Colleagues of the outstanding academic recalled his scientific legacy and his contribution to the physics of the extreme states of matter.
“At the time of the most critical changes in Russian science, he was with those critical changes, in the 1990s, it was he who put the development of science on its new, modern foundation,” Alexander Sergeyev, President of the Academy, said in opening the session.
Academician Eduard Son spoke of Vladimir Fortov’s many scientific works and of his contribution to the creation of a unique encyclopedia made up of 26 volumes.
Academician Sergey Adloshin recalled the beginning of Vladimir Fortov’s activity as a scientist in the Academy’s Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics in Chernogolovka, near Moscow.
Viktor Mintsev, corresponding member of the Academy, shared his memories about how Vladimir Fortov worked on ways of transforming the chemical energy of condensed explosives into into electromagnetic energy when they were taking on ambitious scientific tasks.
Participants noted the contributions of Academician Fortov to the academy’s international scientific cooperation. Academician Boris Sharkov spoke of the international projects NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAсility) and FAIR (Facility for Anti-Proton and Ion Research in Europe) which allowed for the integration of the most modern IT technologies in the Russian information sphere.
For his colleagues, he was not only an academic, but also an outstanding individual who life was both impressive and interesting.
“He dealt with the serious problems of theoretical physics, but was at the same time a man of many different aspects – he sailed around Cape Horn in a yacht, spent time in Antarctica and flew in supersonic aircraft,” said Academician Yuri Solmonov.
Other prominent scientists also spoke of Academician Fortov, including Academicians Oleg Petrov, Vladimir Zakharov, Valeriy Bondur and Valentin Parmon.
We are proud that the Global Energy International Prize was among the many awards presented to Vladimir Fortov for his contribution to modern physical and technical science.
In 2013, Academician Fortov was awarded the prize for research into thermophysical properties and powerful impulse energy devices that are used as a basis for the creation of impulse generators, high-current limiters, lightning stroke simulators for high-voltage lines and efficient energy conversion devices.
