Faculty of Science ( hr, Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet,lit. the Faculty of natural sciences and mathematics

abbr An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ''short'') is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method. It may consist of a group of letters or words taken from the full version of the word or phrase; for example, the word ''abbrevia ...

: ''PMF'') is a faculty of the

University of Zagreb The University of Zagreb ( hr, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, ; la, Universitas Studiorum Zagrabiensis) is the largest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of ...

that comprises seven departments -

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

geophysics Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. The term ''geophysics'' som ...

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

and

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

. The Faculty has 288

full professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

s, associate and assistant professors, 180 junior researchers and about 6000 students. The Faculty of Science was formally established in 1946, although the teaching of these subjects had existed in the university since 1876. The Faculty offers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate study programmes, and pursues research in the fields of

natural sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...

and mathematics. It also encompasses the seismological service, the mareographic and

meteorological station A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...

s, and the

Zagreb Botanical Garden The Zagreb Botanical Garden ( hr, Botanički vrt u Zagrebu) is a botanical garden located in downtown Zagreb, Croatia. Founded in 1889 by Antun Heinz, Professor of the University of Zagreb, and opened to public in 1891, it is part of the Faculty o ...

. The Faculty of Science is engaged in excellent cooperation with numerous universities and institutes abroad. Professors of the Faculty have been invited as visiting lecturers to European and

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

universities, and young staff members, as well as postgraduate students, are regularly sent to international universities and institutes for further research.

History

On 23 September 1669. Leopold I certified at the Jesuit Neoacademica Zagrebiensis, a three-year higher education institution, which gradually developed the studies of Philosophy, Law and Theology. At the Jesuit School philosophy was taught even earlier, and part of its first year studies were

logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...

, and

metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...

. Neither Jesuit School (until 1773), nor royal Regia Scientiarum Academica (until 1850) represented a real university.

Croatian Parliament The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabor ...

and

Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Grand title of the Emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg m ...

, introduced the Law on founding the

. Soon after the establishing of the University of Zagreb, Faculties of Law, Theology and Philosophy started operating. The Chairs of the Faculty of Philosophy were appointed gradually. In the field of natural sciences the teaching started in 1876, with first lectures in

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

and geology, and then in botany, physics, mathematics, chemistry and

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...

and geography. Dr. Fran Tućan (1878 - 1954), a popularizer of science in Croatia, who was also president of

Matica hrvatska Matica hrvatska ( la, Matrix Croatica) is the oldest independent, non-profit and non-governmental Croatian national institution. It was founded on February 2, 1842 by the Croatian Count Janko Drašković and other prominent members of the Illyri ...

, was appointed as the first dean of the Faculty of Science. A long endeavour of the Science Department of the Faculty of Philosophy to attain the status of Faculty, finally materialized in 1946, when the Faculty of Science was established.

Departments

The Faculty consists of following departments: *Department of

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

*Department of

Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

*Department of

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

*Department of

Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

*Department of

Geophysics Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. The term ''geophysics'' som ...

*Department of

Geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

*Department of Geology

Department of Geography

Department of Geography at the Faculty of Science in Zagreb is the oldest and the biggest geographic department in Croatia. The Department of Geography consists of three divisions:

physical geography Physical geography (also known as physiography) is one of the three main branches of geography. Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, h ...

human geography Human geography or anthropogeography is the branch of geography that studies spatial relationships between human communities, cultures, economies, and their interactions with the environment. It analyzes spatial interdependencies between social i ...

, and

regional geography Regional geography is a major branch of geography. It focuses on the interaction of different cultural and natural geofactors in a specific land or landscape, while its counterpart, systematic geography, concentrates on a specific geofactor at the ...

and

teaching methods A teaching method comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. These strategies are determined partly on subject matter to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. For a particular teaching method t ...

. The Cartographic-technical Centre with a rich Cartographic Collection and the Central Geographic Library are also part of the department. It was founded on 27 December 1883 by Petar Matković. In 1927 Institute for

is being established within the department and twenty years later incorporated in the newly established Faculty of science. Central geographical library was opened in 1910 and, until 1994 it was the only geographical library in Croatia. Professor Ivan Crkvenčić launched ''Geographical papers''

scientific journal In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. Content Articles in scientific journals are mostly written by active scientists such as s ...

that is still being released, as well as ''Acta Geographica Croatica''.

Department of Geophysics

The Department of Geophysics encompasses three major fields of study: meteorology, oceanography and seismology. It also includes the Croatian Seismological Survey, a scientific organization which monitors earthquake activity in Croatia.

Study programmes

The Faculty of Science has eight undergraduate study programmes (

Bachelor degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...

) encompassing 3 years of studies (180 credits), 26 graduate study programmes (

Master degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

) encompassing two years of studies (120 credits) or five years of studies (300 credits) and seven postgraduate study programmes (

PhD degree A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

) encompassing 3 years of studies (180 credits). Education is at all levels characterized by teaching and supervision at a high academic level by staff actively involved in research. Departments of the Faculty are placed on several locations in

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

. The Departments of Physics, Mathematics, Geophysics, Chemistry, Geology, and the main administration of the Faculty are set at Horvatovac where a "campus of science" is being built. Departments of Biology and Geography are also going to be set at the same location in the near future. The education of students in science and mathematics is a part of a comprehensive science education that qualifies them to work in research institutes, different branches of industry and production, the civil service (environmental protection, regional planning), public institutions (

national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

nature park A nature park, or sometimes natural park, is a designation for a protected natural area by means of long-term land planning, sustainable resource management and limitation of agricultural and real estate developments. These valuable landscape ...

s, reserves) and elsewhere, or as teachers in primary, secondary, and vocational schools.

List of study programmes

Bachelor of Science programmes (3 years study; 180 credits):

Molecular Biology Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and physi ...

, Geology,

Environmental Science Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...

. Master of Science programmes (2 years study; 120 credits):

Applied Mathematics Applied mathematics is the application of mathematical methods by different fields such as physics, engineering, medicine, biology, finance, business, computer science, and industry. Thus, applied mathematics is a combination of mathematical s ...

Computer Science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...

and Mathematics, Ecology and

Conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and managem ...

Experimental Biology Experimental biology is the set of approaches in the field of biology concerned with the conduction of experiments to investigate and understand biological phenomena. The term is opposed to theoretical biology which is concerned with the mathematic ...

, Financial and

Business Mathematics Business mathematics are mathematics used by commercial enterprises to record and manage business operations. Commercial organizations use mathematics in accounting, inventory management, marketing, sales forecasting, and financial analysis. J. Oli ...

, Geology, Geophysics, Mathematics,

Mathematical Statistics Mathematical statistics is the application of probability theory, a branch of mathematics, to statistics, as opposed to techniques for collecting statistical data. Specific mathematical techniques which are used for this include mathematical an ...

Mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

Pure Mathematics Pure mathematics is the study of mathematical concepts independently of any application outside mathematics. These concepts may originate in real-world concerns, and the results obtained may later turn out to be useful for practical applications, ...

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum a ...

programmes (2 years study; 120 credits): Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science, Geography. Master of Science programmes (integrated undergraduate and graduate five years study; 300 credits): Physics.

programmes (integrated undergraduate and graduate 5 years study; 300 credits): Biology and Chemistry, Geography and History, Mathematics and Physics,

, Physics and Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science, Physics and Technology. Faculty also offers PhD degree programmes.

Notable affiliates

Alumni

*Dr. Tanja Bosak – professor at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

Arsen Bauk Arsen Bauk (born 7 February 1973) is a Croatian politician who served as a minister at Ministry of Public Administration at the Cabinet of Zoran Milanović from 2011 until 2016. He is member of the center-left Social Democratic Party of Croatia ...

– Minister of Public Administration (Croatia) *

Mladen Bestvina Mladen Bestvina (born 1959) is a Croatian-American mathematician working in the area of geometric group theory. He is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Utah. Biographical info Mladen Bestvina is a thr ...

– professor at

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...

* Jakša Cvitanić – professor at

California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

*Silvija Gradečak, PhD – professor at

*Dragan Miličić – professor at

* Petrica Novosel Žic – professor at

*Dr. Aleksandra Radenovic – professor at

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

*Dr. Ana Sunčana Smith – professor at

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

*Dr. Vernesa Smolčić – professor at

*Dr. Iva Tolić – senior scientist at

Ruđer Bošković Institute The Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI; hr, Institut Ruđer Bošković, , IRB) is a research institute located in the Šalata neighborhood of Zagreb, Croatia, founded in 1950, which studies the sciences. Description It is the largest Croatian resea ...

*Krešimir Veselić – professor emeritus at

University of Hagen The University of Hagen (german: link=no, FernUniversität in Hagen, informally often referred to as FU Hagen) is a public research university that is primarily focused on distance teaching. While its main campus is located in Hagen, North Rh ...

Notes

References

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Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...