Scientific history fragments of the Big physical auditorium of Saratov University. Two Congresses – Two of Vavilovs

Abstract

Purpose. Big physical lecture-hall plays important role in the life of the Saratov State University, founded in 1909. Possessing good acoustics, capacity, thoughtfulness of various details, magnificent interior, it has become the center for conducting scientific events of the highest rank. The purpose of the article is to talk about outstanding events (two scientific congresses) held in the walls of the hall, which had a significant impact on the development and organization of subsequent scientific research in Russia and the world. Methods. When writing an article, the original materials of the congresses, documentary materials, biographical data and memoirs of the participants were systematized. Results. The first considered scientific event, III All-Russian Selection Congress, held in Saratov on June 4–13, 1920 is a golden page in the history of biology. It was at this congress that the brilliant Russian scientist, professor of Saratov University Nikolai I. Vavilov made a presentation entitled «Law of homological series in hereditary variability», which determined the fundamental goal-setting in scientific research in the field of crop production, genetics and selection – the search and selection of cultivated plants with valuable traits). The second resonant event that took place in the Big physical lecture hall was the holding on August 15, 1928 of the final meeting of the VI Congress of Russian Physicists (Volga Congress), one of the leaders of which was the outstandingt organizer of Russian science Sergey I. Vavilov. The congress was organized by the Russian Association of Physicists and completed the 10-year history of its activities. High level of reports which presented at the congress (6 future Nobel laureates took part in it) allows us to consider the congress a kind of physical sciences development «mirror» in the 1920s. In addition, the idea of «decentralization» of physics, promoted by the Russian Association of Physicists, was realized through the organization of specialized scientific institutions in the peripheral cities of the USSR. Conclusion. The publication resurrects significant pages of the history of the Big physical lecture hall of Saratov University as an important scientific communication center of Russia, notes the importance for the modernity of the scientific events that took place in it, led by N.I. and S.I. Vavilovs.

Keywords

• saratov university
• big physical lecture hall
• the third selection congress
• the sixth congress of russian physicists
• nikolai i. vavilov
• sergey i. vavilov