80th anniversary of the Faculty of Radiophysics celebrated at Lobachevsky University

The Academic Council of the Radiophysics Faculty convened at Lobachevsky University to celebrate the faculty's 80th anniversary. The event gathered alumni from various years, current students, and faculty members. UNN Rector Oleg Trofimov delivered a welcoming address to the attendees of the ceremony. In his remarks, he highlighted the faculty's significant contribution to the university's history and noted that the Radiophysics Faculty was among the pioneers in establishing the university's scientific traditions, with its graduates gaining recognition well beyond the region.

"The eightieth anniversary is an important milestone, a reason to be proud of the heritage and think about the future. The Faculty of Radiophysics actively cooperates with the Russian Academy of Sciences, develops key areas, and, most importantly, continues to educate the younger generation of researchers capable of making a real contribution to the development of science," Oleg Trofimov noted.

In recognition of the substantial contribution to the advancement of science and education, Oleg Trofimov, Rector of UNN, awarded the Radiophysics Faculty team with a certificate of appreciation.

During the event, Valery Matrosov, Dean of the Radiophysics Faculty, shared the history of the faculty’s establishment on June 29, 1945. He emphasised that it was the country’s first Faculty of Radiophysics, with its founders having created a distinctive educational system. The curriculum was designed to train highly skilled physicists specializing in radio, capable of carrying out scientific research using radio equipment and methods, as well as developing new technology based on cutting-edge physics discoveries. Maria Grekhova, who served as the first dean, played a pivotal role in the faculty’s founding.

Over the 80 years of its history, the Radiophysics Faculty has trained 11,945 professionals, including 10 academicians, 7 corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Honoured Workers of Science, and 90 Lenin and State Prize laureates. Today, the Faculty of Radiophysics comprises 11 departments. Currently, the faculty has more than 1,000 students.

Graduates of the Radiophysics Faculty from various years also attended the event. Roman Strongin, President of UNN, who graduated from the faculty with honours in 1962, was among the guests of honour. In his speech, he emphasised the importance of the faculty as the region’s scientific and educational base, with some truly outstanding scientists of the country working there. Roman Strongin noted that in December 1945, the famous scientist, later Nobel Prize winner and academician Vitaly Ginzburg moved from Moscow to Gorky to organise the Department of Radio Wave Propagation which he headed from 1946 to 1960. According to Roman Strongin, Ginzburg was one of those who laid the foundation for teaching at the Faculty of Radiophysics, formulated the methodological principles and main research directions that became the basis of the Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky) school of radiophysics, played a key role in creating a unique education system at the faculty. Besides him, a group of prominent Moscow scientists joined the university, including A.A. Andronov, M.T. Grekhova, G.S. Gorelik, V.I.Gaponov. They laid the foundation for active scientific research in the field of radiophysics and electronics in Nizhny Novgorod.

"One can confidently state that the Faculty of Radiophysics has turned into a true world-class educational powerhouse," Roman Strongin noted in his closing remarks.

Congratulations to the Faculty of Radiophysics were presented by its alumni, RAS academicians Alexander Litvak, Grigory Denisov, Zakhary Krasilnik, and others.

At the end of the event, its participants expressed their confidence that the traditions established over the 80 years of the faculty's history would be preserved and actively developed, and that the Faculty of Radiophysics would remain the core of the university's scientific and educational life, shaping the face of the Nizhny Novgorod school of radiophysics and ensuring the continuity of generations of researchers.