Wspomnienie o Kamili Skoczylas-Ciszewskiej zasłużonym geologu i wychowawcy młodzieży. Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska (1902-1971)

Abstract

Dr Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska, Full Professor of the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Kraków, Faculty of Prospecting Geology, research worker of great merit, eminent investigator of the Carpathians and their Foreland geology, .splendid didactitian and students’ great friend died on January 23. 1971. Professor Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska was born in Bochnia on June 8. 1902. She studied at and graduated from the Jagiellonian University where she took her doctors’ degree in Geology in 1929. In the years 1929—1930 she was Professor John Nowak’s assistant at the chair of Geology a t the Jagiellonian University. It was under Professor Nowak’s direction that she began her independent research work especially connected with the geological cartography of the Carpathians. In the next years she worked as a co-worker of the State Geological Institute in Warsaw in summer months. In time of German occupation she was a typist in the Chamber of Agriculture in Kraków. As soon as the war was over she was engaged as senior geologist by the State Geological Institute, Branch Kraków. At the same time, however, she began her work at the High Schools. In 1953 she gave up her work a t the State Geological Institute to devote her time completely to the work at the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy. Here she obtained Docent’s (Professor Assistant) title in 1956, then in 1960 she was appointed Associate Professor and next in 1969 Full Professor. The scientific activity of Professor Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska was concentrated on a few groups of problems including: geological cartography of the Flysch Carpathians and their Foreland, stratigraphy, lithology and tectonics of flysch, problems concerning the Miocene as well as some problems of raw materials. She dedicated many years in the inter- and post-war periods to- the cartographo-geologieal works. Over 1800 km2 are comprised by her geological mapping. Her geological maps are of pioneer character and bringing in many new data they contributed to the better knowledge of the stratigraphy and tectonics of the Flysh Carpathians. Numerous observations made in the course of her carto-grapho-geological works stimulated Professor Skoczylas-Ciszewska to further original works concerning the Carpathians and their Foreland. Among others she established the age of the thinly bedded formations within the Upper Cretaceous Istebna Beds in the region of Wiśnicz and Rożnów stating they are a sedimentary insert giving evidence of the influence of the Inooeramic facies. She explained in detail the geological structure of the Carpathians, border in the vicinity of Bochnia and that of the Żegocina Unit which from a long zone of tectonic windows running in the foreground of the Magura nappe. She presented a new view on the volcanic phenomena observed in this zone and established the stratographical position of exotics found there in several horizons, giving their petrographical characteristic at the same time. She found and examined tuff inserts with a Considerable P(2)O(5) content found in the Upper Cretaceous Paleocene in the Flysh Carpathians attempting to explain the genesis of phosphorus. She explained the geological conditions of the siderite ore occurrence in different horizons of the Silesian Unit in the vicinity of Bochnia and Brzesko, at the same time presenting the general view on their occurrence all over the whole area of the Polish Flysh Carpathians. The problems of the Miocene were the subject of the scientific work of Professor Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska as well. She published a number of papers on the subject; among others discussing : the Miocene of the Nowy Sącz valley, the Miocene sediments in the vicinity of Libiąż and Oświęcim and the Bogucice sands, but in the first place the thectogenesis the Miocene of the saltbearing West Carpathians Foreland. Professor Kamila Skoczylas-Ciszewska was first of all a pedagogue extremely fond of work of that kind. For many years (1945—1970) she was giving lectures at the Prospecting Geology Faculty and others faculties of the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Kraków as well as the Polytechnic School in Kraków, and the Engineering Evening School in Kraków. She was dean and pro-dean a t the Prospecting Geology Faculty and took and active part in different committees of the Academy having charge of the undergraduates and being their trustworthy adviser. She was taking an active part in the works outside the Academy, too. She was especially associated with the Geological Society of Poland where for a number of years in the inter- and post-war periods she was Secretary and Treasurer to its Central Board. In the last few years she was chairman of the Board of Control and of the Organizing Committee preparing the scientific conference of the Society to celebrate its golden jubilee. Alas she did not live to see the jubilee celebrations planned. She left us but she will remain in the memory of her colleagues and students as the best and worth of the highest respect friend and adviser.