"Physics is not only about science, but also about the development of culture."

Global Knowledge (GK): What is medical physics?

Professor Johan Moan (JM): Medical physics is the use of physics in all kinds of medicine. There are two fields: one is diagnosis, the other is treatment. Practically all modern devices used in detecting diseases are based on physics. Positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance and computer tomography represent medical physics at its best and most advanced. Physics for treatment is also very important. We have ionizing radiation, hyperthermia, microwave and ultrasound treatment. And we have what I have been studying – the use of light. Both the use of lasers for surgery and photodynamic therapy, a method used in the treatment of cancer. Right now we are investigating how ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds and solaria can assist the body in its production of vitamin D. Without the use of modern physics, medicine would be very poor.

GK: A study in medical physics is in development in Tibet. Why?

JM: There is a young and growing interest in medical physics in Tibet, but there is little knowledge and equipment. Tibet University is a very young university. It has only one person with a PhD in physics, who graduated in Bergen a couple of years ago. My hope is that I can be of assistance in developing this field in Tibet, so that people there can benefit from the huge development of physics in medicine, and learn how to use applied natural science in their work.

GK: 2005 is the World Year of Physics. What does this mean to you and your work?

JM: The Year of Physics is extremely important because it gives us an opportunity to tell people that physics is not only about science, but also about the development of culture.

GK: What do you think is the most gratifying development in international science in recent times?

JM: The most prominent negative development is that there is more focus on money and less on curiosity. Nevertheless, I think there are more good trends than bad ones. The most gratifying is that more money seems to be getting spent.

GK: Do you believe that there is a proper balance between basic and applied research?

JM: There is a wide belief in our society, from political parties to the heads of universities, that research first and foremost should be used to generate more money and higher living standards. I think this is very shortsighted, and I firmly believe that there should be much more focus on basic research. It doesn’t generate more money in the short run, but it is the driving force in all science. Basic research benefits us all, because you don’t know what will be important in the future, and it teaches young people logical thinking.

GK: You have many international students. How does this influence your work?

JM: It’s very rewarding for both the supervisor and the students to meet people who think differently, not only in keeping academic standards high, but also as a way of gaining wider cultural understanding. In the ten years or so that I have had international students, my life as a scientist has become much richer.

GK: What role does international cooperation play in your field of work?

JM: Multilateral cooperation is at the very heart of what I’m doing, and it is of great significance to my work. I think the best students are those from the east, and practically all my research students are from Russia and Eastern Europe. In maths and physics, it’s a sign of quality that a paper is written in Russia.

GK: What are the challenges in North-South and East-West cooperation?

JM: I think the greatest challenges are those of openness, economics and difficulties in facilitating travel for students and teachers. When it comes to academic reputation, it depends of course on the field of work. If we are talking about experimental research, it will often be viewed as more primitive, as most institutes in the East and South lack the necessary technology and funding. The real challenge is not unique to the field of physics: to get the South up to a higher level – without destroying their minds.

GK: Has science forgotten the spiritual elements of physics?

JM: Yes, but this is something for which we have to blame the field of physics and some physicists themselves. In earlier times, physicists had a more holistic view, incorporating philosophical aspects. Today scientists take a much harder and more materialistic approach. I think this is one of the reasons why young people today view physics as a cold science. This, however, seems to be changing now. I think that humanists and physicists will soon be able talk to each other again with respect.

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