Professor Władysław Findeisen; Scientist, Teacher, Tutor and Statesman – the Master

Abstract

This obituary presents and enlightens the stature of Professor Władysław Findeisen, soldier of The Warsaw Upraisal in 1944, outstanding specialist in broadly understood field of automation – in the art of controlling various entities, in particular, an on-line management of multiple reservoir systems during flood; fast real-time control of the primary coolant circuit in a pressurized boiled water nuclear reactor; dynamical weapons assignment and control in air defense of a crucial infrastructure; optimizing control of a large chemical plant. In all those applications the key role is played by decomposition techniques and, if required, by
on-line optimization and coordination, either iterative or periodic, in multilayer and/or multilevel structures. Professor Findeisen created an internationally recognizable research group at the Warsaw University of Technology; he received four titles of Doctor Honoris Causa from: The City University of London (1984), the Warsaw University of Techology (1996), the Gdańsk University of Technology (1997) and Technische Universität Ilmenau (1998). Władysław Findeisen was the first elected Rector of the Warsaw University of Technology (1981–1985) and played a key role in the transformation of Poland into a democratic Republic. He
received, in 2012, the highest distinction of the Republic of Poland: the Order of the White Eagle.