A year ago, Yuri Alekseevich Ryzhov, honorary academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian ambassador and public figure, died. A scientist who has devoted his life to research in the field of fluid and gas mechanics. He began his career as a student and did not stop until his death.
Childhood and school years
Yuri Alekseevich Ryzhov was born on October 28, 1930 in Moscow. He studied at the oldest Medvednikovskaya gymnasium in the same class as the famous mathematician and physicist Maslov. The boys were friends and often prepared for lessons together. Among classmates, they stood out for their special abilities, so they were very interested in the two.
In addition to other subjects, the school introduced the study of two foreign languages - German and French, which, according to Yuri Alekseevich, were not useful to him. But already in adulthood, academician Ryzhov had to study English. Since childhood, the hero of this article was fond of mathematics and physics, loved to design and read books. A little later, he seriously became interested in astronomy and dreamed of learning the secrets of the universe.
Hidden talents
Among other talents, academician Ryzhov was absolutely left-handed. He was repeatedly compared with the genius - Leonardo da Vinci for the unique ability of symmetrical writing with both hands. Since left-handedness was considered a deviation in the Soviet school, children were retrained and forced to write with their right, “normal” hand. So Yuri Alekseevich Ryzhov learned to fully use both hands, which means to use two hemispheres. He knew how to write symmetrically with both hands.
Student years
After graduating from school perfectly, the future academician Yu. Ryzhov dreamed of a serious profession and decided to enter a prestigious university - the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Young Ryzhov brilliantly coped with the introductory campaign and was enrolled in the faculty of aeromechanics. The biography of academician Yuri Ryzhov, starting with the second year of MIPT, is connected with research activities.
He quickly became one of the best students of the faculty. As a sophomore, he entered the TsAGI Research Institute Zhukovsky. The young genius was studying air-to-ground-air missiles, namely, their aeromechanics.
In 1958, the young scientist, future academician Yu. Ryzhov, was noticed by the scientist G.I. Petrov. He noted his outstanding abilities and offered him a place in his laboratory. Student Ryzhov became an employee of the Research Center. M.V. Keldysh.
Brilliant career at MAI
In 1960, Yuri Alekseevich joined the CPSU, and the next year he quit his previous job, as he received an offer to take the position of assistant professor of the Moscow Aviation Institute. Here, great prospects opened up before him. He made a brilliant career at the institute. Very quickly he became a professor and then vice-rector of the Moscow Aviation Institute.
Academician Ryzhov is not only an excellent scientist, but also an excellent leader. Back in 1982, he got from the Ministry that the first computer was allocated to the faculty. It was a curiosity, but even one machine significantly affected the quality of education. A little later, at the urgent requests of academician Ryzhov, the latest American-made computers were brought to the institute. In 1992, he quit the MAI, but in 1999 he returned, but already to the post of rector of the institute. From 2003 to 2017, he served as head of the department of aerodynamics of aircraft.
Scientific activity of academician Ryzhov
While still a student, Yuri Alekseevich became interested in the study of the aerodynamics of supersonic speeds. Later, he defended his doctoral dissertation and became a doctor of technical sciences. From 1987 until his death, Academician Ryzhov was a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
In the 1980s, the Ministry defended the project of resuming aeronautics in the country. According to his drawings, an aircraft was developed, which was never launched into the air. With the onset of the economic crisis, the project was curtailed. But this development of academician Ryzhov was discussed in the scientific world around the globe.
Ryzhov later returned to his dream and developed a new, unique airship. However, this project was frozen due to financial savings. During his life, Yuri Alekseevich made many discoveries in aerodynamics, he studied the interaction of atomic particles with the surface. Many works of the scientist are devoted to the dynamics of rarefied gas. For his contribution to the development of science, Academician Ryzhov has been awarded many prizes and awards, including the Order of Merit for the Fatherland and the State Prize of the President of the Russian Federation.
Social and political activities of the scientist
The academician was very respected in the government. Since 1989, he became a People’s Deputy of the USSR, and since 1992 he was a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council. In 1991, Ryzhov took up the post of head of the USSR Council for Science, Education and the Newest Technologies. From 1992 to 1998, Yuri Ryzhov was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to France.
Despite the prestige of his position, in 1999 he decided to return to his native Aviation Institute. Even under Yeltsin, Academician Ryzhov became a member of the Presidential Council. In addition to the country's economy, his social interests included social security.
Ryzhov twice refused the offer to take the post of prime minister. In 2010, the opposition party proposed to nominate him for the presidency, but he categorically refused.
In early 2015, Academician Ryzhov spoke out that Russia is in a social decline and is on the verge of a terrible crisis. The scientist dreamed of changing life for the better. But much he did not manage to bring to the end.
Academician of the RAS Yuri Ryzhov died July 29, 2017. He lived a long and eventful life, forever entering the history of Russian science.