Ye.О. Paton

The 150th anniversary of the birthday

Abstract

Yevhen Paton is an outstanding scientist in welding and bridge construction, an engineer, lecturer, and organizer of research. Ye. Paton started working in Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in 1905, where he was elected dean of the civil construction faculty. In 1929, Ye. Paton was elected an academician of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, which marked the beginning of a new period in his activity, metal welding. Theoretical and experimental research of defects in welded seams, strength of welded joints, stresses and deformations, carried out by Paton and his disciples, allowed for laying a solid scientific foundation for designing welded metal structures. It was in1941—1942 that the world could see innovations created under Paton’s leadership: automatic welding of armor, assembly manufacturing of all the types of tanks, aviation bombs, missiles, and many other types of armaments and munitions. He was elected a member of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic in 1935, and later on a chairman of the board of the division of engineering sciences. He was twice elected as vice president of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. On these positions he made a great personal contribution in strengthening the Academy-industry links, and in expanding applied research alongside basic one, which was greatly important in addressing problems of national economy at its formation and development phases. Ye. Paton died on August 12, 1953 and buried in Kyiv.