko was a rough-diamond Krajina Serb. In the nineties, Marko’s activities and output in physics declined. He could not just sit quietly and do physics while civil war raged in his country. Th e suff ering of Krajina people deeply touched him. But, Marko was also deeply outraged by the strong anti-Serbian propaganda in the US media. With his innate rational and analytical mind and his ingrained sense for justice and balance, he tried to explain to the American public the real reasons for the nationalistic and religious explosion of violence in Yugoslavia. To no avail. Many of those who knew Marko are convinced that his health problems stemmed in great part from the psychological and physiological stress induced by the troubles in Yugoslavia. A silver lining in these gloomy years was the marriage with Marija Nikolić, a fellow physicist from Belgrade, in the summer of 1995. However, at the same time, Croatian army and police mounted an attack on the “Republic of Serbian Krajina”, in which thousands of Serbs lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of Krajina Serbs were expelled from Croatia. Th e destruction of the Krajina region was a terrible blow to Marko, from which he never recovered. In September of 1995, Marko and Marija left for Ithaca, New York, for the sabbatical at Cornell University. In the summer of 1996, they left – now, with the baby Vojin – for Yugoslavia and Israel, for the traditional stay at the Weizmann Institute. Th ere, Marko was diagnosed with the brain tumor. A yearlong heroic struggle with the particularly aggressive form of cancer – glioblastoma multiforme – followed but in the end, Marko succumbed to the dreadful disease. He died in College Station the following year, on October 25, 1997. Following his own wish, Marko was buried in beloved Belgrade. Th e scientifi c accomplishments of Marko were best decribed by his mentor, Joe Birman. In an article on Marko (“World class scientist”, published in “Marko V. Jarić, IN MEMORIAM” book by the SFIN Edition (Institute of Physics Belgrade, 2000)), he wrote: “Marko Jarić has been a world class theoretical physicist with specialization in original scientifi c work on condensed matter theory. His work was characterized by an unusual ability to penetrate to the vital core of a problem, to extract the essential elements, and then to formulate and exhaustively solve, in proper mathematical fashion, the quantitative analysis of the resulting mathematical models. Out of this work oft en came a deep and beautiful understanding of the essential physics involved, which Marko was then able to present to the scientifi c community in an economic and clear fashion. Th e tragedy of his untimely death at age of 45 is that he was now entering the full power of his mature scientifi c ability, so that we have been deprived of even more brilliant and seminal understanding of the physics of quasicrystals – in which he was an acknowledged world leader – as well as biophysical problems with potential for improving therapeutic functioning of anti-illness medicines. In my opinion Marko V. Jarić represents the highest ideal and the highest realization of the ideal of creative scientist, educator and teacher of his students; a seminal and brilliantly original physicist; and engaged human being in fi nding solutions to real-world problems.” In order to preserve the memory of life and accomplishments of Marko Jarić, one of the best students in the history of Belgrade University and probably the most talented and successful physicist born in Serbia aft er WW2, the Jarić family and friends, as well as four institutions in Serbia: Faculty of Physics of the Belgrade University, Institute of Physics Belgrade, Institute Vinca, Institute of Mathematics of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Congress of Serbian Unity from Chicago, decided in 1998 to establish the Foundation “Prof. Dr. Marko V. Jarić”. Each year, on March 17, on Marko’s birthday, the Foundation awards the annual “Marko Jarić Prize” for outstanding scientifi c achievements in physics to a scientist or a group of scientists, of Serbian origin. Th e Marko Jarić Prize has become very prestigious and unique in the region. All the winners of the Prize are great names of Serbian physics, whether in Serbia or scattered around the world. A number already have become academicians of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Th e award has become one of the bridges that bind physicists in Serbia to physicists in the diaspora. Th e annual Academy on the occasion of awarding the Prize gathers most of the prominent Serbian scientists and presents a holiday of Serbian physics. In Marko’s personality, in an impressive way, the extraordinary intelligence, natural aptitude for science, an exceptionally strong sense of justice, and great patriotism fl ourished. Having in mind the high criteria on which Marko built his short but brilliant scientifi c career and enviable social reputation, from the very beginning it was imperative that the Marko Jarić Prize maintains a very high level and is traditional and unique in the Serbian science and society. Foundation “Prof. Dr. Marko V. Jarić” is a wonderful way to encourage and reward most talented physicists of Serbian origin, but also a unique opportunity to preserve the memory of the giant that Marko Jarić was.