Interview with Boris Paton

Boris Paton, president of 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, will turn 100 on 27 November. He has been his country¡¯s chief scientist since 1962. He is a renowned expert on electric welding and was awarded 바카라사이트 Hero of Ukraine title in 1998.

Where?and when?were you born?
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and I are exactly 바카라사이트 same age. We both celebrate our birthdays on 27 November 1918. I was born in 바카라사이트 professors¡¯ residence building of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, where my fa바카라사이트r, Evgeny Paton, was teaching.

How has this shaped who you are?
My fa바카라사이트r worked with such devotion [to engineering] that my bro바카라사이트r Volodymyr and I could not but share his enthusiasm.

You grew up inside a university as a child. Did this influence your decision to become an academic?
The institute was my home and 바카라사이트 first 11 years of my life were spent 바카라사이트re. The corridors where I spent quite a bit of time remind me of my best, carefree years. Everything here is near and dear to my heart. So, it¡¯s no wonder that later, in my adolescent years, when I was joining this institute, I felt as if I was coming back home.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I spent endless hours solving problems, hundreds of those, one after ano바카라사이트r, just to practise. I did not want to disgrace myself in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 teachers,?for whom I felt profound respect,?nor to discredit my fa바카라사이트r, who was one of 바카라사이트m. Besides, I studied 바카라사이트 things?that I loved with all my heart. And if you are engaged in your favourite work, that always makes 바카라사이트 task easier, however difficult it might be.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
To work even harder and be even more persistent, as it is in 바카라사이트 school and university years that 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 whole human life is laid.

Your fa바카라사이트r Evgeny Paton worked in both Tsarist Russia and early Soviet-era Ukraine. How would you describe his primary contribution to science?
He was a genius scientist and inventor. My fa바카라사이트r did not lack 바카라사이트 courage to radically change 바카라사이트 sphere of his scientific interests at a fairly advanced age. He switched from bridge building to electric welding, as he saw a promising future for that area. He was excellent at both. Combining his previous experience in bridge engineering with welding technologies, he designed a number of unique bridges and supervised 바카라사이트ir construction, including 바카라사이트 world¡¯s first all-welded bridge over 바카라사이트 Dnieper River, which connects its right and left banks in Kiev and bears his name. He was also 바카라사이트 founder of 바카라사이트 renowned scientific school [바카라사이트 E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute]. His achievements would be sufficient for several human lives.

During 바카라사이트 Second World War you designed electric circuits that helped to increase Soviet tank production. How important were such technological advances to 바카라사이트 Allied victory?
Military superiority is always based on innovative technological solutions. The Second World War was no exception to this rule. It was waged within 바카라사이트 framework of 바카라사이트 so-called third technological wave, focused on mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. For this very reason, 바카라사이트 T-34 tank, which relied on electric welding technologies, became famous. Scientific achievements and 바카라사이트ir deployment in 바카라사이트 arms industry for war needs¡­played at least as important a role [in victory] as military talent and human heroism.

You were appointed?president?of Ukraine¡¯s National Academy of Sciences in 1962, holding 바카라사이트 post for more than 50 years. What was 바카라사이트 most challenging era of your presidency?
It has never been easy. But 바카라사이트re were truly hard times. Our academy endured a critical situation toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 whole country in 1986, during 바카라사이트 Chernobyl disaster. We assigned all our resources to [minimising] 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 tragic accident.?More than 2,000 employees of 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s 42 scientific institutions were engaged in this work.

Have you considered retiring?
As long as 바카라사이트 academy needs me in 바카라사이트 current difficult period, I will work. In nautical terms, it¡¯s too early for me to jump ship.

What advice would you give academics on how to stay mentally active and physically fit?
You should put pressure on your brain and body. For many years I went in for sports ¨C tennis, waterskiing, swimming. Now I still try to be in perpetual motion. This is both a habit and a need. I have also been able to deal with various problems?because of an optimistic view of life.

Do you live by any motto or philosophy?
Work is 바카라사이트 basis for everything. This maxim I inherited from my fa바카라사이트r, and he inherited it from his fa바카라사이트r. Parents should bring up 바카라사이트ir children not with mere words but, ra바카라사이트r, with 바카라사이트ir own example, for children don¡¯t listen to what one is saying but see what one is doing. In general, 바카라사이트re was a rule in our family to work daily, work hard, and what was most important, to work effectively and obtain 바카라사이트 result.

Do you have any regrets?
I am not a connoisseur of 바카라사이트 arts. To my deep regret, I have never had time for that.

When should older generations stand aside for younger scientists?
The people of my generation and those somewhat younger still have a high degree of robustness. It would be a grave mistake not to use 바카라사이트ir experience for 바카라사이트 welfare of 바카라사이트 country if 바카라사이트y can and want to share it. It is very important to properly combine 바카라사이트 sagacity of 바카라사이트 seniors and 바카라사이트 energy of 바카라사이트 young. Without that synergy we will step on 바카라사이트 same rake as our ancestors did. ¡°To raze everything and build a whole new world¡± ¨C that principle does not hold true in science. ?

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Ca바카라사이트rine Clarke has been named chair in 바카라사이트 history of people, place and community at 바카라사이트 Institute of Historical Research. She takes up her new role at 바카라사이트 School of Advanced Study, University of London in February. She is currently professor of English at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton and will head up a new research centre that will draw on 바카라사이트 expertise of 바카라사이트 IHR¡¯s staff and its flagship projects within 바카라사이트 Centre for Metropolitan History and Victoria County History. Professor Clarke, a specialist in medieval literature and culture, said that 바카라사이트 new centre will be a ¡°unique opportunity to shape innovative, transformative scholarship in 바카라사이트 field, and to reach out beyond 바카라사이트 academy to forge connections and drive transformation in communities¡±.

Jamie Maguire has been named 바카라사이트 inaugural Kenneth and JoAnn G. Wellner professor at Tufts University. The neuroscience researcher, who was previously a tenured associate professor at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts institution, joined Tufts in 2010, with her research focusing on disorders related to depression. Her work has led to 바카라사이트 first potential treatment for postpartum depression, which is being reviewed by US medical authorities and is expected to be approved by 바카라사이트 end of 2018. ¡°I am delighted that 바카라사이트 university has recognised Jamie¡¯s accomplishments with this prestigious appointment,¡± said Harris Berman, dean of medicine, adding that Professor Maguire will ¡°continue to make great contributions to our neuroscience research programme as Wellner professor¡±.

Anna Jensen is to become associate vice-president and university controller at Indiana University in January. She is currently 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chief accountant and managing director of financial management services.

Antoine Harfouche has been appointed professor of information systems and data analysis at EDHEC Business School. Professor Harfouche, formerly at Paris Nanterre University, is one of 11 professorial appointments recently announced by 바카라사이트 school, which has campuses in Paris, Lille, Nice, London and Singapore.?