Jovan Surutka was born in 1921 in Banja Luka where he finished the High School in 1939. In 1947 he graduated at the Technical Faculty University of Belgrade on the department of Electrotechnics and got his Ph.D. on technical science in 1957. After graduation, he became an assistant on the Institute for Telecommunication of Serbian Academy of Science. In 1950 he became a lecturer at the Electrotechnical Faculty in Belgrade for the subject of Theoretical Basis of Telecommunication. In 1954 he was elected a docent and 1959 an associate professor for Theoretical electromagnetics. In 1968 he became a full professor. He also lectured subject Antennas and spreading of radiowaves. From 1976 till 1986 when he retired, he lectured on Basis of electrotechnics.
Professor Surutka was twice the dean of the Electrotechnical Faculty of Belgrade (1962 - 1964 and 1969 - 1970) and twice the associate dean. He was, for many years, the member of the council for High Education at the Republic of Serbia Executive Board. He was the member of the Council of College at the University of Nis and the member of Serbian Education Council.
Professor Surutka, as a dominant scientist in electrotechnics and education, has been awarded many times.
First he became a corresponding member of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts and then a full member in 1983. Since 1969, when it was established, he has been a member of the Serbian Science Association, an honorary member of Yugoslav Engineer Academy and Association of Machine and Electrotechnical Engineers and Technicians of Yugoslavia, and an honorary doctor at the Technical University of Banja Luka.
For his successes in science, culture and education he was awarded Medal of credit for nation with golden star, Medal of work with golden Wreath and Medal of Republic with Silver wreath.
He worked on establishing of University institutions, on their curricula and on improving of scientific work. For this he has been awarded the charter and the great Medallion of the University in Nis, the charter of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis and the charter of Electrotecnical Faculty in Skopje. He also worked on the development of our Radio and TV institutions. Radio Television Belgrade awarded him the charter and the golden Medallion of Radio Television Belgrade, and Radio Television Titograd awarded him the special Medallion.
Professor Surutka got a lot of awards for great scientific and competent contribution in papers which he published, either by himself or in association with his assistants, in journals or presented at scientific conferences. For this he has been awarded the Belgrade October prize for mathematics and technical science, Radio Television Belgrade Annual prize (three times, in 1971, 1978, 1998), Diploma of the Magazine "Tehnika", Tesla award for science and the golden Medallion "INOST" in 1998 for the best display on the Exibition of Innovations in Banja Luka.
He was the one of the scientists who organized the exhibition at the Nikola Tesla Museum and he worked on promotion of Tesla's life and work. Because of his great contribution at this subject, the respectable German magazine "Raum und Zeit" awarded him the Tesla's medal in 1998.
He was of the great help in organizing the curriculum in subject of electromagnetic on newly established faculties: Faculty of Electronic Engineering of Nis, Electrotechnical Faculty of Banja Luka, Technical Faculty of Novi Sad and Electrotechnical Faculty of Skopje.
Many generations of electrotechnic faculties students remember him as one of the best teachers. His lectures were regularly attended. The style of his books is clear and understandable so that the laws and secrets of electrotechnics can be understand easily. He has been the strict but fair teacher. That is why the students thanked him on the behalf of Student Organization. He has appreciated his colleagues and has taken care about their constant improvement. As a result, three of his associates have become the members of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts.
Professor Jovan Surutka has been specially interested in theoretical and applied electromagnetics, theory and construction of antennas, propagation of radiowaves in natural environment and in systems and nets for broadcasting and diffusion of Radio and TV program.
He has published, by himself or with his associates, more than 150 scientific papers and a lot of them were presented in foreign scientific publications and in ITU-R documents (International Telecommunication Union - Radiocommunication), former CCIR. He is also the author of 50 projects and reports.
His most important papers, which have influence on theory and profession development, refer to area of linear antennas and antenna systems. In this, he is considered to be an expert and the first one in our country.
Since he established the basis of scientific work in antenna area, he was the chairman of many scientific projects and participated in one bigger project for European Union (COST 25/2). He constructed many antenna systems for medium, short and ultrashort waves for many institutions and organizations in our country and abroad.
In his Ph.D. thesis "Impact of Driving on Vertical Pattern Radiation of Antifeding Antennas" (Electrotechnical Faculty in Belgrade 1957) he gave a great contribution to theory and technics of antifeding antennas in variation of high-power antennas. Twenty years later the similar idea was applied in France.
About adjustments of antenna systems with directional pattern radiation, together with Branko Popovic, member of Serbian Academy of Science, he suggested the new method of adjustment in work "Improved method of adjustment of medium - wave directional antenna systems", Proc. IEE, vol. 114, No. 3, 1967. In later stage of research of linear antennas the proceedings based on Hallen's type integral equations and Pocklington's integral-differential equations types are used. For numerical solutions of these equations effective, but simple method of point matching method (Roger Harrington) with polinomial approximation of current in antennas conductors (academician Branko Popovic) is used.
Apart from linear antennas in most of Doctor Surutka's papers, problems of electrostatics and stationer magnetic fields are concerned. He, together with his assistants, has cooperated with Factory of cables in Jagodina researching in modulating of electrical field in cable endings and one-conductor connectors of high voltage energetic cables. In recent years he and his assistants have been concerned in protection of workers and other people from strong non-ionizing electromagnetic fields near strong radiodifusion transmitters. Simple and valid methods of calculation of near electrical and magnetic field and area of security of ST and DT antennas (ITU-R Report No 1117), and specially short wave antennas, so called dipole curtains are developed. The last of these methods was published under the title ``Near Electromagnetic Field of HF Transmitting Curtain Antennas" as a report of 10/A work group International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R). Professor Jovan Surutka is one of the main creators of short waves center of Radio Yugoslavia built near Bijeljina. He is the first who introduced new methods of projecting and forecasting radio connections by short waves through ionosphere. After he returned from French Ionosphere Bureau, he wrote significant monography "Ionosphere and its Impact on Propagation of Short Waves" for Yugoslav Army.
The special interest of prof. Jovan Surutka refers to the problem of the elimination of the static discharges on the stays of high-power antennas. Obtained results from this are presented in detail in Appendix.
His most important book is ``Electromagnetics" used at the University and edited for 7 times. This book was the first of the kind and has been used as study book at most of Electrotechnical Faculties in Yugoslavia. For the subject Basis of Electrotechnics he wrote four level book. Basis of Electrotechnics - Electrostatics and Constant Direct Currents (12 editions); Basis of Electrotechnics - Electromagnetism (9 editions); Alternating current (together with Mili\'c \Dj eki\'c). It is also necessary to mention ``Ionosphere and its Impact on Propagation of Radiowaves" which is the result of his constant research in propagation of radiowaves.
Since the very beginning of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Ni\v s, among other important people, professor Surutka, as a professor of the Electrotechical Faculty in Belgrade, has been present. He organized the department for Theoretical Electrotechnics on this Faculty and curriculum for the subjects as the department of Technical Faculty.
He lectured on Basis of Electrotechnics the first generation of students in 1960/61 using the new curriculum completely different from the one used on Electrotechnical Faculty in Belgrade and on other faculties in the country. Today, this subject has been thought on almost the same way in all the Electro-faculties in the country, even in faculty in Belgrade. His new way of teaching has been presented in his four books used as fundamental study books. They are still being recommended to students.
Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Ni\v s was the first one that organized practice in laboratory for this subject as professor Surutka suggested. By the time, practice in laboratory has developed with full help of other department members.
In 1962/63 he started with the subject Theoretical electromagnetics. He established the curriculum and also wrote the study book - Electromagnetics in a very understandable style. Generally, his style of writing as well as the manner of teaching has been very interesting, understandable and easily acceptable. Very often, students applauded him at the end of the lectures. Doctor Surutka also took care of young students. His first associate and heir Dragutin M. Velickovic, Ph.D., a full professor of Faculty of Electronic Engineering of Ni\v s first started to use a deductive method in teaching on Theoretical electromagnetics.
In the preface of his book ``Electromagnetics" (first book, second edition, publisher Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis, 1999) Doctor Velickovic described the importance of Doctor Jovan Surutka in the teaching process and in the research and said: ``I wish to thank Jovan Surutka Ph.D., the full professor at the Electrotehnical Faculty in Belgrade and Predrag Rancic, Ph.D., associate professor at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis for the review, suggestion and advice on this manuscript. I also take the advantage to point out that Professor Jovan Surutka Ph.D., in 1961 organized the teaching methods for electromagnetics and the basis of electrotechnics which have been still used on the faculties in our country. I was the privileged one, who was his student and later, Professor Surutka was my mentor guiding me in my further studies and research and mentoring me on my diploma degree, masters degree and doctoral theses. I was lucky to be one of his closest associates in teaching and in scientific research. He was the founder of serbian school for electromagnetics and now there are dozens of experts who work and teach on faculties and institutions."
Professor Surutka was not only important in organizing the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis but also was one of the leaders in organizing postgraduate studies. As part of this team there were a lot of young people either as students or as lecturers. Some of them are: Professors Dragutin M. Velickovic Ph.D., Predrag Rancic Ph.D., Bratislav Milovanovic Ph.D., Dragutin Mitic Ph.D., Miodrag Gmitrovic Ph.D., Zorica Pantic Ph.D., Vera Markovic Ph.D. and docent Slavoljub Aleksic Ph.D. All of them enjoyed the days when Suki (Professor Jovan Surutka's nick name) was with them in Nis in so called Room number four. There were a lot of conversations, reports, suggestions, and above all a lot of important work and decisions. As a person, professor Surutka is friendly, ready to help, gives advice but he also enjoys to spend some time with his associates in one of pubs and restaurants in Nis. At the table with good food and good wine everything seemed much more beautiful. He used to say: "All important decisions were made at the table in a pub". His motto is: The most important things in life are wine, women and antennas. In time, the department for Theoretical electrotechnics developed and people who were there developed both as teachers and as scientists. Some of them are now chairmen of other departments and some are recognized in the world as scientists. One of them is Zorica Pantic Ph.D. professor and the dean at the Faculty in San Francisco.
In publications edited at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis can be easily read about scientific areas that have been developed on this department and names of people who got their masters and doctoral degrees at this Faculty with the titles of their theses and with the names of the members of the examination board. So the name of Professor Surutka can be found in many of these examination boards.
In publication can be read, that under the surveillance of Professor Surutka, area of linear and parabolic antennas was developed. Linear antennas with straight and curved conductor, either as single or as a system of antennas surrounded by ideal earth and ideal conducting body, either driven by Delta generator or fed by two-wire line, in an external electric or magnetic field, are solved by Hallen's integral equation and polynomial approximation for current. Also the problems in area of linear antennas in in the presence of real earth are pointed out. It should be said here that the problems of real earth started to be solved first at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis. Those were not only theoretical but practical problems as well, which Professor Surutka was involved in. Let us mention the transmitter antennas of Radio Belgrade in Zvecka and Aleksinac and of Radio Titograd in Podgorica. While doing these projects, very important theoretical results came up and they were published in well known world journals. Most important theoretical results are calculation of voltage on the guy insulators and influence of water layer on transmitter antenna characteristic. These theoretical results are the most important contribution of Professors Dragutin M. Velickovic and Predrag Rancic in their doctoral thesis. Colleagues from other Faculties improved their knowledge in this area here, at Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis. They are: Jelenko Vlaic, Electrotechnical Faculty in Banja Luka, who got his masters and doctoral degrees in Nis, Dusan Djurdjevic from Pristina who started with problems of real earth here in Nis.
The second great group of problems considered at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering under the leadership of professor Surutka was in area of electrostatic, magnetostatic and the application of different analytical and numerical methods for their solution such as charge simulation method, method of mirroring and method of conformal mapping.
The third group of problems developed here is about the electromagnetic pollution of the human environment and its penetration in human organism, especially problems connected with atmosphere lightning and systems for protection.
In Faculty of Electronic Engineering publications are not mentioned masters and doctoral theses in which Professor Surutka was directly and indirectly involved but were not defended on this Faculty. The first one was the master's thesis of Professor Dragutin M. Velickovic, which was defended on Belgrade Faculty, because at that time there were no postgraduate studies in Ni\v s. As the department for Theoretical electrotehnics developed at Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis, influence of Professor Surutka was stronger on other University Centers in our country. This was through lectures, work with graduates, post graduates and doctoral thesis and through the improvement of scientific research. The first center was Electrotechnical Faculty in Pristina, where he guided directly or indirectly the postgraduates. Some of the people who got there degrees are Professors Nedzad Orana, Ph.D., Aleksandar Velickovic, Ph.D., docent Darko Vuckovic, Ph.D., Mile Petrovic, Ph.D., Zarko Radosavljevic, Ph.D. Then, from the Electrotechnical Faculty of Skopje Ljuben Janev defended his thesis at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis, also Panco Vrangalov who did and defended his theses under the control of professor Surutka's associates. Also Professor Surutka gave his contribution in University of Kragujevac and Electrotechnical Faculty of Cacak. Let us mention Jeroslav Zivanic, Ph.D., and Jasna Radulovic, Ph.D. We should not forget to mention Electrotechnical Faculty in Banja Luka and Professor Jelenko Vlajic, Ph.D., who got his master and doctor degrees in Nis.
The department of Theoretical electrotechnics of Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis, together with Professor Surutka, published a lot of papers presented at conferences either in the country or abroad and published in different journals. Those are several hundreds of works. In all of them the name of Professor Surutka is involved either directly or indirectly and we thank him for all those excellent results.
In 40 years of the existence of Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Ni\v s it has become important scientific and research institution. Professor Surutka gave his contribution to it. He gave himself unselfishly both to work and to support young scientists and students helping them to become scientists important in the world. It is also important to mention his help in organization of international conferences ITEC and TELSIKS together with Professors Dragutin M. Velickovic and Bratislav Milovanovic. These conferences are traditionally held on the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis and a lot of scientists from the country and abroad take part.
Aware of the facta review cannot encompass all of Professor Dr Jovan Surutka's activities, both in the field of Electromagnetic science and in other fields of his long and prolific work, we have presented only a part of the results from his research and pedagogical work. Therefore, on the occasion of Professor Surutka's 80th birthday, in FACTA UNIVERSITATIS, Ser.: Electronics and Energetics we express our deep gratitude and respect, with best wishes for his good health and personal happines. We hope that he will continue his productive and creative work with the same energy, preservance, zeal and success as shown to date.
Professor dr Dragutin Velickovic
Professor dr Vidosav Stojanovic
