B.Ye. Paton: Engineer, Scientist and Organizer of Science (The 100th anniversary of the birthday)

Abstract

The article gives a story of the life path, scientific, organizing and public activities of academician B.Ye. Paton. His contribution in welding science and technology and welding production is demonstrated, with focus on the development of new technologies for welding and special electric metallurgy, production technologies in space and underwater conditions, welding of live biological tissues etc.

His scientific carrier started in 1942 as a junior research fellow in the Institute for Electric Welding of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (IEW), evacuated in time of war from Kyiv to Ural. In 1946 Paton was deputy director of IEW, and from August 1953 and on he has been its permanent director. A core principle laid by his father, Ye.O. Paton when creating IEW and further developed by B.Ye. Paton is performing targeted basic research and close links with the production sector. This principle has been consistently implemented since the IEW existence. Research units of IEW, its design bureau, experimental shops, trial design and engineering bureau, engineering centers, experimental productions, trial factories created throughout the IEW history constitute integral components of the system for organization of R&D and their practical implementation.

The successful research and production activities of IEW were largely an effect of proper solutions for organizational problems. In 50s of the past century Paton was developing and upgrading the IEW structure, searching for new methods for quicker implementation of R&D in the production. In 1959, the design bureau and experimental shops at IEW were transformed into the Trial Design and Technology Bureau and the Trial Factory of Welding Devices; in 1978 and 1981, the Trial Factory of Welding Materials and the Trial Factory of Special Electric Metallurgy were created. As a result, in 1981, IEW achieved the status of a scientific and technical complex. Being an expert in industry, Paton could organize preparation of recommendations on the development of welding in the USSR.

Extended data and facts about Paton’s work as the president of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are given. It is demonstrated that while the Paton’s scientific, organizational and managerial effort in soviet times could elevate the Academy’s status to the chief scientific center of the country through creating new research institutes with incorporated trial and production facilities, in times of independent Ukraine his effort was focused on adapting the National Academy of Science to the market economy conditions. Human qualities of Paton are shown by citations of passages from his interviews.