Milan Raspopović

Milan Raspopović received his doctoral titles in Physics and in Philosophy from University of Belgrade. His previous doctoral work was in cosmic ray physics. The research was interrupted and then abandoned after the funding for cosmic and particle physics research, provided by the Government of Yugoslavia, came to a halt.[3]

He successfully defended his physics thesis entitled "The impact of Ludwig Boltzmann’s teachings and understandings on physics and philosophy" at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Principals of Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade (MGB): mathematician Ljubomir Protić (2002–2004), mathematician Vladimir Dragović (2004–2008), physicist Milan Raspopović (1970–2001). All three were university professors.

Raspopović was the first professor of Physics at Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade – Special Mathematical Gymnasium (a school of Special National Interest), and the creator of the school's unique physics and overall curriculum.[3][4][5][10] He was one of the founders of the Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade in Belgrade, along with Vojin Dajović, who was a professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Belgrade. Their basic model was Kolmogorov School at Moscow University which had been launched in Moscow a year earlier, in 1965, under Lomonosov Moscow State University, by renowned mathematician Andrei Nikolayevich Kolmogorov, and which was later named after him.

Raspopović taught university level courses at University of Belgrade, University of Niš, University of Kragujevac, and University of Montenegro.[10] During that time he was principal and director at Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade, where he developed a special curriculum in physics for MG students.[5][10][11]

Raspopović and Emilo Danilović, then Serbian Chief Scientific Advisor for physics, created the first MG curriculum in physics.[1] It had 50% more physics classes than in regular Gymnasiums with mathematical orientation or Mathematical and Technical High Schools.[1]

Raspopović introduced and developed scientific curricula for two new specializations in Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade, in 1977: Technician for Nuclear Physics, and Technician for Laser Physics, which both led to the Assistant in Mathematical and Technical Sciences Diploma.[1]

In 1969 he introduced and taught (from 1969 to 1980) electronics at the Mathematical Gymnasium.[1]

Raspopović is the author or co-author of over 30 textbooks and collections of assignments in physics, for all educational levels, from elementary schools to university level.[3][10][5] In the area of physics for elementary schools, as well as in the area of textbooks and collections of assignments for high schools of technical sciences (electrical engineering and mechanical engineering), for high schools of natural sciences and mathematics and natural science curricular stream in gymnasiums, in didactics, and including his special physics textbooks for Special School for Gifted Matematička gimnazija, professor Raspopović's books have the largest circulation in Serbia, Montenegro, and in former Yugoslavia, with a circulation of well over 15 million of issued printings during the previous 45 years.[3][10][5][11][8]

As a co-author, Raspopović signed textbooks with Academician Dragiša M. Ivanović – former Rector of University of Belgrade and professor of Theory of Nuclear Reactors,[12] Ivan Aničin – Chief of Nuclear Division at the Institute for Nuclear Sciences Vinča (former INN "Boris Kidrič"), Chief of Cosmic Ray Division and Low Background Laboratory of Institute of Physics Belgrade,[13] and Director of Doctoral Studies of High Energy Physics at University of Belgrade,[14] Dragomir Krpić – Chief of Chair of Experimental Elementary Particle Physics, three times Dean of the Faculty of Physics and President of the Board of Governors the Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, Darko Kapor from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Novi Sad, and many others from Academia.

Raspopović also co-authored textbooks and collections of solved problems with professors from Mathematical Gymnasium.[3][10][5][8]

Raspopovic was awarded the highest award in Serbia – Sretenjski orden (Sretenje Award) – by the President of Serbia, in February 2015, "for outstanding and exceptional merits for the Republic of Serbia and its citizens in educational and pedagogical activities".[15][16][17][18]

Raspopović led the school as its principal and director for 32 years. During that time, the school achieved unique results worldwide regarding the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals won at the International Science Olympiads:

• International Mathematical Olympiads,
• International Physics Olympiads,
• International Olympiads in Informatics,
• International Astronomy Olympiads,
• International Olympiads on Astronomy and Astrophysics, and
• International Earth Science Olympiads,[19]

The school held records for winning more than 400 medals at international competitions and Olympiads, and for graduating scientists with approximately 2000 PhD's among its alumni.[19]

It was not unusual that most, and sometimes all, of the medals at Republics or Federal competitions in Serbia and in Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, in all categories and for every single grade, were won by students of Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade. Consequently, Yugoslavian teams for International Olympiads consisted of mostly or only students from Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade.[20] In 1974, a turbulent year for Yugoslavia when the new Constitution of Yugoslavia was introduced, 7 out of 8 members of Yugoslavian National Team for International Mathematical Olympiad – IMO, were from Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade. It caused political comment since Yugoslavia had six Republics and seven out of eight students for IMO came from Belgrade's Mathematical Gymnasium. The critics were answered when the Yugoslav team (7 out of 8 were MG students) came back from the IMO with five medals: two gold, one silver, and two bronze.[21] Yugoslavia ranked 5th in the world, and USSR and Yugoslavia were the only 2 countries that won two gold medals that year. Mathematical Gymnasium was the absolute winner among all schools in the world, and remained at that position to the present day. In 2010, the Serbian national team for International Mathematical Olympiad had MG students only. They ranked 10th in the world as a country (Serbia) and took the first place in the world as a school.[22]

Raspopović established Mathematical Gymnasium as the world leader in high school education in the fields of mathematics, physics, informatics, and computer programming. Under professor Raspopović's leadership.[19]

Raspopović was professor in Mathematical Gymnasium Belgrade from the school's foundation days in 1966, and was elected Principal and Director in 1970. He served as Principal and Director until his retirement, effective from 2002. He was succeeded as a Principal by Ljubomir Protić of the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade.

Milan Raspopović remained an active member of the Mathematical Gymnasium Trust and Mathematical Gymnasium Scientific Board.

He is also an active writer and continued to revise and publish textbooks for elementary and high schools. In 2010, his books were printed in 200,000 copies, of which more than 150,000 copies were sold before December 2010.[3][5][8][10]

Milan Raspopović is fluent in Russian, as well as in Serbo-Croatian and its derivatives and variants (Serbian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Bosnian). He also reads and uses English.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Milan Raspopović.

• History of Matematička gimnazija (in Serbian)
• Achievements and awards – MG (in Serbian)