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Sanja Damjanovic, Volker Metag, Jurgen Schukraft, Jurgen Schukraft et al, Hans-Joachim Specht
Hans Joachim Specht - Scientist and Visionary
English, German · Hardback
Will be released 25.09.2025
Description
This open access book celebrates the extraordinary lifetime achievements of Professor Hans Joachim Specht, a visionary scientist whose passion for interdisciplinary research has left an indelible mark on science and society. By seamlessly merging diverse fields, Specht demonstrated how curiosity, vision, and diversity can drive groundbreaking innovation and create lasting societal impact. Unlike conventional scientific biographies that often focus on a single discipline, this book highlights Specht s remarkable ability to bridge atomic physics, nuclear fission, ultra-relativistic heavy-ion physics, and pioneering contributions to hadron cancer therapy.
The chapters cover topics such as Specht's pivotal role in developing hadron cancer therapy from fundamental heavy-ion research, his transformative work in bridging nuclear physics and medicine, and his leadership in establishing Europe's first Hadron Cancer Therapy Center. Readers will discover how Specht's interdisciplinary curiosity extended to the intersections of music, physics, and neuroscience, producing influential publications in prestigious journals and delivering lectures at world-renowned institutions. His story illustrates how cross-disciplinary approaches fuel breakthroughs that extend beyond academia to benefit humanity.
The book is a must-read for scientists aspiring to leadership roles in science management and policy. Specht s visionary leadership exemplifies the ability to make challenge-based decisions that drive progress while addressing societal needs. Through real-life anecdotes, readers gain insights into fostering collaboration, mentoring young scientists, cultivating teamwork, and making strategic decisions for a sustainable future. Scholars, researchers, and students across the disciplines of physics, medicine, and interdisciplinary studies will find invaluable lessons in Specht s dedication to teaching, mentoring, and inspiring others. More than a tribute, it calls future generations to embrace interdisciplinary approaches, pursue socially relevant science, and lead with vision.
List of contents
Introducing Hans J. Specht.- Legacy and Impact.- Hans Joachim Specht (in His Own Words) Sixty Years of Physics The Fascination of Diversity.- Reflections and Tributes.- Closing Thoughts.
About the author
Sanja Damjanovic received her Ph.D. in high-energy nuclear physics from the University of Heidelberg in 2002 under the supervision of a professor Hans J. Specht. Since 1999 she was embedded in international teams and ever since worked at CERN in Geneva and at GSI-FAIR in Darmstadt. Beyond her scientific career, she served as the minister of Science of Montenegro (2016–2020). In 2017, she initiated and led the establishment of SEEIIST, a pan-European research infrastructure for cancer therapy and research, bringing together 10 South East European countries under the mission of Science Diplomacy. She served as the first chairperson of its Steering Committee (2018–2021) and has held a permanent position at GSI since 2021.
Volker Metag studied physics at TU Berlin and the University of Heidelberg where he received his Ph.D. in 1970. He held postdoc positions at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, at the Niels-Bohr-Institute, Copenhagen (Denmark), and at the University of Washington, Seattle (USA). From 1982 until his retirement in 2012 he was a professor for experimental physics at the University of Giessen. His research field is hadron and nuclear physics. He is a member of several international research collaborations and has served on numerous scientific advisory boards and as a co-editor of Physics Letters B. From 1993 to 1998, he was a research director of GSI, Darmstadt, and was involved in the preparation of the FAIR project.
Jurgen Schukraft received his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of Heidelberg in 1983 under the supervision of Prof. H.J. Specht. Joining CERN in 1984, he worked on proton-proton collisions at the ISR and later heavy-ion experiments at the SPS and Brookhaven’s AGS. A founding member of the ALICE experiment at the LHC, he served as its first spokesperson from 1991 to 2010. After his retirement from CERN in 2018, he held a distinguished professorship at CCNU Wuhan and is currently an adjunct professor at Yale University and an affiliated professor at the Niels Bohr Institute.
Hans Joachim Specht was born in 1936 in Unna, Westphalia, Germany, Hans Joachim Specht studied physics at LMU München, TU München, and ETH Zürich, earning his Ph.D. in 1964 under the mentorship of Heinz Maier-Leibnitz at the FRM reactor and TU München. Following research in Canada at the AECL Nuclear Laboratories, he returned to LMU as professor. In 1973, he was appointed professor at the University of Heidelberg, where he initially conducted research at MPI Heidelberg and GSI Darmstadt, later establishing a leading high-energy heavy-ion research group with strong links to CERN. A pioneer of CERN’s ultra-relativistic heavy-ion program, Specht contributed to four major experiments: R807/808 at the ISR, HELIOS/NA34 (spokesperson), NA45/CERES (founder and spokesperson), and NA60. His early conceptual design of a heavy-ion experiment at the LHC, along with his advocacy for institutional support, were instrumental in shaping ALICE into one of CERN’s flagship experiments. From 1992 to 1999, he served as Scientific Managing Director of GSI, where he initiated Europe’s first successful cancer therapy using carbon ions. A member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences since 2000, he became Professor Emeritus in 2004. His research spanned atomic physics (quasi-molecules), nuclear fission (shape isomers), high-energy physics (quark–gluon plasma), and neuroscience (music perception and early brain processing). Over the course of his career, he supervised more than 100 Ph.D. and diploma students. Hans J. Specht passed away on 20 May 2024.
Summary
This open access book celebrates the extraordinary lifetime achievements of Professor Hans Joachim Specht, a visionary scientist whose passion for interdisciplinary research has left an indelible mark on science and society. By seamlessly merging diverse fields, Specht demonstrated how curiosity, vision, and diversity can drive groundbreaking innovation and create lasting societal impact. Unlike conventional scientific biographies that often focus on a single discipline, this book highlights Specht’s remarkable ability to bridge atomic physics, nuclear fission, ultra-relativistic heavy-ion physics, and pioneering contributions to hadron cancer therapy.
The chapters cover topics such as Specht's pivotal role in developing hadron cancer therapy from fundamental heavy-ion research, his transformative work in bridging nuclear physics and medicine, and his leadership in establishing Europe's first Hadron Cancer Therapy Center. Readers will discover how Specht's interdisciplinary curiosity extended to the intersections of music, physics, and neuroscience, producing influential publications in prestigious journals and delivering lectures at world-renowned institutions. His story illustrates how cross-disciplinary approaches fuel breakthroughs that extend beyond academia to benefit humanity.
The book is a must-read for scientists aspiring to leadership roles in science management and policy. Specht’s visionary leadership exemplifies the ability to make challenge-based decisions that drive progress while addressing societal needs. Through real-life anecdotes, readers gain insights into fostering collaboration, mentoring young scientists, cultivating teamwork, and making strategic decisions for a sustainable future. Scholars, researchers, and students across the disciplines of physics, medicine, and interdisciplinary studies will find invaluable lessons in Specht’s dedication to teaching, mentoring, and inspiring others. More than a tribute, it calls future generations to embrace interdisciplinary approaches, pursue socially relevant science, and lead with vision.
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