Academician Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich: biography, achievements, awards and interesting facts

Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich (1871-1939) was the first to study the systematization of knowledge about geology in Russia, he founded the national oil geology and the scientific school. His fundamental work was the "Teaching on Oil," in which the main theories of the theory of the origin of oil deposits and the conditions for their formation were developed. Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin offered to substantiate the possibility of developing new oil fields, and also led the study of the anomaly in Kursk.

Brilliant achievement of the scientist

An important theoretical and practical meaning is given to the work of the scientist concerning the creation of an oil base in the Volga and the Urals. In the early 20-ies of the XX century, Ivan Mikhailovich proposed a mandatory detailed study of the geology of this region. His theories about the importance of this region were based on scientific generalization of materials relating to the geological structure of this territory. Later, the academician was headed by geological exploration for oil. Along with this, some deposits and their research Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich was engaged personally. The fundamental work of the scientist named "Ural-Volzhskaya oil-bearing region" was created on the basis of the conducted research activity. He graphically illustrated the tremendous opportunities and potential that could be uncovered in the extraction of oil in the places indicated by them.

Prior to it, in the context of oil production, this region was practically not interested, and subsequent work proved to be extremely important for the Soviet Union during the war.

Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich: Biography briefly

Ivan Mikhailovich was born in the village of Pozdnyakovo, in the territory of the Vladimir province. His father was a poor peasant who often went on long trips to the Caspian Sea.

After diligent study and graduation from the Kirzhach Teacher's Seminary, Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich was appointed to the position of a teacher in a rural school. During his studies, the young man received a scholarship, so he had to work for five years as a national teacher without fail. The destiny of the future academician was determined by an accidental find. As a friend of a local priest, Ivan found literature on geology in his attic. She was forgotten by a relative of the priest, who went to Siberia. According to Gubkin, the reading in the books literally "absorbed" him, forcing him to desire even more information in this area.

Difficulties with entering the institute

Not wanting to stop halfway, Ivan strove to continue his studies at the Mining Institute. But he was in for a bitter disappointment, since with his basic education the path to the institute was closed. Only the teacher's institute in St. Petersburg was available, where he began to study.

At that time, it was difficult for any young man to stay away from the boiling social life, so Ivan became a participant in the movement defending the rights of the working class.

After the end of the next school, the young man managed to get a job as a teacher at the St. Petersburg City School. Having worked here quite a bit, Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin went further: again he tried to enter the St. Petersburg Mining Institute and again failed. This time the hindrance was the lack of a certificate of maturity, which was issued to graduates of gymnasiums and real schools. Ivan did not have it, since he did not belong to the noble or middle class. Unwilling to give up, Gubkin, who by that time was 32 years old, went to Tsarskoe Selo and along with the young graduates of that year successfully passed the necessary examinations and received a treasured document.

Execution of dreams: Mining Institute

Ivan had to study at the Mining Institute for five years (as was supposed), but for two years longer. The delay occurred due to the revolution in 1905: the doors of the institution were temporarily closed. After the completion of his long training Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich with the diploma of a mining engineer joined the staff of the Geological Committee as a research fellow. His career quickly went up the hill, when the scientist began to work in oil production sites in the Caucasus deposits. In those days, the oil produced there was almost 90% of the total volume received in the Russian territory. This was the starry hour of Ivan Gubkin, as his talents, perseverance and methodicalness manifested themselves fully, giving the young engineer the status of the founder of petroleum geology.

Revolutionary times

At the time of the revolution, Ivan was in the United States as part of a mission to study American oil deposits. From his trip, the scientist returned after the revolutionary events and immediately began to participate in the formation of new services under the formed regime: mountain and geological. VI Lenin instructed Gubkin to become a member of the committee committee dealing with oil production. After this definition, the geologist Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin, until his last days, presided over several important institutions that dealt with the oil industry and the geological service in the USSR.

In addition to scientific work, this distinguished figure had time to perform editorial duties. For many years, Ivan held this post in the journal Oil Industry, organized by him.

Sensational discovery

Staying in the south of Russia, in the Kuban region, Gubkin began to explore the oil fields. As it turned out, the grain-grinding region concealed oil in its bowels. However, there was an almost insoluble mystery that the oil industry workers tried unsuccessfully to solve: the nearby wells behaved quite differently. Some allowed to produce a huge amount of oil, others were completely dead.

Ivan Gubkin revealed the reason for this behavior of oil deposits and introduced a new concept in the terminology of the science of oil. The scientist established that in this case the industrialists dealt with a new type of oil-bearing deposits. They were not located in a layer, like those that were discovered earlier, but were local, that is, they were quite small areas. Gubkin called them "lace deposits".

The scientist wrote about his discovery several articles that were immediately published in Russia, and then translated into English.

Educational activities of Ivan Gubkin

The scientist was extremely concerned about the upbringing of a new generation of qualified personnel. He believed that the country is extremely short of geologists, as well as specialists in rocks and oil. Since 1922, Gubkin for eight years headed the Moscow Mining Academy. He developed and introduced several radically new departments, focused on the study of various sections of the science of oil. The Oil Institute of Moscow, founded in 1930, was based precisely on these new departments. Students attending the newly established educational institutions studied specialized courses and subjects that were introduced into the program from the submission of Ivan Gubkin.

Interesting facts from the biography of the figure: primary school

About the primary education of the future academician took care of his grandmother, insisting that the boy went to a local rural school. Father was not going to give his son in training, even was categorically against. This is not surprising, because Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich was one of the five children, and of the brothers - the oldest. From him they expected help in the household. It is interesting that little Vanya did not aspire to education, the school even frightened him.

The issue was resolved by the intervention of Grandma Fedosya, who sought out office forms for making exercise books, and also sewed a bag for Ivan to go to school. Gubkin's success in mastering the school curriculum has become noticeable since the first months. Speaking in the usual language, he was a round honors pupil. For this reason, he had very few friends, and his classmates teased him, calling the "schoolboy" and "excellency."

Difficulties harden

Academician Gubkin Ivan Mikhailovich was forced to defend far and many times and to win his desire for higher education. In his youth, when the village school was over, Ivan's father insisted that he take up the position of clerk or shopkeeper. Not going to stop and wishing to reach the academic peaks, Gubkin nevertheless entered the seminary.

In the process of training, being in his third year, the young man wrote and distributed a rather keen epigram about one of his classmates. Thus, Ivan repaid the one for the slander. However, the trick almost cost Gubkin an exception from the teachers' seminary. The situation was saved by the help rendered by Ivan's good friends.

The family of Ivan Gubkin

The young woman's teacher, Ivan, became a medical student, Nina. They met in the Kuban and soon married. The girl was very intelligent and educated: her medical education was already second to her. However, she did not manage to get it, because the born son, Sergei, demanded all her attention.
The young family had to be rather tight, since it was not easy for the three of them to live on the modest salary of the teacher, and a few years later Galina was born.

The situation changed only after Gubkin's appointment to the Geological Committee, which brought to the scientist a lot of promising trips and became the beginning of career take-off. In official literature, they often describe the rich work activity that Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin conducted: biography, memory, awards. However, professional achievements and fame became an obstacle to a happy family life. Long business trips, sometimes for several months, and huge distances between spouses did not contribute to strengthening relations.

Destiny of the Academician's Children

The scientist has always wished his beloved children only good, not forgetting them in their long journeys. He was interested in their successes, interests and achievements, and also often sent money.

In one of the many letters Ivan wrote to his wife, he says that he wants his children an interesting and eventful life. Followed his purpose, he did not want Sergei and Galina to step over their desires and suffer, doing something they did not like.

The children of the scientist fully heeded the advice of his father. Sergei also wanted to engage in geology, but then converted to a metallurgist and also became an academician.
Galina chose for herself the profession of balloonist, and later - test pilot.

Today in the homeland of the famous geologist almost every resident knows who Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin is. The awards, which the academician honored for his most important contribution to science and industry, are the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.

His name is given to institutions, libraries, streets and the city. On the spot where Ivan Gubkin's home was standing, now a square with a memorial bust is broken. Compatriots are extremely proud of being close to such a well-known and worthy person, they organize excursions to important places and form verses dedicated to him. Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin is undoubtedly a remarkable personality whose success story can inspire and motivate the brave actions of so many people.