Introduction: Impact of GP’s Scientific Work

Abstract

Ten years ago, I described the work and the life of Gheorghe Păun (GP) in the article “The Games of his Life” (p. 1-10 in Where Mathematics, Computer Science, Linguistics and Biology Meet (eds. Carlos Martin Vide, Victor Mitrana), Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer, 2001). At the beginning of the 21st century, his scientific achievements were already impressive in all respects: emergent topics, strong interaction with the international community of computer scientists, publications in prestigious journals and at famous publishing houses, significant impact in his field of research, many disciples, invited lectures, presence in some editorial boards of computer science journals and in many program committees of international scientific meetings etc. It was enough for a successful life. Unfortunately, many scientists, if they don’t stop, they begin to decline when they enter the fifties. How far is this situation from that of GP!