Valery Pokrovsky
Encyclopedia
Valery Pokrovsky is a Soviet and Russian physicist
. He is a member of
the Landau Institute
in Chernogolovka
near
Moscow
in Russia
and a professor for Theoretical Physics
at Texas A&M University
.
After having received his master degree from Kharkov University, Ukrainian SSR
, USSR, in 1953.
Valery Pokrovsky defended his PhD thesis at Tomsk University in 1957. Until
1966 he was a scientist at the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. In 1966
he was invited to the newly founded Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
. He
also was employed as a professor at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. In 1992 he
became a professor of Physics at Texas A&M University
.
His areas of research are Quantum Mechanics
, Statistical Physics
, and Condensed Matter
theory. He ist best known for his pioneering and fundamental contributions to modern
theory of phase transition
s, together with Alexander Patashinski
, in 1965, as well as the
analysis of transformations between commensurate and incommensurate
superstructures in two-dimensional systems, the Pokrovsky-Talapov transition.
Valery Pokrovsky received for his outstanding work several awards, including the Landau Prize of the
Soviet Academy of Science
in 1984, the Humboldt Prize
in 2000, and the Lars Onsager
Prize of the American Physical Society
in 2005.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. He is a member of
the Landau Institute
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
The L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institution, located in the small town of Chernogolovka near Moscow...
in Chernogolovka
Chernogolovka
Chernogolovka is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located northeast from Moscow border. Population: Chernogolovka does not have a rail link but long distance buses link the town to Moscow, Noginsk and Fryanovo.-Research facilities:...
near
Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and a professor for Theoretical Physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
After having received his master degree from Kharkov University, Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
, USSR, in 1953.
Valery Pokrovsky defended his PhD thesis at Tomsk University in 1957. Until
1966 he was a scientist at the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. In 1966
he was invited to the newly founded Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
The L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institution, located in the small town of Chernogolovka near Moscow...
. He
also was employed as a professor at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. In 1992 he
became a professor of Physics at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
His areas of research are Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
, Statistical Physics
Statistical physics
Statistical physics is the branch of physics that uses methods of probability theory and statistics, and particularly the mathematical tools for dealing with large populations and approximations, in solving physical problems. It can describe a wide variety of fields with an inherently stochastic...
, and Condensed Matter
Condensed Matter
Condensed matter may refer to several things*Condensed matter physics, the study of the physical properties of condensed phases of matter*European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, a scientific journal published by EDP sciences...
theory. He ist best known for his pioneering and fundamental contributions to modern
theory of phase transition
Phase transition
A phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase or state of matter to another.A phase of a thermodynamic system and the states of matter have uniform physical properties....
s, together with Alexander Patashinski
Alexander Patashinski
Alexander Zakharovich Patashinski is a Research Professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He is known for his contributions in many parts of the theoretical physics, including phase transition and critical phenomena, high energy physics, general relativity, amorphous materials....
, in 1965, as well as the
analysis of transformations between commensurate and incommensurate
Commensurability (mathematics)
In mathematics, two non-zero real numbers a and b are said to be commensurable if a/b is a rational number.-History of the concept:...
superstructures in two-dimensional systems, the Pokrovsky-Talapov transition.
Valery Pokrovsky received for his outstanding work several awards, including the Landau Prize of the
Soviet Academy of Science
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
in 1984, the Humboldt Prize
Humboldt Prize
The Humboldt Prize, also known as the Humboldt Research Award, is an award given by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to internationally renowned scientists and scholars, and is currently valued at € 60,000 with the possibility of further support during the prize winner's life. Up to one...
in 2000, and the Lars Onsager
Lars Onsager
Lars Onsager was a Norwegian-born American physical chemist and theoretical physicist, winner of the 1968 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.He held the Gibbs Professorship of Theoretical Chemistry at Yale University....
Prize of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
in 2005.