Boreskov, Georgii Konstantinovich

Born Apr. 7 (20), 1907, in Omsk. Soviet physical chemist. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1966; corresponding member, 1958); Hero of Socialist Labor (1967).

Boreskov graduated from the Odessa Polytechnical Institute. He is presently the director of the Catalysis Institute of the Siberian Division of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Novosibirsk). His basic work has been in the area of catalysis. Boreskov established the decisive role of the chemical composition for the specific catalytic activeness of catalysts. He developed the theory of predicting catalytic properties by assessing the optimum value of the energy of intermediate interactions and created the scientific principles for preparing catalysts. Boreskov employed the method of mathematical modeling for designing and optimizing chemical agents. He has also developed a large number of new catalysts and catalytic reactions that are used in industry. He won the State Prize of the USSR in 1942 and 1953 and has been awarded the Order of Lenin, two other orders, and medals.