While sharing his personal motivation, Ferenc Krausz quoted Ernő Rubik, the inventor of the Rubik’s cube: “In almost every area of our lives, the most important and most difficult task is perhaps to find the right questions. It is equally important that the solution to the chosen problem should make people’s lives better.”
He continued his presentation with an overview of the history of his research topic. He pointed out that the electron-state changes that determine the behaviour and reactions of atoms and molecules take place at incredibly high speeds, typically in a few attoseconds. Obviously, investigations on this timescale required the development of new and special measurement techniques. His achievements in this area earned him a shared Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023.
Ferenc Krausz spoke about the potential use of his research for the early detection of cancer and the screening of other chronic diseases. He expressed his pleasure that under his leadership, serious professional work has started in this field in Hungary, at the Center for Molecular Fingerprinting. At the end of the event, the audience asked him questions both about his scientific and personal motivations.
The results of Professor Krausz’s pioneering experimental work are utilized in several research institutes around the world, such as the ELI ALPS Laser Research Institute, the construction of which in Szeged is indisputably linked to his name.
Photo: BME/Berci Geberle