Jaak Aaviksoo

Minister of Defence of the Republic of Estonia

Education:
1981 Candidate of physics and mathematics; Institute of Physics of AS
1976 Graduated cum laude in the speciality of theoretical physics from the Department of Physics from the Faculty of Physical and Chemistry at Tartu State University
1971 Tartu Secondary School No 2

Professional Record:
2007 - Minister of Defence
1998 – 2006 Rector of the University of Tartu
1996 – 1998 Head of the Institute of Experimental Physics and Technology, University of Tartu
1996 – 1996 Minister of Education
1995 – 1995 Minister of Culture and Education
1992 – 1995 First Prorector of the University of Tartu
1995 Acting Head of the Institute of Experimental Physics and Technology, University of Tartu
1992 Professor of Optics and Spectroscopy, University of Tartu
1976 -1992 TA Junior, Senior and Chief Research Specialist of Institute of Physics of AS

Complementary studies in foreign states:
1991, 1994, 2001 VII University of Paris
1991 Osaka University
1987-1988, 1989 Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart
1981 Novosibirsk Institute of Heat Physics
Mr Aaviksoo has participated in more than 100 conferences in 23 foreign states

Participation in research organisations and administrative activities:
Chairman of Estonian Rectors’ Conference
Member of the Management Board of Association of European Universities
Member of the President of the Republic's Academic Council
Member of Estonian Research and Development Council
Member of Estonian Informatics Council
Member of Estonian Information Technology Foundation
Member of Estonian Physics Society
Member of the American Physical Society
Member of the American Optics Society
Member of European Physics Society

Mr Aaviksoo has supervised the defending of the following theses:
Tõnu Reinot (PhD, 1993), Ilmar Kink (MA, 1994), Indrek Reimand (PhD, 2000)

Publications:
More than 100 research papers and over 80 publicist articles between 1976 and 2002
incl. the most important research publications of recent years:
• J. Aaviksoo, C. Gourdon, R. Grousson, P. Lavallard, "Photoluminescence quantum yield in GaAs/AlAs superlattices", Solid State Electronics (vol. 40, no 1-8, p. 687, 1996);
• J. Aaviksoo, C. Gourdon, P. Lavallard, "Power nonlinearities in the luminescence spectrum of GaAs/AlAs superlattices", Solid State Communications (vol. 99, no 6, p. 387, 1996);
• S. O. Kognovitskii, V. V. Travnikov, J. Aaviksoo, I. Reimand, "Light Scattering by electrons in the absorption region of GaAs" - Phys. Solid State (vol. 39, no. 6, p. 907, 1997);
• I. Reimand, J. Aaviksoo, "Exciton interaction with hot electrons in GaAs", Technical digest of X International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena in Spectroscopy, (Tartu, 1997, p. 82);
• J. Aaviksoo, "Estonian physicist: Active and productive", Science (vol. 275, no 5299, p. 463);
• J. Aaviksoo. Priorities for Higher Education in Central and Eastern European Countries. - Higher Education Management (vol. 9, no. 2, p. 19, 1997).
• I. Reimand, J. Aaviksoo, "Exciton interaction with hot electrons in GaAs", Phys. Rev. B 61, 2000, no 24, p 16653-16658

Awards and acknowledgement:
Member of Estonian Academy of Science (1994)
Order of the National Coat of Arms of the Republic of Estonia (1999)
Large Cross of Merits of Federal Republic of Germany (2000)
Order of Merit of the Republic of France (2001)
Order of White Rose of the Republic of Finland (2001)
Medal of Merits of City of Tartu (2002)
Honorary Doctor of University of Turku (2003)
Member of Academia Europaea (2004)
Order of the White Start (class II) of the Republic of Estonia (2006)

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