Novosibirsk State University
Encyclopedia
Novosibirsk State University was founded in May 1959 in the USSR by Soviet academician
s Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentiev, Sergei Lvovich Sobolev
and Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich
in a program of establishing a Siberian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Novosibirsk State University is one of the most famous universities in Russia
, although is somewhat young.
The university is located 20 kilometers from the city of Novosibirsk
, a cultural and industrial center of Siberia
.
The total number of students in the year 1999 was 5200.
, and Khristianovich
, decided to bring international level research over the Urals from Moscow
to the vast territories of Siberia
. Siberia possessed copious natural resources, but lacked large research institutions which would promote economic development and growth in the region. The idea was implemented with the establishment of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1958 near the large industrial city of Novosibirsk
. A new academic town (Akademgorodok
) started to grow rapidly and half a year later a new university was founded to train young researchers for the newly born science center.
Thus, in May 1959 the USSR Higher Education Ministry issued a decree to begin studies in Novosibirsk State University on September 1, 1959 with Ilia N. Vekua as rector
(Russian for president
or chancellor
of a university). The July 20, 1959 issue of the newspaper Pravda
reported the opening of the new university and announced admittance with entrance examinations for future students from all over the USSR in the period of August 1 through 20. 139 first-year students were admitted as full-time students and 119 as part-time students. In addition, the best students from other Soviet
universities were selected as second-year students. The applicants for chemistry and physics accounted for eight and five persons per vacancy respectively, with three persons for mathematics, mechanics and geology.
The official opening of the University took place on September 26, 1959 at the Concert Hall of the Opera and Ballet Theatre
in Novosibirsk
.
First lectures were held in the building of a secondary school, and first dormitories for the students were just tents amidst the forest; but the spirit of novelty and the lust for education and research created a strong motivation among the first students.
At first, the only department of the University, the Department of Natural Sciences, combined Mathematics, Physics, Mechanics, Biology,Chemistry and Geology. Between 1960 and 1967 new departments began to separate into their own disciplines. In December, 1963 the first graduates of the Novosibirsk State University, including 26 physicists, 24 mathematicians and ten researchers in mechanics, received diplomas.
The Department of Natural Sciences offers majors in Chemistry and Biology. In five years of training the graduates receive a Specialist's degree. The training program includes two years of research practice in a specific area of Chemistry and Biology with writing a thesis. From 1992 to 2000 a major in Environmental Chemistry (also known as Ecology) was offered based on a 2-level training system (4 years of undergraduate training for Bachelor's degree and 2 years of training for Master's degree). The program was based on the Chemistry major curriculum with addition of extra mathematics, informatics and biology courses. Since 1995 a major in Medical Biology has been offered. The aim of this enterprise was to begin training Research Doctors of Medicine in the department. A state license allowing the training of general practitioners was obtained in 2002 . Finally, in 2004 another new department, the Department of Medicine sprung from the Department of Natural Sciences http://medf.nsu.ru/.
, A.I.Mal'tsev
, and S.L.Sobolev
.
In the spring of 1991, the Academic Council of the Department came to the decision to accept a 2-level system of training (undergraduate and postgraduate). Having completed the 4-year (undergraduate) program of the Department, students normally submit a thesis or take a final (state) examination in mathematics (about 5 or 10% of graduates) and get a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, applied mathematics and informatics (computer science) or mechanics. About half of the graduates have the opportunity to continue their education at 2-year postgraduate courses leading to a Master's degree.
The department was one of the pioneers in Russia which start offering Master programs in mathematics, computer science, mechanics, mathematics and applied mathematics, mechanics and applied mathematics. The first Masters graduated from the department in 1993.
In the USSR and subsequently in Russia, universities serve primarily as educational institutions, in which faculty members rarely do research and focus on training students. Research and graduate training exist in separate research institutions. The main idea of NSU founders was to combine research and education in the University by inviting scientists from the nearby research institutions in Akademgorodok
as part-time university faculty. This allowed students to gain laboratory experience in addition to regular coursework. Additionally, it allowed students to undertake the writing of theses.
This idea propelled NSU toward becoming arguably one of the best Russian universities. However, this design also led to a number of disadvantages. In official ratings of Russian universities NSU is not near the top. This may be attributed to the fact that the ratings do not consider part-time staff and only account for volumes of the university library, while NSU students also have access to a number of institute libraries as well as the large Academy of Sciences Library which is located across the street from the main University building. Another disadvantage is that NSU trains researchers mainly for the Academy of Sciences; therefore, non-science majors are underrepresented in the University. To attempt to correct this imbalance, Law, Medicine, Foreign Languages, and a few other departments were added recently. However, in conditions of post-perestroika
financial crisis in Russian higher education, this innovation has received a great deal of criticism. Critics say that new departments drain money from the science departments from which NSU draws its reputation.
NSU graduates usually receive a Specialist's diploma. Soviet and Russian Specialist's diploma falls between the Western Bachelor's and Master's diplomas. However, since NSU students are required to do research for the last two years of their training and write a thesis, NSU Specialist's diploma is generally accepted as Master's outside of Russia. Some NSU majors grant Bachelor's and Master's diplomas.
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
s Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentiev, Sergei Lvovich Sobolev
Sergei Lvovich Sobolev
Sergei Lvovich Sobolev was a Soviet mathematician working in mathematical analysis and partial differential equations. He was born in St. Petersburg, and died in Moscow.-Work:...
and Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich
Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich
Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich was a mechanics scientist from the Soviet Union. He was a co-founder of Novosibirsk State University.-External links:*http://www.prometeus.nsc.ru/eng/science/schools/xristian/...
in a program of establishing a Siberian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Novosibirsk State University is one of the most famous universities in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, although is somewhat young.
The university is located 20 kilometers from the city of Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
, a cultural and industrial center of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
The total number of students in the year 1999 was 5200.
History
Three fellow members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Lavrentiev, SobolevSergei Lvovich Sobolev
Sergei Lvovich Sobolev was a Soviet mathematician working in mathematical analysis and partial differential equations. He was born in St. Petersburg, and died in Moscow.-Work:...
, and Khristianovich
Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich
Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich was a mechanics scientist from the Soviet Union. He was a co-founder of Novosibirsk State University.-External links:*http://www.prometeus.nsc.ru/eng/science/schools/xristian/...
, decided to bring international level research over the Urals from Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to the vast territories of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. Siberia possessed copious natural resources, but lacked large research institutions which would promote economic development and growth in the region. The idea was implemented with the establishment of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1958 near the large industrial city of Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
. A new academic town (Akademgorodok
Akademgorodok
Akademgorodok , is a part of the Russian city Novosibirsk, located 20 km south of the city center. It is the educational and scientific centre of Siberia...
) started to grow rapidly and half a year later a new university was founded to train young researchers for the newly born science center.
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
(Russian for president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
or chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of a university). The July 20, 1959 issue of the newspaper Pravda
Pravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
reported the opening of the new university and announced admittance with entrance examinations for future students from all over the USSR in the period of August 1 through 20. 139 first-year students were admitted as full-time students and 119 as part-time students. In addition, the best students from other Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
universities were selected as second-year students. The applicants for chemistry and physics accounted for eight and five persons per vacancy respectively, with three persons for mathematics, mechanics and geology.
The official opening of the University took place on September 26, 1959 at the Concert Hall of the Opera and Ballet Theatre
Novosibirsk opera and ballet theatre
Novosibirsk opera and ballet theatre is the most important theatre of Novosibirsk and Siberia. It was completed in February 1944, the first performance being held on May 12, 1945....
in Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
.
First lectures were held in the building of a secondary school, and first dormitories for the students were just tents amidst the forest; but the spirit of novelty and the lust for education and research created a strong motivation among the first students.
At first, the only department of the University, the Department of Natural Sciences, combined Mathematics, Physics, Mechanics, Biology,Chemistry and Geology. Between 1960 and 1967 new departments began to separate into their own disciplines. In December, 1963 the first graduates of the Novosibirsk State University, including 26 physicists, 24 mathematicians and ten researchers in mechanics, received diplomas.
Organization
List of NSU departments:- Department of Mechanics and Mathematics (DMM)
- Department of Physics (DP)
- Department of Natural Sciences (DNS)
- Department of Geology and Geophysics (DGG)
- Department of Economics (DE)
- Department of Information Technologies (DIT)
- Department of Humanities (DH)
- Department of Foreign Languages (DFL)
- Department of Journalism (DJ)
- Department of Psychology (DPs)
- Department of Philosophy (DPh)
- Department of Law (DL)
- Department of Medical Science (DMS)
- Confucius Classroom
Department of Natural Sciences
The Department of Natural Sciences was the only NSU department when the university was founded in 1959. The Department of Mathematics and Mechanics, the Department of Physics and the Department of Geology and Geophysics eventually segregated from the Department of Natural Sciences. Therefore, historically, its curriculum inherited a significant load of Physics and Mathematics courses, which is quite unusual for typical Russian Chemistry and Biology majors. Another reason for this emphasis in exact sciences was that the first deans of the department were prominent soviet physical chemists V. Voevodskii and D. Knorre.The Department of Natural Sciences offers majors in Chemistry and Biology. In five years of training the graduates receive a Specialist's degree. The training program includes two years of research practice in a specific area of Chemistry and Biology with writing a thesis. From 1992 to 2000 a major in Environmental Chemistry (also known as Ecology) was offered based on a 2-level training system (4 years of undergraduate training for Bachelor's degree and 2 years of training for Master's degree). The program was based on the Chemistry major curriculum with addition of extra mathematics, informatics and biology courses. Since 1995 a major in Medical Biology has been offered. The aim of this enterprise was to begin training Research Doctors of Medicine in the department. A state license allowing the training of general practitioners was obtained in 2002 . Finally, in 2004 another new department, the Department of Medicine sprung from the Department of Natural Sciences http://medf.nsu.ru/.
Department of Mathematics and Mechanics
The Department of Mechanics and Mathematics was founded in 1961.http://mmfd.nsu.ru/ Before separating out in the frameworks of a proper department, the training in mathematics and mechanics was offered first at the Natural Sciences Department (1959), then at the Physical Mathematical Department (1960). Since 1976, the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics has conducted training in applied mathematics as well. The founders of the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics were such distinguished scientists as Academicians M.A.Lavrent'ev, I.N.VekuaIlia Vekua
Ilia Vekua Ilia Vekua Ilia Vekua (Georgian: ილია ვეკუა, ; 23 April 1907 in the village of Sheshelety, Kutais Guberniya, Russian Empire (modern day Ochamchira District, Abkhazia, Republic of Georgia – 2 December 1977 in Tbilisi, USSR) was a distinguished Georgian mathematician, specializing in...
, A.I.Mal'tsev
Anatoly Maltsev
Anatoly Ivanovich Maltsev was born in Misheronsky, near Moscow, and died in Novosibirsk, USSR. He was a mathematician noted for his work on the decidability of various algebraic groups...
, and S.L.Sobolev
Sergei Lvovich Sobolev
Sergei Lvovich Sobolev was a Soviet mathematician working in mathematical analysis and partial differential equations. He was born in St. Petersburg, and died in Moscow.-Work:...
.
In the spring of 1991, the Academic Council of the Department came to the decision to accept a 2-level system of training (undergraduate and postgraduate). Having completed the 4-year (undergraduate) program of the Department, students normally submit a thesis or take a final (state) examination in mathematics (about 5 or 10% of graduates) and get a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, applied mathematics and informatics (computer science) or mechanics. About half of the graduates have the opportunity to continue their education at 2-year postgraduate courses leading to a Master's degree.
The department was one of the pioneers in Russia which start offering Master programs in mathematics, computer science, mechanics, mathematics and applied mathematics, mechanics and applied mathematics. The first Masters graduated from the department in 1993.
Education and Research
The Novosibirsk State University is a coeval and a creation of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The "Fathers of Siberian Science" believed that it was impossible to organize a scientific center without solving the problem of training young researchers. On the other hand, almost 80% of the Siberian Branch staff consists of NSU graduates. Journalists still argue whether the Siberian Branch gave birth to the University or the University built up the Siberian Branch.In the USSR and subsequently in Russia, universities serve primarily as educational institutions, in which faculty members rarely do research and focus on training students. Research and graduate training exist in separate research institutions. The main idea of NSU founders was to combine research and education in the University by inviting scientists from the nearby research institutions in Akademgorodok
Akademgorodok
Akademgorodok , is a part of the Russian city Novosibirsk, located 20 km south of the city center. It is the educational and scientific centre of Siberia...
as part-time university faculty. This allowed students to gain laboratory experience in addition to regular coursework. Additionally, it allowed students to undertake the writing of theses.
This idea propelled NSU toward becoming arguably one of the best Russian universities. However, this design also led to a number of disadvantages. In official ratings of Russian universities NSU is not near the top. This may be attributed to the fact that the ratings do not consider part-time staff and only account for volumes of the university library, while NSU students also have access to a number of institute libraries as well as the large Academy of Sciences Library which is located across the street from the main University building. Another disadvantage is that NSU trains researchers mainly for the Academy of Sciences; therefore, non-science majors are underrepresented in the University. To attempt to correct this imbalance, Law, Medicine, Foreign Languages, and a few other departments were added recently. However, in conditions of post-perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
financial crisis in Russian higher education, this innovation has received a great deal of criticism. Critics say that new departments drain money from the science departments from which NSU draws its reputation.
Akademgorodok research institutes associated with NSU
- KutateladzeSamson KutateladzeSamson Semenovich Kutateladze was a Soviet heat physicist and hydrodynamist.-Early life:Kutateladze's parents divorced when he was four, and he was raised by his mother, Aleksandra Vladimirovna, an obstetric nurse...
Institute of Thermal Physics, http://www.itp.nsc.ru/eng/ - Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, http://www.che.nsk.su/index-en.html
- Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, http://www.catalysis.nsk.su/
- N.N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, http://www.nioch.nsc.ru/
- Budker Institute of Nuclear PhysicsBudker Institute of Nuclear PhysicsThe Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics is one of the major centres of advanced study of nuclear physics in Russia. It is located in the Siberian town Akademgorodok, on Academician Lavrentiev Avenue. The institute was founded by Gersh Itskovich Budker in 1959...
, - United Institute of Informatics and Mathematical Geophysics,
- Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, http://www.niboch.nsc.ru/eng_index.html
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, http://www.bionet.nsc.ru/indexEngl.html
- SobolevSobolevSobolev and Soboleva is a popular Russian surname and may refer to the following people:*Leonid Sobolev , Russian general*Sergei Lvovich Sobolev , Russian mathematician...
Institute of Mathematics, http://math.nsc.ru/english.html - Institute of Geology and Mineralogy,
- Institute of Oil and Gas geology and Geophysics,
- United Institute of Automation and Electrometry, http://www.iae.nsk.su/
- United Institute of Semiconductor Physics,
- Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics,
- Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, http://www.kinetics.nsc.ru/indexen.html
- United Institute of Hydrodynamics,
- United Institute of History,
- Philology and Philosophy,
- Institute of Laser Physics,
- Central Siberian Botanical Gardens,
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry,
- Research Institute of Circulation Pathology,
- Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering,
NSU graduates usually receive a Specialist's diploma. Soviet and Russian Specialist's diploma falls between the Western Bachelor's and Master's diplomas. However, since NSU students are required to do research for the last two years of their training and write a thesis, NSU Specialist's diploma is generally accepted as Master's outside of Russia. Some NSU majors grant Bachelor's and Master's diplomas.
Faculty
- Aleksandr Danilovich AleksandrovAleksandr Danilovich AleksandrovAleksandr Danilovich Aleksandrov , and Alexandrov ) , was a Soviet/Russian mathematician, physicist, philosopher and mountaineer.- Scientific career :...
- Gersh BudkerGersh BudkerGersh Itskovich Budker , also named Alexander Mikhailovich Budker, was a Soviet nuclear physicist....
- Boris ChirikovBoris ChirikovBoris Valerianovich Chirikov was an outstanding Soviet and Russian physicist....
- Alexey Okladnikov
- Dmitrii KnorreDmitrii KnorreDmitrii G. Knorre is a chemist and biochemist, specialist in chemical kinetics of complex reactions, bioorganic chemistry, and molecular biology. Corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences since 1968, and academician since 1981...
- Samson Semenovich KutateladzeSamson KutateladzeSamson Semenovich Kutateladze was a Soviet heat physicist and hydrodynamist.-Early life:Kutateladze's parents divorced when he was four, and he was raised by his mother, Aleksandra Vladimirovna, an obstetric nurse...
- Sergei Lvovich SobolevSergei Lvovich SobolevSergei Lvovich Sobolev was a Soviet mathematician working in mathematical analysis and partial differential equations. He was born in St. Petersburg, and died in Moscow.-Work:...
- Sergey Alekseyevich KhristianovichSergey Alekseyevich KhristianovichSergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich was a mechanics scientist from the Soviet Union. He was a co-founder of Novosibirsk State University.-External links:*http://www.prometeus.nsc.ru/eng/science/schools/xristian/...
- Leonid Vitaliyevich Kantorovich
Alumni
- Eugene NalimovEugene NalimovEugene Nalimov is a chess programmer and former Microsoft employee.Starting in 1998, he wrote a tablebase generator which included many different endgames. He received a ChessBase award at the ChessBase meeting in Maastricht in 2002 for his work.Nalimov has an M.Sc. from Novosibirsk State...
- Efim ZelmanovEfim ZelmanovEfim Isaakovich Zelmanov is a Russian mathematician, known for his work on combinatorial problems in nonassociative algebra and group theory, including his solution of the restricted Burnside problem. He was awarded a Fields Medal at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Zürich in...
- Vladimir E. ZakharovVladimir E. ZakharovVladimir Evgen'evich Zakharov is a Soviet and Russian mathematician and physicist. He is currently Regents' Professor of mathematics at The University of Arizona and director of the Mathematical Physics Sector at the Lebedev Physical Institute...
- Anatolii Ivanovich SivkovAnatolii Ivanovich SivkovAnatoly Ivanovich Sivkov is a contemporary Russian painter. Sivkov studied from 1966-73 at the renowned Novosibirsk State University in Akademgorodok , a suburb of Novosibirsk. Sivkov lives and works In St...