History of the Department – Department of Materials Science

Today’s Department No. 9 was formed in 1955–1956 from three departments: No. 9 “Special Metallurgy”, No. 1 “Special Metal Science” and No. 4 “Metal Physics”.

Milestones

1942	The Department of Metal Science and Metallurgy was established at the Moscow Mechanical Institute (MMI). Until 1949 it was headed by the Director of the MMI, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor A.F. Landa, and from 1949 to 1953 by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor G.I. Pogodin-Alekseev.
1948	Department No. 4 “Metal Physics” was organised. Until 1954 it was headed by Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor G.S. Zhdanov, and from 1954 to 1955 by Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor (later Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences) N.V. Ageev.
1948	Department No. 9 “Special Metallurgy” was created, headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor (Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences from 1953) V.S. Emelyanov.
1951	A group of teachers from the Department of Metal Science and Metallurgy formed the core of Department No. 1 “Special Metal Science” (metal science of uranium and transuranium elements). From 1951 to 1955 it was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor D.M. Skorov.
1955–1956	Department No. 9 merged with Department No. 1 “Special Metal Science” and Department No. 4 “Metal Physics” and was renamed “Metallurgy of Special and Radioactive Materials”, keeping its number.
1990	The Department received its present name, the Department of Materials Science (in Russian: “Physical Problems of Materials Science”).

The changes in the Department’s name reflect its evolution and the development of its research and teaching, while its focus on training materials scientists for the nuclear industry has remained unchanged.

First heads of the departments

**Alexander Fishelevich Landa**
1942–1949, Department of Metal Science and Metallurgy
Director of the Institute, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Stalin Prize laureate

**German Stepanovich Zhdanov**
1948–1954, Department No. 4
Professor, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Academician of the Saxon Academy of Sciences

**Vasily Semyonovich Emelyanov**
from 1948, Department No. 9
Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, State Prize laureate, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Hero of Socialist Labour

**Georgy Ivanovich Pogodin-Alekseev**
1949–1953, Department of Metal Science and Metallurgy
Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences

**Dmitry Mikhailovich Skorov**
1951–1955, Department No. 1
Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of the RSFSR

**Nikolay Vladimirovich Ageev**
1954–1955, Department No. 4
Professor, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences