Celebrations of World Metrology Day and 95th anniversary of Central Office of Measures
On 20th May 2014, with due ceremony at the Ministry of Economy, we celebrated the World Metrology Day and 95-th anniversary of Establishment of the Central Office of Measures. The day of all metrology people - especially former and current staff members of the Polish administration of measures - was celebrated in the elegant Conference Room “Pod Kopułą” located in the main building of the Ministry of Economy. Nearly 300 guests attended a gala, among others, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Mr. Janusz Piechociński, the representatives of the international metrological organizations and academic management, scientists and numerous people professionally connected with metrology. Of course, the gala was attended by a very strong representation of administration of measures: the delegation of the local offices and Central Office of Measures headed by the President of the Central Office of Measures Ms Janina Maria Popowska, Vice-President for Legal Metrology Ms Dorota Habich and Vice-President for Scientific Metrology Mr. Włodzimierz Popiołek.
Why we celebrate the World Metrology Day? It was established to commemorate the signing of the agreement on the metric system unifying. On 20 May 1875, the Metric Convention was passed. 1925 Poland joined the convention. Before joining, on 1 April 1919, the Central Office of Measures was established as one among of the first institutions founded in the independent Poland.
Papers and speeches
The motto of this year’s World Metrology Day sounds: “Measurements and global energy challenges”. Some of the problems of the modern metrology were discussed during the speeches of the invited guests. Besides congratulations to the Central Office of Measures on its anniversary, all participants, having the opportunity to take the floor, voiced their opinions on the current development in the different fields of metrology. They didn’t fail to mention the challenges which this area of science is going to face.
The assembled guests were welcomed by the President of the Central Office of Measures Ms Janina Maria Popowska who talked briefly about the scope of activities carried out by the Central Office of Measures. In particular, Ms President focused her attention on the international metrological co-operation by putting great emphasis on the role played in this area by GUM as a National Metrological Institute. – Knowledge and Experience are becoming more and more international and there is a need to combine the global thinking with acting on the local, national level. Ms President Popowska presented fairly widely the measurable advantages coming from the GUM’s activity on international stage. Furthermore, not forgetting that these advantages have not only the financial dimension, she said: - Most important is that we are gaining an access to the unique knowledge and experience following from the newest research and projects executed in the framework of the program. This knowledge has been already used and the advantage of it will be taken not only by metrology specialists of GUM but also by the national research units carrying out metrological research.
Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechociński, who assumed the honorary patronage over the anniversary, talked as well about the particular role of the greatest Polish metrological institute in the development of the national economy. - The measurement technologies are foundation of the growing number of people’s actions and decisions. They are used in the modern laboratories, in the new fields of science connected with the trend of the miniaturization and development of the nanotechnologies. Prime Minister Piechociński emphasized that there is a huge demand for the reliable and exact measurements in the power industry. – The motto of this year’s metrology day celebrations inclines towards discussion on the technological development, new energy sources, and increased demand for energy from the side of consumers and rising economies.
Further presentations had been created by the invited guests among others by foreign speakers too. Please, allow us to introduce them to you in the order of appearance on the stage:
- Prof. dr hab. Czesław Radzewicz (University of Warsaw) “The Polish optical atomic clock”,
- Dr Kamal Hossain (Chairperson - EURAMET) „Metrology in Europe”,
- Willem Kool (Assistant Director - BIML) "International cooperation in metrology. The role of the OIML",
- Prof. dr hab. Ewa Bulska (University of Warsaw) „Chemical measurements vs. the development of the new energy technologies”,
- Dr Robert Wielgosz (Director of Chemistry Department – BIPM) “GUM’s contribution to the International Metrology in Chemistry Programme at the BIPM”,
- Dr Jörn Stenger (Vice-Chairman – PTB /EMRP) “Opportunities for European Metrology Development”.
Here you can find some presentations prepared for WMD and 95th anniversary of Central Office of Measures.
Short addresses of Guests on the occasion of the 95th Anniversary of the Central Office of Measures:
- Dr hab. Jacek Guliński (Under - Secretary of State, Ministry of Science and Higher Education),
- Anneke van Spronssen (Chairperson - WELMEC),
- Dr Jiři Tesař (Deputy Director - ČMI),
- Włodzimierz Sanocki (former President of the Central Office of Measures 2003-2007, currently in PGNiG (en Polish Oil and Gas Company).
Decorations awarding to the employees of the administration of measures
An extraordinary solemn moment of the gala was the ceremony of decorations awarding by Mr. Prime Minister Piechociński to the employees of the administration of measures. Gold, silver and bronze medals for long term service were handed to 89 persons. 79 of them received it in person during the anniversary celebration. One more time, we cordially congratulate all the awarded on decorations.
Signing of the agreement
One important point of the celebrations was signing of the agreement on cooperation between Ministry of Economy, Central Office of Measures and Biological and Chemical Research Centre of the University of Warsaw. The agreement, regarding the chemical metrology, was signed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Mr. Janusz Piechociński, President of the Central Office of Measures Ms Janina Maria Popowska and Rector of the University of Warsaw Mr. Marcin Pałys.
Among others, basing on the cooperation of the agreement signatories, the aim of the agreement conclusion is to prepare a response adjusted to the needs of the national economy as for certified reference materials production in the best quality class which will provide measurement traceability with the SI measurement units applied in modern research and diagnostic methods. There exists a plan to undertake common development and research projects in the area of performing, maintaining and modernizing of the national measurement standards in the field of chemistry and biochemistry. We hope that the mutual accessibility of the measuring infrastructure for research and scientific works will ensure the unlimited possibility of the further development and transfer of the gained metrological knowledge for the parties of the agreement. The activation of the national metrological cooperation in the field of chemistry and biochemistry is an important task. It will make possible to work out and submit the Polish applications for common research projects realized and co-financed in the framework of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) starting this year.
On the occasion of the anniversary all guests received the souvenir bags with the newest version of the GUM information guide, the anniversary edition of GUM’s Bulletin Metrologia i Probiernictwo (en Metrology and Hallmarking) and the second issue of the branch magazine ANALITYKA (en Analytics).
We would like to thank everybody who contributed to the organization of the 95th anniversary celebrations. Special thanks go to Mr. Prime Minister for his honourable participation in the ceremony and to the Ministry of Economy itself for its logistic support. Furthermore, we would like to thank the University of Warsaw for the cooperation which has been finalized in the conclusion of the agreement, the foreign guest for their interesting presentations and participation in the Polish anniversary. We also would like to thank all the celebration participants for accepting of the invitation and good wishes for Polish administration of measures. The promotion of the day of metrology people and whole administration of measures wouldn’t have been possible without the support of media and its patronage: Polskie Radio S.A. (en Polish Radio) and magazine ANALITYKA (en Analytics). We cordially thank the journalists from the mentioned media and all other reporters reporting from the gala. We hope to see each other again during 100th anniversary of GUM celebration.