The staff of the Academy of Romanian Scientists announces with sadness the passing away of Mr. Prof. Dr. Mircea Octavian Popoviciu!
Mircea Octavian POPOVICIU graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Timisoara, Faculty of Mechanics. In 1971, he obtained his doctorate in engineering with a thesis on the evolution of cavitation bubbles produced by electric sparks at the Polytechnic Institute of Timișoara. A teacher since graduation, Mircea Popoviciu climbed the teaching ladder from university assistant to professor and head of department, being the holder of 9 subjects. In these capacities he has initiated and organized 20 scientific conferences with national and international participation. He has also developed four courses and two tutorials. He was director of 3 national research projects.
His scientific activity was mainly carried out in the “Aurel Barglazan” Hydraulic Machinery Laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara and included various research fields, such as: cavitations, cavitational erosion, hydrodynamics of turbomachines, hydraulic drives and controls, wind turbines. Many of the researches have been solved in the 20 national R&D grants (MEC); 47 scientific contracts solved at the request of productive units, as well as in a BRANCUSI Grant programme, 2003. In close connection with his scientific concerns, Professor Popoviciu carried out a prestigious technical activity, elaborating a series of projects, approvals, reliability and maintenance studies, mainly in the field of hydraulic turbines, all applied in practice. He actively participated in scientific conferences, symposia and congresses organized by the Academy of Romanian Scientists.
The experience gained in technical-scientific activity has resulted in the publication of 148 scientific papers. Of these, 79 were published in peer-reviewed journals (5 ISI-listed, 13 abroad, 51 in CNCSIS-recognised journals in the country and 10 in other technical journals) and 69 in scientific conference volumes (4 ISI-listed, 17 abroad and 48 in the country). He is co-author of two books published by publishers in Moldova and Serbia. Mircea Popoviciu was a full member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists, scientific secretary of the AOSR Branch – Timisoara; member of the Association for Multidisciplinary Research in the Western Area of Romania. He was awarded the First Prize of the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1958. His contribution to the development of science and technology was mainly reflected in the solution of problems raised by the manufacture and operation of hydraulic machines, the elucidation of phenomena in the field of cavitation and the solution of problems related to experimental research.
God rest his soul!