The 70th anniversary of the Laboratory
of Theoretical Physics was celebrated
The history of BLTP began in the spring of 1956 and is inextricably united to the process of founding JINR. The initiative to establish an independent theoretical department belonged to the first Director of JINR Dmitry Ivanovich Blokhintsev. Academician Nikolay Nikolaevich Bogolyubov, invited to the post of head, a world-renowned scientist known for his discoveries in the field of quantum field theory and statistical physics, gathered a team of outstanding theoretical physicists.
Opening the anniversary seminar, BLTP Director, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Kazakov recalled the contribution of those people that had stood at the origins of the Laboratory: Mikhail Polivanov, Boris Medvedev, Dmitry Shirkov and other scientists. He presented an overview report on the activities of BLTP. The structure of the division today includes four specialized departments: elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter theory and mathematical physics. In recent decades, the Laboratory has greatly expanded the range of investigations that covers both fundamental areas, including the search for new physics outside the Standard Model and applied tasks related to the investigation of the properties of complex materials and superconducting structures. From 2016 to 2025, the BLTP employees published more than 3300 articles in periodicals, 1500 publications in conference proceedings and over 100 conferences and scientific schools were organized.
"For 70 years, our laboratory has increased from a small team into a large theoretical institute, one of the largest in the world," Dmitry Kazakov emphasized. “With highly qualified personnel and a wide range of investigations, we keep confidently moving forward. Like the entire Institute, BLTP is on the rise today."
An organic addition to the report of Dmitry Kazakov was the speech of the chief researcher at BLTP Gheorghe Stratan. Based on historical data, he focused on a unique pattern: BLTP traditionally acts as a forge of leading personnel for JINR. Most of the directors of the Joint Institute, several principal scientific secretaries and vice directors came from the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics.
On behalf of JINR Directorate, the BLTP staff was congratulated by Director of the Institute, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grigory Trubnikov. He described the Laboratory as the most important intellectual centre and also emphasized its status as one of the most multinational units of JINR, attracting researchers from around the world.
"Today our entire Institute relies on BLTP. You are a reliable foundation of JINR,” Grigory Trubnikov said. “Quoting the Strugatsky brothers, we can say that the main goal of science is human happiness. What happiness is and how it should be described by formulae - they know best in the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics."
The representatives of Laboratories and the JINR Scientific and Technological Library also made congratulatory addresses. The leading researcher at BLTP Ganbold Gurjav conveyed congratulations to Dmitry Kazakov from the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of Mongolia at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Suren Davaa.
The anniversary seminar ended with an award ceremony. Veterans and distinguished employees of the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics were awarded Certificates of honor and awards for many years of conscientious work and significant contribution to the development of science.
JINR Press Office