Congratulations on the Day of Russian Science!
Science is a basis for development and creativeness. Nowadays Russian scientists are conducting world-scale research, making discoveries that determine the life of the society for years ahead.
The Day of Russian Science is a day of honouring Russian scientists and recognizing their achievements. The celebration is aimed at supporting and developing scientific potential and novel ideas, and showing the importance of science for the development of society and progress in the different spheres of life.
The Day of Russian Science was established by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1999 and is annually celebrated on 8 February.
This date was not chosen at random. It is on this day, 301 years ago, that the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences was founded by the decree of Peter the Great on development of science in the Russian Empire.
In the XVIII–XIX centuries, the Academy of Sciences was the centre of scientific progress in Russia. Outstanding scientists from all over the world were invited to conduct research and teach students. The academy actively developed mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, natural sciences and other fields.
After the formation of the Soviet Union, the academy was renamed as the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. The range of research in the technical and human sciences was broadened during this period.
The Russian Academy of Sciences got its current name after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The modern academy proceeds to support scientific developments, organize educational programmes, seminars, and conferences for the scientific community, and it is still making significant contribution to the development of Russian science.