Nuclear Spin Analogues of Gyromagnetism: Case of the Zero–field Barnett Effect

I thank the editors for the invitation to write in honor of Robert Blinc and to celebrate his 70 birthday. Over his many years of international research collaborations and leadership of NMR research groups at the Josef Stefan Institute, he and his colleagues have generated a body of comprehensive experimental data leading to new concepts and clarifications concerning unusual solid state structures. These have involved topics such as ferroelectrics, disordered systems, and liquid crystals, often connected with phase transitions and modal behavior. While continually devoting himself to his group as a pioneering research physicist working out new interpretations of experiments, Professor Blinc also served as a leader of Slovenian science, maintaining many personal contacts as a virtual ”Science Ambassador” in Europe. During the Cold War and through its waning years, because of Robert’s international connections in the East, he was able to arrange contacts with people from both the East and the West to attend conferences in Slovenia and on the Dalmation Coast. He has made it possible for many NMR research people from the Eastern block to interact with those of us from the West. His international influence has been unique in making the world a better place for scientific cooperation. Personally I can testify how much we have enjoyed Robert’s hospitality, friendship, and stimulation provided by visitations to interact with his NMR research group at the Josef Stefan Institute for which we are grateful. We wish him and his spouse many happy and fruitful years and that he should remain active and not really retire.