Organiser of the ICPS 2009 is the Student Section of Croatian Physical Society (SSCPS). Members of the Organising Commitee are undergraduate and graduate students, all members of the SSCPS: Marko Sever (chair), Marko Banušić, Damir Cvetovac, Andrej Ficnar, Matea Hruška, Goran Nikšić, Marko Pavić, Ana Prpić, Dijana Rapić and Josipa Delić. (Hover here to find out how to pronunciate our strange Croatian characters.) The official e-mail address of the Organising Committee is icps2009@fizika.org, where you can direct any questions and comments. Here are our pictures and a little bit about ourselves (click on the pictures for higher resolution).

	Ana Prpić Ana is a 2nd year student of physics at the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Split. Her passions are astrophysics, hip-hop dancing and photography. ICPS 2009 is a challenge and a valuable new experience for her :) Contact: aprpic@gmail.com		Andrej Ficnar Andrej finished his undergraduate physics studies at the University of Zagreb and is now a graduate student of physics at the Columbia University. He’s interested in high energy physics - stuff like quantum gravity, extra dimensions and all that mumbo-jumbo. He also likes fine beer, Family Guy and designing extremely cool websites such as this one. Contact: aficnar@phys.columbia.edu
	Dijana Rapić Dijana is a final year student of mathematics and physics at the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Split. Her scientific interest is in elementary particle physics and in her free time she enjoys bonsai training, photography, rollerblading and traveling. She participated at the ICPS in Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom and Poland. Organisation of the ICPS is a new experience and a challenge to her. Contact: dijrap@pmfst.hr		Goran Nikšić Goran was born in Zagreb in 1984, where he attended primary and high-school. Today he is a junior researcher and teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb. His field of research is solid state physics, especially strongly correlated electron systems (such as high-Tc superconductors). He takes part in various educational and popular physics projects. His hobbies include, but are not limited to dancing, singing and playing music. Contact: gniksic@fizika.org
	Marko Banušić Marko is best known among his colleagues as a young and aspiring politician. He is always involved in every student activity, be it protests or free food. Good friends like to think of him as self absorbed and witty. He always says that he puts the interests of fellow students above his own, a life view that takes its toll on his courses. His current interests are politics, dancing and procrastination. Contact: mbanusic@gmail.com		Marko Sever Marko is the chair of the ICPS2009 Organising Committee. He’s in the final year of his undergraduate study of educational physics at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science. His interests are diverse, and he likes all things young people like, but not younger than him. He is interested in different branches of physics and one day he is hoping to be in the field of nuclear physics. Contact: msever@fizika.org
	Matea Hruška Matea finished her economies study at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business. She is currently working in a private company in the field of finance, accounting and controlling. She doesn’t know how she ended up organising this conference but she has always known that she liked physics, especially friction and heat. Well, she’s having fun, experiencing new things and learning things she never knew existed. Contact: matea.hruska@gmail.com		Josipa Delić Josipa is a 3rd year student of physics and mathematics at the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Split. She is interested in any activity that could help young people find their interests. She likes mathematics and physics equally and enjoys singing, playing the piano and working with the choir that she conducts. She’s always looking forward to participate in any new project. Contact: jdelic.navjestitelji@gmail.com
	Marko Pavić Marko is an oceanography PhD student at the University of Zagreb. He is professionally interested in Adriatic dynamics, Antarctic Circumpolar Current dynamics and Carbon fluxes in the North Atlantic. Although he enjoys working in science he is much more enthusiastic about traveling and meeting new people. Around Christmas he returned from research cruise to Antarctica and currently is boring his friends with tons of photos of penguins and ice-bergs as well as stories about midnight sledging across the frozen continent. He also enjoys life and at the parties he’s the one with good wine, port, whisky or cigar. Contact: mpavic@gfz.hr		Damir Cvetovac Damir is a student of physics at the University of Zagreb. He is interested in too many fields of physics and should pick one (for his own good). He likes good music, going to ICPS and Linux. Besides organising ICPS, he is involved in promoting physics and fighting for students’ rights. Contact: dcvetova@fizika.org

Student Section of the Croatian Physical Society (SSCPS) is a non-profitable organisation of Croatian students of physics and a representative of Croatia in the International Association of Physics Students (IAPS) as a National Commitee. It was founded in 1994 as one of the sections of the Croatian Physical Society (CPS). Primary goal of the Section is to improve the education of students of physics and geophysics through socialising and collaboration, as well as to appropriately contribute to the development of the scientific community in Croatia.

Students' interests for working in Section are diverse: from simple socialising, fun and traveling, to gaining experience in research and engagement in improving conditions of study at our universities. The Section has about 130 members, mostly students of physics and geophysics, and through regular contact with the Section, its alumnae (now mostly graduate students) also take part in its activities. Level of involvement in Section's activities is determined by the members themselves and self-initiative is always appreciated.

Activities of the Section are manifested in several projects, initiated and run by the Section's members, project coordinators, and the overall activity of the section is coordinated by the President of the Section, Vice-President and the Secretary. Student section of the Croatian Physical Society has very rich and diverse activities; some of the most successful projects include scientific expedition to Mongolia in 1998 (for observation of the meteor rain of Leonidas), editing JiAPS, an international physics journal, during 1998 and 1999, organisation of the ICPS 2000 in Zadar, presidency of IAPS during 2002 and 2003, visits to various research laboratories in Croatia to establish stronger bonds between the students and the scientists, and many other.

Croatian Physical Society (CPS) was founded on December 19, 1990 with the aim of promotion and development of scientific, educational and pedagogic activities in the field of physics. Prior to that date, the Croatian physicists acted within the frame of the Society of the Croatian Mathematicians and Physicists (founded in 1949), which developed out of the Mathematics-Physics Division of the Croatian Society of Natural Sciences (founded on August 27, 1945).

The activities of the Croatian Physical Society are carried out through Divisions - Scientific, Educational, Students', Division for promotion of Physics and Division for Industrial and Applied Physics. The Society publishes scientific journals FIZIKA A and FIZIKA B, and popular magazine Mathematical-Physical Journal (in cooperation with the Croatian Mathematical Society) for pupils, teachers and students. Other activities of the CPS include E-school of Physics, organisation of the Summer School for Young Physicists, primary and high school competitions in physics (on regional and national levels), as well as preparation of gifted students for participation in international competitions (Physics Olympiad and Young Physicist's Tournament).

CPS is a member of European Physical Society (EPS) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP). The Society has about 678 members, out of which about 156 are high school teachers, and 200 are students.

IAPS is an association of physics students and student societies from around the globe, working to promote peaceful collaboration amongst them. Its members are represented by national and local committees, who meet regulary to ensure the relevance of IAPS' activities.

Since 1987 IAPS has worked continously to promote peaceful relations and collaboration between physics students. We support our members in their academic and professional work, as well as discussing and acting on scientific, social and cultural issues. IAPS is a recognised non-governmental organisation run entirely by students from around the world with a spirit of mutual understanding and equality. IAPS runs an annual International Conference for Physics Students (ICPS), visits to global research institutions, summer schools, exchange programmes and multinational meetings all over the world.

IAPS collaborates with numerous international bodies including amongst others: the European Physical Society, the Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society (their student wing runs a national competition to sponsor their students to attend our events).

Split is the largest city on the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea; after Zagreb it is the second largest city in Croatia. It is situated between the gulf of Kaštela, which can be seen from the northern side of Marjan, and the mountain ranges of Kozjak and Mosor. Because of the protection of the high mountains, we have very mild, typical Mediterranean climate here in Split.

This area has been attractive to man for habitation ever since early prehistory. The Greeks founded their first colonies in the area in the 4th century BC: Tragurion (Trogir), Salonae (Solin), Epetion (Stobrec). In the period of Roman domination Salonae developed into a large city. Not far from Salonae, there was a small Greek settlement called Aspalathos which got the name after a plant which in early spring blooms with tiny, intensive yellow flowers - brnistra. In the Roman period it was named Spalatum. The palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian was built at the bottom of the southern cove of the peninsula of Split, in the period between 293 and 305 AD.

Diocletian’s palace is the world’s best preserved palace from the Roman period. In 1979 the historic core of Split together with the Palace became a part of the UNESCO’s list of world heritage; it is considered in the whole world as the key building for the understanding that type of architecture. After being under Byzantine rule, Venetian Republic, Napoleon, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, as well as a part of Yugoslavia, Split in now one of the most beautiful cities in Croatia, and in Europe as well; the people in Split tend to call it “the most beautiful city in the world”. And maybe that is not far from truth, especially considering the fact that all those rulers left beautiful monumental traces in the city, which are preserved to this very day. Come and see many different architectural monuments all existing in harmony; come and walk along the most beautiful embankment you have ever seen; come and enjoy our beautiful sea!