Remembering Evgeny Petrovich
Under E. P. Zhidkov, the JINR Computing Centre was established that became the basis for the Laboratory of Computer Engineering and Automation, founded in 1966, the current Laboratory of Information Technologies named after M. G. Meshcheryakov of JINR.
E. P. Zhidkov was born in Kuibyshev (Samara), where his childhood and youth passed. He received his higher education at the Kuibyshev Aviation Institute and later, at the Kuibyshev State Pedagogical Institute that he graduated from with honors in 1948. He was recommended and entered the graduate school of the Mechanics and Mathematics Department of Moscow State University to I. G. Petrovsky, where he attended seminars of outstanding mathematicians I. G. Petrovsky, S. L. Sobolev, A. N. Kolmogorov, A. N. Tikhonov.
After having successfully defended his thesis in 1952 and two years of work in one of the Moscow research institutes, where the first universal serial computer "Strela" had been designed, as well as a number of special computers, Evgeny Petrovich began teaching activities as an assistant professor at MEPhI, for many years taught courses in various areas of mathematics. At the same time, he participated in meeting relevant applied problems entrusted to the Institute. MEPhI revealed his brilliant talent as a teacher-lecturer that enjoys constant recognition among students throughout his subsequent work on the education of young personnel in other universities in Russia.
In 1959, E.P. Zhidkov was invited to work at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research to organize mathematical and computational support for physical research. At the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, on behalf of D. I. Blokhintsev and N. N. Bogolyubov, Evgeny Petrovich headed the Department of Computational Mathematics and Counting Machines. It is significant that a number of MEPhI graduates - former students of E. P. Zhidkov took the positions of leading computer electronics specialists at JINR. At the same time, he invited graduates of the Mechanics and Mathematics Department of Moscow State University to work.
In 1963-1966, Evgeny Petrovich headed the development of a computing centre - mathematical divisions that provide theoretical calculations and processing of experimental data, as well as a computer system with mathematical support developed by that time that refers to experimental facilities. The 60th anniversary of the Computer Engineering and Automation Laboratory organized on its basis is celebrated this year. Thanks to the activities of E. P. Zhidkov, LCTA, today MLIT, has become a centre for the development of computational techniques, mathematical simulation and computer mathematical support, recognized both in Russia and around the world.
At LCTA, Evgeny Petrovich headed the Department of Computational Mathematics. The range of his scientific interests was very diverse. The main focus of his scientific activity was nonlinear analysis in mathematical models of physics, including the development of new numerical techniques. We are mentioning only some areas developed by the investigations of E. P. Zhidkov and his students: nonlinear ordinary differential equations, integral equations and partial differential equations, including problems with small parameters used in nonlinear field models of the microcosm, as well as in problems of movement and withdrawal of particles in electrophysical facilities; direct and inverse problems for radial equations of the Schrodinger type in theoretical physics, the investigation of incorrect problems; grid techniques and techniques for refining grid solutions as applied to singular models in physics, including magnetostatics problems; approximate computation of continuals integrals. For all these areas, mathematical investigations and justifications of numerical techniques were carried out, iterative techniques for meeting nonlinear problems were developed, among which a continuous analogue of Newton's method has a special place. E. P. Zhidkov also studied the problems of economics, ecology and biophysics.
In 1970, he defended his doctoral thesis "Some nonlinear problems of modern physics and mathematical methods for meeting them". In total, E. P. Zhidkov published more than 400 articles in Russian and foreign publications on the problems of numerical analysis and mathematical simulation of applied problems. In 1989, a series of papers on scientific and technical applied topics "Techniques of numerical simulation, programme complexes and computer calculations of magnetic systems of electrophysical facilities" by E. P. Zhidkov, E. A. Ayryan, P. G. Akishin, Z. V. Borisovskaya, S. B. Vorozhtsov, B. N. Khoromsky, I. A. Shelaev, I. P. Yudin, O. I. Yuldashev was awarded the JINR Prize. This cycle included 44 publications dedicated to the development of computational algorithms based on volumetric integral equations, boundary integral equations, differential equations, united systems of equations containing differential and boundary integral equations, the development of programme complexes and calculations of electrophysical facilities.
Evgeny Petrovich has always extensively collaborated with scientists from other JINR laboratories and other institutes. He did much work as a member of the editorial board of the journal “Computational mathematics and mathematical physics” and the journal “Mathematical models and computer simulation”.
Working at JINR, E. P. Zhidkov did not leave pedagogical activity either. From 1965 to 1999, he was a professor at MEPhI, from 1962 to 2001, he was a professor at the Physics Department of Moscow State University, where for many years he taught a course in computational mathematics for students of the Department of Nuclear Physics. Evgeny Petrovich collaborated with Dubna University, was also a professor at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Scientific Leader of the Research Laboratory of Computational Physics and Mathematical Simulation and Chairman of the Council of the Physics and Mathematics School at JINR. From 1975 to 2000, he was a member of the specialized council for the defense of doctoral theses of the Physics Department of Moscow State University. In the specialized Scientific Council of LCTA/MLIT for the defense of theses that Evgeny Petrovich headed, becoming the successor to Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences M. G. Meshcheryakov, many today’s famous Russian and foreign scientists have defended their theses. He was also active in leading scientific conferences. The result of the great scientific, organizational and pedagogical work of E. P. Zhidkov was the establishment of a powerful school of applied mathematicians. Under his supervision, about 50 master's theses were defended, seven of his students became Doctors of Sciences.
The merits of E. P. Zhidkov to Russian science and education were awarded the Orders of the Red Banner of Labor and Friendship of Peoples, Medals of the USSR, as well as foreign awards: the Silver Cross of the Order of Merit of Polish People’s Republic, the Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and two orders of Cyril and Methodius, the Medal of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia, the Medal of Bratislava University and the Medal of the Technical University of Kosice in Slovakia. E. P. Zhidkov was awarded the title of Honorary Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Honorary Employee of JINR.
Evgeny Petrovich was a wonderful family man. He treated his wife Veronika Petrovna tenderly, loved his children - Irina and Petya and put his whole soul into his beloved grandson Andrey, Irina's son. Evgeny Petrovich was remembered by everyone as a friendly and sociable person. He appreciated a good joke and could make a witty joke himself. He was very fond of chess. Most chess tournaments in Dubna were held with his participation, where he always won prizes, most often the first. Colleagues gratefully recall his tradition - to invite during a lunch break to his office for a tea party, where not only scientific problems were discussed. Evgeny Petrovich was a great lover of water travel...
E. P. Zhidkov passed away on 9 April, 2007. For the anniversary seminar of MLIT dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Evgeny Petrovich, former Bulgarian employees of LCTA Racho Denchev, Stefka Dimova, Raicho Lazarov, Hristo Semerdzhiev, Evgeny Hristov, Tatiana Chernogorova sent memoirs that in particular, say, "To us, Bulgarian specialists, Evgeny Petrovich treated with great warmth, care, understanding and always offered his help as a supervisor, consultant and administrator. It is difficult to list the names of all Bulgarian scientists and specialists that received help and scientific guidance from Evgeny Petrovich. But of course, his help and all kinds of support were decisive for the defense of doctoral theses by R. Lazarov, M. Kaschiev, E. Khristov, Hr. Semerdzhiev, S. Dimova. We, Bulgarian specialists and scientists in the field of computational mathematics and mathematical simulation, are celebrating the 95th anniversary of the birth of Evgeny Petrovich with recognition of his outstanding achievements in science and with great gratitude for his significant contribution to the development of the scientific potential of Bulgaria."
Memoirs of E. P. Zhidkov of his students and colleagues at JINR were published in the “Vestnik RUDN. Series: Mathematics. Computer science. Physics." No. 3‑4 of 2007 and are posted on the website of RUDN University https://journals.rudn.ru/miph/article/view/51135/27306.
Friends and colleagues