OUTSTANDING PEOPLE OF UKRAINE

In the history of humanity there have always been people whose actions and ideas produced a great impact on the lives of other people. There are a lot of outstanding people famous for their contribution to our science and culture. They are scientists, musicians, experienced and skilled workers of medicine and education.

ü Volodymyr Vernadsky was the first president of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. He was born in 1863. V.Vernadsky was the first in our country to introduce the special method for the solution of geochemical problems. He was the founder of the modern doctrine on the biosphere.

ü Yevhen Paton was the great scientist whom we take pride in. He was born in 1870 in the family of a Russian ambassador and received his education abroad. In 1904 Paton moved to Kyiv to work and teach at the Kyiv Politechnical Institute. He was the first to apply electro-welding in bridge construction. Under his guidance a welded bridge was built across the Dnieper river in Kyiv. In 1930 Paton organized the Research Institute of Electro-welding at the Academy of Science.

ü Mykailo Amosov is well-known Ukrainian surgeon. His name is known not only in our country but all over the world. He was made a revolution in the surgery of heart. He has worked out and carried out a new method of making an operation on heart and lungs.

ü Konstantyn Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935). Ukrainian scientist and inventor in the sphere of air- and rocket dynamics, the founder of the modern Space Engineering. He was the first who grounded the ability of using rockets for interplanet communication, indicated the rational ways of developing space engineering and rocket-building, invented the set of important solutions on the construction of rockets.

ü Vasyl Symonenko is one of the most talented modern Ukrainian poets. His life was very difficult, tragic and short. The poet had followed it for 29 years. But short life doesn’t mean the short memory. He graduated from the faculty of journalism in Kyiv State University after T. Shevchenko. Being a student he wrote a lot of poems: “Swans of Maternity”, “Since Childhood”, “Thief”, etc. After graduating from the University V. Symonenko was appointed to work in Cherkassy Region. He belonged to the generation that is usually called “the children of war”. That is why the problem of war and peace are very often raised in his works.

ü Olexander Dovzhenko (1894-1956). Outstanding Ukrainian writer, script writer and film director. In 1914 he graduated from the Teacher Institute of Glukhov and after graduation worked as a teacher in high elementary school in Zhytomyr. In 1922 he became a Student of Arts in Berlin, where he worked at that time in Soviet Consulate as secretary. Having returned to Kharkiv in 1923, he became the most famous Ukrainian caricaturist and illustrator. After that he made his first film, “Diplomatic Courier’s Bag Nettle”, which was a success. His later films “Earth”, “Arsenal”, “Schors” strengthened his position as a leading Ukrainian script writer and film director. His war experience was reflected in such films as “Mother”, “Night before Battle”, “The Ukraine on Fire”, “The Story of Fiery Years”.

 

UKRAINIAN SCIENCE

 

The first centers of science in Old Rus were monasteries. Kyiv Mohyla Academy was one of such centers in the 17th century. In the 19 th century the Universities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv became noted research centers of Ukraine.

Much credit in the development of Ukrainian science is due to mathematician M. Ostrograds'kyi/1801-1662/ who was born in Poltava and studied at Kharkiv University, linguist Osyp Bodlians'kyi /1808-1877/, Historian V. Antonovych /1834-1908/ who graduated from Kyiv University.

The creation of the Ukrainian Academy of Science in 1916 was an event of great importance. Among its founding members were noted naturalist V. Vernads'kyi and historian M. Hrushevs'kyi.

Associated with the Academy are the names of outstanding scientists O. Potebnia, O. Bohomolets’, M. Kholodnyi, B. Paton.

At present, the National Academy of Science composes 170 research centers. The National Academy of Ukraine ranks with Europe's leading scientific centers. Since 1962 its President has been Boris Paton, a noted scientists and organizer.

A great deal has been done in the leading sciences over the past several years. World priority have first laser data storage, achievements in machine building, rocket and computer technology.

The National Academy of Ukraine maintains international contacts with academies in many countries.

VOLODYMYR VERNADS'KYI /1863-1945/

Volodymyr Ivanovych Vernads'kyi was born on March 12, 1863 in St.Petersburg. His father Ivan V. Vernads'kyi/1821-1884/ was professor of Political economy of Kyiv University.

In 1885 Volodymyr Vernads'kyi graduated from St. Petersburg University. After graduating he did postgraduate work there and in Munich and Paris. In 1891-1911 he taught at Moscow University.

Volodymyr Vernads'kyi had close links to Ukraine. From 1889 to 1918 he spent summer m Poltava Province. In 1890 he researched the soils of Kremenchuk County as a member of V. Dokuchaiev's soil-science expedition.

After the February Revolution of 1917 V. Vernads'kyi was appointed the Russian deputy minister of education. After the Bolshevik coup he fled to Ukraine In 1918 he headed the group of Ukrainian scholars that drafted the project for founding the Ukrainian academy of sciences. In 1918-1919 he served as its first president, and lectured in Kyiv University. In 1919 he became the first Ukrainian Academician.

In 1919, white visiting Rostov, he was unable to return to Ukraine end ended up in the White-controlled Crimea. In 1920 be was a professor and rector of Tauris University in Simferopol’.

In 1921 V. Vernads'kyi returned to Petrograd and organized the Radium Institute there. In 1922 he went to Paris to work with Marie Curie /1867-1934/ in research of radioactivity. In Paris he lectured at the Sorbonne. In 1928 he returned to Russia. From 1928 until his death he directed the Radium Institute and a Laboratory for Geochemical Problems.

Volodymyr Vernads'kyi’s ideas became the core of new directions in geology, mineralogy, and hydrogeology. He is one of the founders of geochemistry and biogeochemistry.

Academician Vemads'kyi is the author of the fundamental studies on Earth, the chemical composition of atmosphere, the role of radioactive elements in the planet’ s evolution.

OLEKSANDR РОТЕBNIA

Oleksandr Potebnia /1635-1891/ was born on September 22, 1835 on his family's farmstead / khutir/ near Havrylivka /now Hryshyne, Sumy Region/ in Poltava Province. He studied law, history and philology in Kharkiv University. He graduated from Kharkiv University in 1856. In 1874 he received his Ph D and became professor of University.

O. Potebnia was very active in the Ukrainophile Kharkiv Hromada. He wrote a primer for Sunday schools and took part in folklore expeditions in Poltava Province.

As a linguist Potebnia spesialized in fore areas: the philosophy of language, the historical phonetics, etymology, and Slavic historical syntax.

О. Potebnia protested against denationalization and the Russification of Ukrainians. He was far ahead of his contemporaries. In 1945 the Institute of Linguistics was named after Oleksandr Potebnia OLEKSANDR BOHOMOLETS

Oleksandr Bobomotels’ /1881-1946/ was born on May 24,1881 in Kyiv. In 1906 he graduated from the medical faculty of Odesa University. After graduating he worked as a lecturer there. He served as professor at Saratov and then Moscow Universities. He was director of the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion in Moscow

In 1931 he moved to Kyiv, where he founded the Institute of Experimental Biology and Pathology and the institute of Clinical Physiology. In 1953 the Bohomolets' Institute of Physiology was formed out of these two institutes.

O. Bohomolets’ was a founder of a large school of pathophysiologists. He developed the hypothesis that the course of a disease and recovery depends on the resistance of organism. He demonstrated that connective tissue has a protective function in organism. He discovered a stimulant of connective tissue, which gained him worldwide fame.

O. Bohomolets’ wrote many works in biology, physiology, and pathology. He was president of the Academy of Science of Ukraine m 1930-46.

YEVHENО. PATON

Yevhen Paton was born on March 4.1870 in Nice. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in Dresden. From 1904 –till 1939 Y Paton was a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Kyiv.

Y Paton made a valuable contribution to the science of building bridges. He was an author of fundamental manuals on the building of bridges.

Later Y. Paton got interested in welding. In 1929 he organized a laboratory of Electric Welding. In 1934 he headed the institute of Welding. He wrote many works in the field of welding and founded the Ukrainian school of welding. In 1945-52 he was vice-president of the Academy of Science of Ukraine.

Prominent Ukrainian scientist in the field of bridge-building and welding Academician Yevhen Oskarowych Paton died on August 12.1953 in Kyiv.

One of the longest bridges across the Dnieper was named after Academician Y. Paton.

BORYS Y. PATON

Borys Yevhenovych Paton was born on November 27, 1918 in Kyiv. He graduated from the Industrial institute in Kyiv in 1941. He worked in the E. Paton Institute of Welding. In 1953 he became director of the institute.

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Prominent Ukrainian scientist in the field of metallurgy and metal engineering, Borys Paton is the author of numerous research discoveries. Based on his findings special electric metallurgy was created. A new type of multilayer wall pipes started being manufactured. The fundamentals of welding in outer space were developed.

In 1962 Academician B. Paton became president of the Academy of Science of Ukraine.

 

UKRAINIAN SCIENTISTS

Physical sciences.

In the field of the physical sciences Ukrainian scientists contributed much into development of world science. Many of them are known to the public at large, but greater part remains unknown.

IVAN PULIUY /1845-1918/ was a noted Ukrainian scientist. He began his road to science on foot from his native village of Hrymailiv In Ternopil area to Vienna where he studied theology.

He wrote in Ukrainian the first textbook on Geometry and the book about stars and planets. His activities prevented him from becoming a lecturer of Kyiv University.

He worked in Vienna in the field of electrical engineering, mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. Besides, Ivan Puliuy was a brilliant polyglot, he knew 15 languages. He was the first to discover invisible rays some decades earlier than Wilhelm Roentgen.

He was the first to study the so-called "cold light". His lamps were much better than Edison's lamps. Ivan Puliuy offered an isolation transformer for telephone exchanges and put into operation a number of power stations with constant current.

OSTAP STASIV /1903-1985/was born in the village of Borshchevychy near Lviv. He graduated from Berlin University where he attended lectures of Max Plank and Albert Einstein. He began a new trend in physics - study of kinetic parameters of defects. He founded in Berlin the Institute of Crystal Physics. With his help liquid hydrogen and helium were obtained.

OLEXANDR SMAKULA /1900-1983/ was born in the village of Dobrovody in Ternopil area. He worked in Germany and USA and made dozens of inventions. His most important discovery was made in 1930. His quantity mathematical correlation is known in physics as Smakula's formula.

OLEKSA BILANIUK /b.1926. / was born in Sianok of Lemky area. In 1962 he proved that there were particles which moved quicker than light. The particles were called tahlons. Oleksa Bilanyuk replenished the theory of Einstein. He has a command of 7 languages and emphasizes his Ukrainian origin. Since 1992 he is a foreign member of the Ukrainian National academy of Science. He addressed Ukrainian scientist to improve their knowledge of English as a universal language of scientific communication.

HEORHII SHARPAK /b.1924/ comes from Rivne Region. When a child he was taken by his parents to France. Since 1954 he has been working in Geneva where he discovered a new type of nuclear particles detector - a multiwire chamber of Sharpak. In 1992 he was awarded for it with a Nobel Prize in physics.

HEORHII GAMOV /1904-1968/ was born in Odessa. In 1928 he used quantum mechanics and explained alpha decay. He developed the cosmological theory of “Primary explosion”. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences /USA/.

OLEH YEFREMENKO /b. in 1922 in Kharkiv/ made an important contribution into explaining of Culon and Boi-Savar laws.

PETRO KAPITSA /1894-1984/ was born in Kronshtadt in the family of Colonel Leonid KAPITSA. His father was a Ukrainian from Volyn region. His mother, Olga, was a daughter of Ieronim Stebnytsky and was born in Volyn region too. Petro Kapitsa often came to his father's native parts. He was a Ukrainian who made a great contribution into development of physics working in England and Russia. He was awarded with the Nobel Prize. The whole world knows Petro Kapitsa as a noted scientist in the field of nuclear physics and technologies of super powerful magnetic fields.

IHOR YUKHNOVSKY was born in 1925 in the village of Kniahynyno in the Rivne area. He graduated from Lviv University in 1951. His basic research concerns the theory of phase transitions.

 

MY NATIVE CITY

1. My native city is Vinnytsya.

2. Here I was born and live now.

3. Vinnytsya is a big administrative, industrial and cultural centre.

4. Vinnytsya is situated on the two banks of the Pivdennny Buh river.

5. It was founded in l363.

6. So, Vinnytsya is more than 600 years old.

7. The population of the city is about 400 000 people.

8 The city is divided into 3 districts; Leninsky, Zamostynsky, and Starogorotsky.

9.Soborna street is almost 1.5 (one and half) kilometers long.

10.It runs between two squares beginning from Kotsyubinsky square and finishing in Gagarin square.

11.The major administrative buildings, cultural and public institutions, business offices are situated in this street.

12.Goods with Vinnytsya trade marks are known throughout Ukraine and in different foreign countries.

13.There are many museums, cinemas, the Drama Theatre in Vinnytsya.

14.There are a lot of monuments, for example the monument to Pyrogov, Kotsyubynskiy, Ivan Bevz in Vinnytsya.

15.Out city is green and clean.

 

MY NATIVE CITY

1. Vinnytsya is a big industrial and cultural center standing on the banks of the river Southern Bug.

2. Its population is about 400 thousand.

3. Vinnytsya is one of the most attractive cities in Ukraine.

4. Vinnytsya is not so old as Kiev. It was founded in 1362.

5. A number of outstanding people lived and worked in Vinnytsa: the great Ukrainian writer Kotsyubynsky, the composer Leontovych, and the scientist Pyrogov.

6. During the Great Patriotic War the city was occupied and almost totally ruined by German fascists. More than 50 years have passed since the war. Nothing in the city reminds us of it.

7. Vinnytsya now is as beautiful as ever.

8. There are many fine streets in the city.

9. The traffic in the city is rather heavy.

10. Various means of transport trams, buses, trolley buses take passengers in all directions.

11. Vinnytsya is a city of higher learning and there are some institutes and universities in it: Medical, Pedagogical, Technical Universities, the branch of Kiev University of Economy and Trade, the Agricultural Academy.

12. There are many places of historical interest: the Historical Museum, the Pyrogov and the Kotsyubynsky Museums and some other places. There is the Ukrainian Drama Theatre in Vinnytsya.

13. Now Vinnytsya is one of the industrial centers of Ukraine.

 

MY NATIVE CITY

Vinnytsya as a small settlement was founded on the picturesque banks of the Pivdenny Buh in the 13th century by Lithuanian Prince Olgert. The history of our land is closely connected with the names of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Ivan Bogun, Maxym Kryvonis, Ustym Karmalyuk and many others outstanding Ukrainian people.

Now Vinnytsya is the centre of one of the 24 regions of Ukraine. It is situated in the central part of Ukraine, it has hilly landscape, total area is 25,6 thousand square kilometres, the population is about 2mln people. The main rivers are the Pivdenny Buh and the Dnister.

The natural resources are the following: the deposits of granite and lime stone, clay, sand and mineral spring water in several places.

The climate of Vinnytsya region is moderately humid. The usual temperature in summer is +22ºC, in winter –6ºC.

As an administrative centre of Ukraine, Vinnytsya is the seat of the local legislative, executive and judicial branches of the power in the region. The head of the Region Rada is Ivanov, the head of the Town Rada is Borys Groyssman.

Vinnytsya is the industrial, transport, agricultural, cultural and educational centre of the region.

The Agricultural Academy, the National Technical University, the Pedagogical University, the University of Trade and Economy, the Medical University educate the specialists almost for every branch of our life.

There are also special secondary schools, which give secondary education in the spheres of technique, bakery, dairy and trade.

Nowadays there are private schools as well as state schools, Lyceums, classic school form where all the children can get their general secondary education.

If you are interested in history it would be useful to visit our museum of Local Lore, which is situated in the centre of Vinnytsya near the Bridge across the Pivdenny Buh. There are expositions devoted to various periods of the development of Vinnytsya.

The citizens of Vinnytsya and the guests of our town like to attend the estate museum of famous doctor Pyrohov, the founder of the battle-field surgery, the scientist and pedagogue. One of the main streets in our town, the Medical University, the region hospital are named after him.

Many our guests enjoy visiting the museum of the classic of Ukrainian Literature, Mychailo Kotsybynskiy. The small white washed house where he lived with his family is in the centre of Vinnytsya. The curator will show you the things belonging to the writer, tell about the family way of life. It was Kotsybynskiy who first thought about the creating of the public library in Vinnytsya. There is a monument to the writer near the house and the street where it stands is named after him.

We call Vinnytsya the cultural centre not only for historical places, museums and monuments, but because we have two theatres, philarmonic society. Our Drama Theatre named after the well-known Ukrainian actor Sadovsky is situated in the centre of Vinnytsya. Theatre-goers can enjoy dramas, comedies, musicals performed by local actor company. So welcome to Vinnytsya!