Prof. Jan Czochralski

Prof. Jan Czochralski was born 23. X. 1885 in Kcynia, the little town in Western Poland, at that time under Prussian administration. He attended the elementary and secondary schools in Kcynia. At the beginning of our century J. Czochralski moved to Berlin where, from 1907 to 1917, he worked as an engineer in Allgemeine Elektrizitats Gesellschaft (AEG). At the same time he received further chemical and metallurgical education (Charlottenburg Technical University) and education in fine arts (Berlin University). In 1917 Jan Czochralski organized the well-equipped research laboratory of Metallbank und Metallurgische Gesellschaft syndicate in Frankfurt am Main and he was its director, till 1928. He was one of the founders and the president of the German Scientific Society of Metal Sciences and was elected the honorable member of The International Society of Material Sciences in London. He was a consultant of the great metallurgical firms (Boffors, Skoda, Creusot). In 1929 he moved to Warsaw being invited by the Polish President, Prof. I. Moscicki to become the ordinary professor of metalurgy and metal research in the Chemical Department at The Technical University in Warsaw. He was honored the title of the Doctor Honoris Causa of Technical University of Warsaw. He organized the Institute of Metallurgy and Metal Sciences of the Warsaw Technical University and Metallurgical Department of the Chemical Research Institute. Both research laboratories have played a significant role in the progress of Polish industry and metal sciences. The Second World War stopped the research work of Prof. Czochralski. During this time he organized the wide support for his co-workers and for the people of Polish culture and the Polish underground army. After the war Prof. J. Czochralski returned to the native Kcynia to run the small drug firm BION. He died in Poznan hospital in April 22nd, 1953 and was buried in the family tomb in Kcynia.

Professor Jan Czochralski carried out his scientific research, which concerned a wide range of subjects (light alloys, metal corrosion and inclusions, diagrams of recrystallization, anisotropy of mechanical properties of monocrystals, X-ray methods in metal sciences). His studies on the velocity of metal crystallization and the method of monocrystal growth (especially those in August 1916) made him famous and gave him a distinguished position in science. The Czochralski method of pulling crystals and of the melts still up-to-date and belongs today to the simplest and commonly used crystal growth methods in the semiconductor industry. Prof. J. Czochralski was also interested in literature, music and painting. All his activities were mainly the results of his self-education which prof. Czochralski, one of the most famous Polish scientists, regarded as the best way to success. Name of Jan Czochralski is one of the most common names met in the world's material science literature. In 1999 primary school in Kcynia got a name of Professor Jan Czochralski.

In 2000 Foundation for Materials Science Development established Prof. Jan Czochralski Gold Medal for achievements
in material science.