The History of the Development of Science in the Kyrgyz Republic
Science in Kyrgyzstan
The concept of science emerged in Kyrgyzstan only after the Great October Socialist Revolution. The scientists of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR played an important role in the establishment and development of research work.
During the Great Patriotic War, scientists in Kyrgyzstan, along with researchers from the scientific institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, addressed important issues of defense and national economic significance. Thanks to their efforts, in 1943, the Kyrgyz branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was established, headed by the laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, Hero of Socialist Labor, Academician K. I. Skryabin.
The rapid growth of the economy and culture of the Kyrgyz people soon allowed for a significant new step in the development of science in Kyrgyzstan: in December 1954, the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR was founded.
Of nearly 4,000 people working at the Academy of Sciences of the republic, over 1,500 are research staff. Among them are 88 doctors and 550 candidates of sciences, 28 full members and 37 corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR, 1 academician of VASKHNIIL, 1 academician of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, and 1 corresponding member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR.
The first buildings of the complex of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR were constructed in 1963, designed by architects Yu. Bilinsky and A. Bocharov.
The team from the Frunze Design Bureau of the Institute of Space Research of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR participated in the largest international experiment "Vega," and also carried out developments for other important space programs, particularly the Soviet-Czechoslovak experiment "Intershock."
Remarkable preparations have been created in Kyrgyzstan. These are adaptogens—medications that help a person quickly acclimatize to extreme conditions, orient themselves in them, and endure them more easily. They are successfully used by cosmonauts. Kyrgyz scientists were awarded medals named after Academician S. P. Korolev by the Federation of Cosmonautics for their scientific and practical contributions to space exploration.
The republican society "Knowledge" included 2,070 doctors and candidates of sciences, 2,800 engineers and technicians, 2,600 agricultural specialists, more than 3,000 economists and lawyers, and about 6,000 school teachers and vocational school instructors. Prominent scientists of the republic conducted extensive lecture work among the population—Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR M. M. Mirrahimov, who was awarded the medal named after S. I. Vavilov for his lecturing work, the Deputy Director of the Kyrgyz Scientific Research Institute of Economics and Organization of Agricultural Production, Professor E. I. Arabayev, and others.
Fifteen academic institutes and several scientific divisions were working on 160 topics across 83 problems in the fields of natural, technical, and social sciences, as well as completing tasks for 26 scientific and technical programs of state, republican, and departmental plans.
The State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the USSR for Inventions and Discoveries registered the discovery of "The Phenomenon of Natural Separation of Uranium-234 and Uranium-238" (authors: Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR P. I. Chalov and Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences V. V. Cherdyncev). This discovery is widely used in science and practice, both in our country and abroad, particularly in the USA, Japan, and Austria.
Scientists in Kyrgyzstan have achieved significant success in studying the structure of the Earth's crust and identifying precursors of earthquakes. The team at the Institute of Seismology, led by Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR K. E. Kalmurzaev, created a composite year graph of the main seismic waves from earthquakes in Central Asia. Maps of seismic zoning of the territory of the republic have been compiled.
Jointly with the Institute of Earth Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and scientists from the USA, research is being conducted on the problem of "dam" earthquakes in the Toktogul hydrojunction area.
The scientific school in Kyrgyzstan for drilling machine engineering was one of the leading ones in the Soviet Union. A group of scientists was awarded the State Prize of the Kyrgyz SSR in 1976, and its scientific leader, Academician O. D. Alimov, received the State Prize of the USSR.
During its existence, the Institute of Organic Chemistry has received 165 author certificates and 9 patents.
Under the leadership of Academicians N. I. Zaharev, A. A. Volkova, M. N. Lushchikhin, and V. G. Yakovlev, major research has been conducted, the results of which have been applied in agriculture. For example, a method for combating necrobacteriosis has been developed, allowing for a 30-fold reduction in sheep morbidity.
Only between 1971 and 1977, 220 proposals and practical recommendations developed by the scientists of the republic were implemented in the national economy, with a total economic effect of 60 million rubles.
The achievements of the scientists of Soviet Kyrgyzstan were recognized by the Soviet government. For their successes in the development of science, the Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1967, and the Institute of Geology in 1969. In 1975, for its contributions to the development of Soviet science, the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples.
The name of the distinguished scientist of the RSFSR, full member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, VASKHNIIL, and the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, K. I. Skryabin, is associated with the establishment of the headquarters of national science in Kyrgyzstan—the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR. From 1943 to 1952, he served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Kyrgyz branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. At his initiative, a special helminthological laboratory was created, and significant work was carried out to improve the activities of scientific institutions and prepare specialists for the republic.
K. I. Skryabin was awarded the title of Honored Scientist of the Kyrgyz SSR and was elected an honorary academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR. The Kyrgyz Agricultural Institute is named after him.
