Dear Community,
It is with great sadness that I write to announce the passing of Professor Piotr Wolanski (Institute of Aviation, Warsaw, Poland and professor at the Institute of Heat Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology, retired). Below is a message from Michal Kawalec (Institute of Aviation, Warsaw ), one his closest collaborators in recent times. Please join me in remembering Piotr one last time for his long lasting contributions in the physics and applications of explosions, detonations and propulsion. We will dearly miss him.
Dear Colleagues,
It is with great sadness that I inform you that Professor Piotr Wolanski passed away yesterday (31st of August). He was an outstanding expert on detonation combustion and rocket propulsion. His research and considerations about space exploration had been a lifelong passion since his boyhood, and when he grew up he began to spread this fascination to people around him. His ingenuity, commitment, and sense of humor motivated us to work hard every day. He was a great support to his students and colleagues, who remember him with great fondness. Many of them have achieved significant success in their work, and all recognize that Piotr had a significant impact on their careers. Professor Piotr Wolanski was a gentleman scientist, an old-school representative, and a dedicated man.
Therefore, now bidding farewell to our mentor and great friend, we ensure that we remember him every day by continuing his work.
Michal Kawalec and Detonative Propulsion Division at the Institute of Aviation, Warsaw, Poland
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Mirko Gamba
Associate Professor
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor MI
(734)764-6675
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