Abstract

The Conferences of the Middle European Cooperation in Statistical Physics (MECO) were created as an attempt to establish and maintain an exchange between scientists in the fields of statistical and condensed matter physics from Western and Eastern countries, overcoming the hurdles of the Iron Curtain. Based on personal remembrance and historical resources, the genesis and further development of MECO meetings is described. The annual meetings were interrupted in 1991 by the Yugoslav War but were re-established in 1993 and continue today. Although the fall of the Iron Curtain and the European Research programs changed the situation for the meetings considerably, the ties created by MECO still are useful to help scientific exchange. The history of European (and not only) statistical physics and the history of the MECO are tightly intertwined. It started in a time where an essential breakthrough has been achieved in statistical physics describing the features near phase transitions. In addition to the merging of solid-state physics and field theory concepts, the application of numerical methods (Monte Carlo methods) added a new pillar besides exact solutions and experiments to check theoretical models. In the following, the scientific emphasis (in general) has changed from the traditional fields of the first MECO to complexity and interdisciplinary themes as well.

Highlights

  • Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

  • In ‘Taking census of physics’ [4] the authors said “We find that the majority of physicists began their careers in only three subfields, branching out to other areas at later career stages, with different rates and transition times.”

  • The flow of knowledge depends on the possibilities of the scientists to create connections between each other

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Summary

Introduction

“During my lectures when I am describing a physical phenomenon, discovery or technological invention I always try to connect with the face(s) of the person(s) who made major contributions in that field and give a little bit of its history.” (Hattice Altug). The Iron Curtain cut off the academic network that existed within the extension of the Habsburg Empire 1910 before the world wars (see Figure 1a the region within the yellow frame) This old network was strongly connected to the other European countries at that time. The first lecture which might be called ‘triangle’ took place in June 1968 in Bratislava.” The holding of this seminar was positively commented on: “During the ‘Prague Spring’ in the second half of 1960s, contacts developed with physicists from western countries, leading to a fruitful triangular collaboration between Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava and regular meetings between top physicists from East and West. It was followed by the CENTRAL EUROPEAN SEMINAR, which is intended to provide stimulating interactions between leading researchers and promising junior physicists

The UNITED NATIONS PAPER
Schools and Conferences in Western Europe
The Vienna School of Statistical Thought
Conferences in Budapest Shortly after the First MECO
The Development of MECO
MECO until the Yugoslavian War
Restarting MECO
Discussion
Full Text
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