Leonid Vasilyevich Kirensky

He was born on April 7, 1909 in the village of Amga, Yakutsk region. His father is a peasant, at one time he worked as a parish clerk, his mother is a paramedic, she worked in the Amga district hospital. In 1919, Kirensky, with his mother and two sisters, moved to Yakutsk (his father died in 1915). He graduated from high school here in 1927 and worked as a teacher until 1931.

In 1931, L.V. Kirensky entered the Physics Department of Moscow State University, from which he successfully graduated in 1936. He was left in postgraduate studies at the Department of Magnetism, Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University. In 1939, after completing his postgraduate studies, Leonid Vasilyevich defended his thesis for the degree of Candidate of Physico-mathematical Sciences. Both during his student years and in graduate school, Kirensky was engaged in the study of magnetism, and a number of his works were included in the doctrine of magnetism.

After completing his postgraduate studies, L.V. Kirensky worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University, and concurrently as an assistant and then as a senior lecturer at the Ordzhonikidze Moscow Geological Exploration Institute.

In 1940, Leonid Vasilyevich was sent to the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical Institute, where he worked for 17 years, holding positions as a senior lecturer, associate professor, professor, and head of the department. He skillfully combined his teaching work with scientific research on the physics of magnetic phenomena. From the school of magnetologists created and led by L.V. Kirensky, 10 people defended their dissertations for the degree of candidate of physico-mathematical sciences. He was also engaged in administrative work – he was the dean of the faculty, deputy director of the Institute for academic and scientific work. By 1950, without stopping working, Kirensky completed his doctoral thesis, which he successfully defended. In 1951, he was awarded the title of professor.

During his time at the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical Institute, Leonid Vasilyevich organized a fairly large team of magnetic physicists, which served as the basis for the creation of the Institute of Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Krasnoyarsk. Since the opening of this institute, on January 1, 1957, L.V. Kirensky held the position of director.

In addition to the physics of magnetic phenomena, L.V. Kirensky was engaged in research in the field of biophysics. His work on the creation of biological and technical life support systems has received worldwide recognition.

Kirensky has done a lot for the development of Krasnoyarsk as a scientific center. With his active participation, the Krasnoyarsk State University was opened in 1969.

L.V. Kirensky organized and conducted the first All-Union Symposium on Strong Magnetic Fields (1966) and the International Symposium on the Physics of Magnetic Films in Irkutsk (1968).

Leonid Vasilyevich was also engaged in social activities: He was deputy chairman of the regional branch of the All-Union Society for the Dissemination of Political and Scientific Knowledge, Chairman of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Committee for the Protection of Peace, and was elected a deputy of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Council of Workers' Deputies for two convocations. In 1960-1969 he was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

By decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated March 13, 1969, Leonid Vasilyevich Kirensky was awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle Gold Medal for outstanding achievements in the development of Soviet science and in the training of scientific personnel.

Leonid Vasilyevich passed away on November 3, 1969 in Moscow. He was buried in Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk.

The Kirensky Institute of Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which he created, bears his name, and a memorial museum is open there. Streets in Krasnoyarsk and the village of Amga (Yakutia) are named after the scientist. The Kirensky Scholarship for achievements in the field of natural sciences was established.