Prof. Eberhard Knobloch gave a lecture titled “About the Influence of German Science on Russian Science”

Prof. Eberhard Knobloch, the academician of Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and the president of the International Academy of the History of Science (Paris), visited the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences and gave a lecture titled “About the Influence of German Science on Russian Science” at Meeting Room 712 in Siyuan Building, the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, CAS, on May 15, 2012.

The lecture is insightful. It clarified in which ways such a scientific influence can be achieved: by persons, by institutions, by research programs, by education and training systems. Prof. Knobloch illustrated these general insights through five parts in his lecture. Part 1 dealt with Leibniz and his influence on the foundation of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1724. In part 2, he discussed Russian research programs realized or influenced by German scientists: the expeditions sent out to explore Siberia. He also introduced how Leonhard Euler was invited to Russia as an example about invitations of foreigners to Russia. In part 4, he described the education of Russian scientists (Lomonosov) in German institutions and travels of Russian scientists to Germany. Finally he explained Alexander von Humboldt's travels through Russia and his influence on Russian science.

Eberhard Knobloch was born in Görlitz in Germany. He is the professor of Technical University of Berlin, the academician of Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and the president of the International Academy of the History of Science (Paris). Professor Knobloch is one of the most distinguished experts in history of science. He has been the chairman of International Commission on the History of Mathematics, the chief editor of Journal Historia Mathematica of the International Commission on the History of Mathematics and the president of the Society of History of Science and Technology of Europe. His main research field is history of mathematics in the 17th-19th centuries, especially on Leibniz and Euler. Professor Knobloch visited the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences (IHNS), Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1996. Now he is the Honorary Professor of comparative research center of the IHNS.

Prof. Eberhard Knobloch giving his lecture