The Demidov Prize awarded to Yu. Ts. Oganessian
News, 10 February 2020
On 7 February 2020, in the residence of the Head of the Sverdlovsk region in Yekaterinburg, diplomas were awarded to the Demidov Prize laureates of 2019 at the festive ceremony. One of the laureates was Scientific Leader of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions JINR Academician Yuri Tsolakovich Oganessian who has had new element 118 of the Mendeleev Periodic Table named after him.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Demidov Scientific Foundation Academician Gennady Mesyats announced the list of the winners: “The laureates of the Prize are Academician Yuri Oganessian for his outstanding contribution to the discovery of new chemical elements; Academician Alexander Chibilev for the outstanding contribution to the study of Eurasian steppes and the development of the theory and practice of nature protection of Russia; Academician Vyacheslav Rozhnov for his outstanding contribution to the preservation and restoration of the biological diversity of fauna, including rare species; a Member of the Federation Council Eduard Rossel for the invaluable contribution to the preservation of national science, industry and education and the development of the Demidov movement.”
President of the Demidov Scientific Foundation, Governor of the Sverdlovsk region Evgeny Kuyvashev, Demidov Prize laureates of 2019 academicians Yuri Oganessian, Alexander Chibilev, Vyacheslav Rozhnov, Member of the Federation Council Eduard Rossel, Doctor of Economics, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Demidov Scientific Foundation Academician Gennady Mesyats
President of the Demidov Scientific Foundation, Governor of the Sverdlovsk region Evgeny Kuyvashev awarded diplomas to four laureates at the ceremony acknowledged by the scientific community as the most beautiful and iconic. In his welcoming speech he noted, in particular: “Following the tradition, awarding of the Prize coincides with the Day of Russian Science. I congratulate the whole scientific community on this professional holiday. Under modern conditions, science is the basis and the main driving force of social and economic growth, the most significant instrument for ensuring the breakthrough development of Russia. The Sverdlovsk region is one of the most science-driven regions of Russia. We are ranked 6th in Russia in terms of the number of advanced technologies created for the industry. The priority national project “Nauka” is designed to provide necessary conditions for large-scale scientific research and the implementation of the task set by Russian President Vladimir Putin – “to become leaders in the scientific and technological fields who will determine the future of the whole world and Russia.” Among its events, honouring of the Demidov Prize winners takes a special place. It is the honouring of people who are an example of responsibility and wisdom, high demands to themselves, honest service to their chosen field.”
“I express my gratitude to representatives of the Demidov Scientific Foundation for paying attention to our work,” Academician Yuri Oganessian said in his response.
The awarding ceremony was traditionally held with the presence of Federal authorities, a diplomatic corp, members of the Government and the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk region, business communities, RAS academicians, heads of educational institutes of the Sverdlovsk region.
Congratulating the laureates, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk region Lyudmila Babushkina noted: “The main purpose of the Demidov Prize is to attract attention of the community to scientific works and achievements of the laureates, to the importance of Russian science. Each laureate is a larger-than-life personality, and their works are our national treasure.”
It should be reminded that the Demidov Prize was first awarded in St. Petersburg in 1832. One of its laureates was Dmitry Mendeleev. In 1993, the International Demidov Foundation revived the awarding of Demidov Prizes.
The interview with Demidov Prize laureates 2019 in the newspaper “Poisk”
About the Prize
The Demidov Prize was established in 1831 by Ural industrialist Pavel Demidov. Until 1866, the prize was awarded annually on 17 April, on the birthday of Emperor Alexander II. It was considered as the most prestigious non-governmental award in Russia. In 1993, on the initiative of the Ural branch of RAS and local entrepreneurs, the tradition was revived in Yekaterinburg. National non-governmental Demidov Prizes are awarded for personal significant contribution to several fields: earth sciences, physics and mathematics, economics and entrepreneurship, humanities.
Laureates are selected by a survey among specialists in each field. Five commissions and the committee on prizes, which includes the most prominent scientists of Russia, make the final decision. Funds for the payment of prizes come from the Demidov Scientific Foundation. Each winner receives a diploma, a gold medal in the unique malachite case-box and 1million rubles (annually corrected).
In different years, the winners of the Demidov Prize were Andrey Gaponov-Grekhov, Nikolay Laverov, Zhores Alferov, Andrey Zaliznyak, Ludwig Faddeev, Gennady Mesyats, Vladimir Fortov and other outstanding scientists.
Sources: midural.ru, sib-science.info
Photos: Department of information policy of the Sverdlovsk region