Vladimir Yevgenyevich Fortov (Russian: Владимир Евгеньевич Фортов; 23 January 1946 – 29 November 2020) was a Russian physicist and politician who served as director of the Joint Institute for High Temperatures (1992–2013) and as president of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2013–2017).[1] His research was in thermal physics, shock waves and plasma physics.

Vladimir Fortov
Владимир Фортов
Fortov in 2013
President of the Russian Academy of Sciences
In office
29 May 2013 – 22 March 2017
Preceded byYury Osipov
Succeeded byValery Kozlov (acting),
Alexander Sergeev
Deputy Chairman of the Government
In office
17 August 1996 – 17 March 1997
Minister of Science and Technology of the Russian Federation
In office
17 August 1996 – 25 July 1998
Personal details
Born(1946-01-23)23 January 1946
Noginsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died29 November 2020(2020-11-29) (aged 74)
Central Clinic and Hospital, Moscow, Russia
Alma materMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology
ProfessionAcademic of Russian Academy of Sciences

Biography

edit

Fortov studied physics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, graduating in 1968. In 1971, he received his Candidate of Sciences degree, and in 1976 the Doctor of Sciences degree. He was a professor at the same university from 1982. Between 1971 and 1986 Fortov was employed at the Institute of Chemical Physics in Chernogolovka, and between 1986 and 1992, still being a part-time researcher at the same institution, he was also employed by the Joint Institute for High Temperatures. In 1992, he was appointed the director of this institute.[2]

From 1993 to 1997, Fortov was the chairman of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the governmental organization responsible for funding fundamental research. In 1996, he also became a chairman of the State Committee of Science and Technology, and later a minister of science and technology. The government he was a part of retired in 1998.[2]

According to the law, the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences is formally appointed by the President of the Russian Federation. Vladimir Putin, who at the time was the president of Russia, only signed the appointment of Fortov on 8 July 2013.[3] On 20 March 2017, elections for the president of the Academy were scheduled, and Fortov ran as one of the three candidates. Unexpectedly the previous day all candidates retracted their nominations, and the elections were canceled.[4] On 22 March, Fortov resigned, citing health issues, and Valery Kozlov was appointed acting president.[5][6] Fortov's research was in the areas of thermal physics, shock waves, and plasma physics. He was involved with applications, in particular, to energy production.[7]

Fortov died on 29 November 2020, in Moscow, after being infected with COVID-19.[8]

Recognition

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Владимир Фортов избран президентом Российской академии наук (in Russian). ITAR-TASS. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b Владимир Евгеньевич Фортов (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  3. ^ Президент Путин утвердил Владимира Фортова в должности президента Российской академии наук (in Russian). Echo of Moscow. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  4. ^ O. Dobrovidova (27 March 2017). "Election chaos at Russian Academy of Sciences". Nature. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Валерий Козлов назначен исполняющим обязанности президента РАН" (in Russian). Kommersant. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  6. ^ "President of Russian Academy of Sciences Relieved of Duties". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  7. ^ Объединенный институт высоких температур РАН (ОИВТ РАН) (in Russian). ОЭММПУ РАН. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. ^ Скончался болевший коронавирусом экс-глава РАН Фортов [Corona-infected ex-head of the RAS (Russian academy of sciences) has died] (in Russian). Interfax. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Путин наградил главу РАН орденом "За заслуги перед Отечеством" II степени".
  10. ^ Wagner, F. (2003). "Award of the 2003 Hannes Alfvén Prize of the European Physical Society to Professor Vladimir Evgenievitch Fortov". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 45 (12A). doi:10.1088/0741-3335/45/12A/E02.