MEPhI has held the solemn opening of the monument to one of the leading scientists of the Soviet atomic project, the founder and the first head of the department of theoretical nuclear physics at MEPhI, Nobel prize winner and academician Igor Yevgenyevich Tamm. The monument reflects the real moment in the life of the scientist, when in 1958 he received the prize in physics “for the discovery and interpretation of the Cherenkov effect”. Igor Yevgenyevich is in a tailcoat, in his hand – a medal of the Nobel laureate.
Noting the great importance of the event, the rector MEPhI M.N. Strikhanov stressed that by the decision of the Academic Council of the University it is planned to create an alley of six Nobel laureates who worked in MEPhI: “They are the people who laid the foundations not only for the educational activities of our University, but also the basis for teaching of fundamental and theoretical physics throughout the Soviet Union.” The rector noted that this should be a "great educational effect" for students, including foreign ones. He thanked the creator of the idea, MEPhI graduate, General Director of the Artplast company Andrey Novikov and sculptor Alexander Mironov: "I think that together we will do a lot of good to reproduce the memory of these great wonderful people."
The opening ceremony was attended by the Director General of Rosatom State corporation A.E. Likhachev: "For me, the name of Igor Yevgenyevich Tamm is his achievements, projects, implemented in Sarov, thermonuclear reaction in the weapon sense of the word, a number of technical solutions. All people live as long as they are remembered. So today we are prolonging both human and creative life of the scientist." Alexey Likhachev expressed gratitude to the leadership of MEPhI for the support of this initiative and the willingness of Rosatom to assist in the development of monuments to great people. "I think it is right that students will attend classes and other student affairs passing great people. This is part of the atomic code, part of our community and a guarantee that not only technical ideas and solutions, the discovery of fundamental properties important for the entire global nuclear industry, but also the spirit of these people, their approach will be in demand and will be accepted by future generations of Russian nuclear scientists," said the head of Rosatom.
There are many outstanding scientists who became candidates and doctors of sciences, corresponding members and academicians of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR among the students of Igor Tamm. Many of them worked in MEPhI. For example, all labor activity of Mikhail Ivanovich Ryazanov (1926-2014) after graduation in 1950 was associated with the department of theoretical nuclear physics, where he grew from graduate to the head of the department.
Corresponding member of RAS Victor Pavlovich Silin was the author of outstanding scientific works on solid state physics and plasma physics. All his life he lectured at MEPhI, and now from time to time he administer exams. Doctor of physical and mathematical sciences Boris Mikhailovich Bolotovsky was an opponent at the dissertation defenses, in particular, was a reviewer at the diploma defense of the head of general physics department at MEPhI N.P. Kalashnikov. Victor Pavlovich and Boris Mikhailovich attended the opening of the monument to their teacher. According to them, the life of Igor Tamm is an example of fortitude and courage. Overcoming difficult situations, he often repeated: "I was always lucky!"
Such people as Igor Tamm will be the pride of national and world science. He was a wonderful storyteller, spoke several languages fluently, and was always ready to lend a helping hand to those who needed it. Great physicist understood the importance of science in the life of modern man, was interested in a variety of areas, from genetics to mountaineering. Igor Yevgenyevich Tamm had many merits, one of which was the formation of the foundations of a unique educational environment in MEPhI.
