With deep sorrow, we announce the sudden passing of our esteemed colleague and dear friend, Dr. Antun Balaž. He died unexpectedly on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the age of 52.

Dr. Balaž was a passionate physicist, a tireless advocate for science, and a beloved mentor across generations. His contributions made him a cornerstone of the physics community in Serbia, and his untimely departure is an immeasurable loss for the Institute of Physics Belgrade — National Institute of the Republic of Serbia — and for Serbian science as a whole.

At the time of his passing, Dr. Balaž served as Deputy Director of the Institute of Physics Belgrade. He was elected a corresponding member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) in November 2024 and chaired Serbian Physics Board. As a researcher, he made a lasting impact on both national and international scientific landscapes. He headed the Center for the Study of Complex Systems and led the Scientific Computing Laboratory at the Institute.

Born in 1973 in Zrenjanin, Serbia, Dr. Balaž earned his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees at the Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade. Since 2000, he had been a dedicated member of the Institute of Physics.

His scientific interests spanned ultracold quantum gases and Bose-Einstein condensation, numerical simulations of complex systems, Monte Carlo methods, high-performance computing, and functional formalism in quantum theory. He led numerous national and international research projects, authored many highly cited papers in leading journals, and wrote influential textbooks and monographs.

Dr. Balaž was deeply committed to international collaboration. He conducted research and study visits at institutions including the Free University of Berlin, the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, the University of Potsdam, the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Delmenhorst, and the University of Innsbruck. His collaborations extended across Europe and the United States.

He was a member of the Optical Society of Serbia, the European Physical Society, and the German Physical Society. From 2010 to 2018, he served on the Board of Directors of the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade, including a term as president. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), and since 2023, served in the SASA Working Group for the Reform of Doctoral Studies.

Dr. Balaž received numerous honors for his work, including two “Prof. Dr. Ljubomir Ćirković” awards for best diploma (1997) and master’s thesis (2004). He also received three Institute of Physics annual awards — for best master’s thesis, scientific work (2014), and financial contribution (2012, 2013).

He was especially dedicated to working with young scientists and was closely involved for decades with the Petnica Research Station, where he served as Vice President of the Board of Directors.

A visionary intellectual, full of energy and ideas, Dr. Balaž was a tireless advocate for the advancement of science and the betterment of society. His sudden loss has deeply shaken his colleagues and friends, as well as the entire Institute of Physics Belgrade.

Yet, his legacy endures. His ideas, courage, and accomplishments continue to inspire us and will light our way forward — just as he did in life.