The current volume contains a selection of the works presented during the IX National Conference on Neutron Scattering and the Complementary Methods in the Investigations of the Condensed Phases. This conference was organized by the Institute of Chemistry of the University of Podlasie, Siedlce, Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics of Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków and the Polish Neutron Scattering Society. It took place in Chlewiska near Siedlce from 7 June till 11 June, 2015. The aim of the conference was to provide a forum for scientists working in neutron science and complementary methods and to enhance contacts between scientists from different research centers in Poland. The conference gathered 56 participants from 16 scientific institutions located in five research centers: Kraków (30), Poznań (10), Siedlce (5), Warszawa (4) and Wrocław (6). The scientific program, which consisted of 42 lectures, concerned the physical properties of liquid and molecular crystals, magnetics and ferroelectrics. A large number of lectures were devoted to the crystal and magnetic structures, and the dynamics of the atomic and spin lattices investigated by neutron scattering techniques. Results from the latter were supplemented by outcomes from the complementary methods as X-ray diffraction, optical, infrared and dielectric spectroscopies, nuclear magnetic resonance, calorimetric and magnetic measurements. This issue encompasses a selection of reports presented during the conference.
However, very important for participants of the IX Conference was the special session dedicated to Professor Janina Maria Janik on the ocassion of her 90th birthday anniversary (and 22nd anniversary of her death). Thus, we would like to address her scientific career and personal influence on the scientific community in Poland.
Professor Janina Janik, a distinguished physical chemist, talented university professor and teacher, as well as indefatigable conference organizer was born in Wieliczka on 16 May 1925, as a daughter of Józefa and Wincenty Machaczka. Her academic career started after graduation in 1948 with a post of junior assistant lecturer and then senior assistant lecturer at the Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry in the Institute of Chemistry in Jagiellonian University. Soon after, she obtained the PhD degree having presented a thesis entitled ‘Dielectric potentials and surface tensions of dampening substances’. In 1965, she was conferred a degree of habilitated doctor (doctor habilitatus) by the Jagiellonian University, following the dissertation entitled ‘Rotation dynamics of the NH4 group in ammonium perchlorate and H2O group in hydrogen perchlorate’. She was appointed as the head of Physical Chemistry Department at the Institute of Chemistry in 1966, and in 1968, she established her own scientific team. In 1982, docent Janina Janik was granted the title of an associate professor (professor extraordinarius) of chemical sciences, and obtained a full professorship (professor ordinarius) in 1990. She died after a short but severe illness on 4 December 1993, and was buried in a family tomb in a parish cemetery in Kraków-Bieżanów.
Professor Janina Janik's academic achievements cover 118 publications. In the initial part of her scientific activity, related to cooperation with Professor Bogdan Kamieński, she performed research on electric potentials and surface tensions at the phase boundary. Next, she focused her research on preparation of molecular liquids and crystals, such as nitric(V) and chloric(VII) acid monohydrates, measurements of their density and studies of neutron scattering by these substances. She successfully collaborated with many scientific centers in Poland and abroad, for instance, with the Institute of Physics at Jagiellonian University, Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kraków, Institute of Molecular Physics of Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań, Institutt for Energiteknikk in Kjeller (Norway), United Institute of Nuclear Researches in Dubna (Russia), Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris and the Institute Laue–Langevin in Grenoble (France).
Professor Janik focused on launching the first lectures and practical classes in chemical physics in Poland. The topics of these classes included researching the structure and dynamics of molecules and molecular groups in liquid crystals, plastic crystals and molecular crystals. Professor Janina Janik was a dedicated and very successful organizer of scientific, and intellectual and social life, including numerous seminars, workshops and conferences, as well as interdisciplinary symposia, where the activity of young researchers was especially encouraged.
In recognition of her scientific and didactic work, she was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit (1973), Collective Prize of the Scientific Chairman of the Polish Academy of Sciences (1981), Medal of The Commission of National Education (1982), Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1983) and Collective Second Degree Prize of the Minister of Science, Higher Education and Technology (1984).
We are convinced that it was worth mentioning the most important events connected with Professor Janina Janik activity in the field of Polish science, and to collect papers which – we believe – would greatly benefit not only participants of the conference but the wider scientific community. Hence, the editors of this issue would like to thank all authors who submitted papers for their efforts and time sacrificed for preparing these interesting reports. It is also our great pleasure to thank the editor-in-chief of Phase Transitions, Professor Jens Kreisel, and the T&F team dedicated to work on this issue, who all have enabled the realization of this special issue and have been of great help in its publishing.