Two significant dates were celebrated in Yekaterinburg in June 2007 - 75 years of Ural academic science and 20 years of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Several events happened in the city during the holidays. The most important of them was a jubilee meeting, its participants were welcomed by RF President Vladimir Putin (by cable), President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Yuri Osipov and Governor of Sverdlovsk region Eduard Rossel. They pointed out that Ural science has always directed its attention towards the needs of this territory, promoted formation of innovational environment in the region, successful implementation of long-term programs of social and economic nature.

Later on, Chairman of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Valery Chereshnev told the participants about the formation of research trends of academic science, about their development in different periods and serious problems they helped solve. He emphasized that in 1932 there were only two laboratories in Ural, while today up to 40 institutions are functioning here, where 6,947 people are working, including 3,616 scientific workers, 31 academicians and 58 corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The average age of our "academic diaspora" is younger than that of the "central" part and makes up 49 years. On the basis of agreements, scientists of the region have established close cooperation with the authorities, creative ties with all local large higher educational institutions and field research institutes, support contacts with 40 foreign countries. Today and in future the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, according to its chairman, shall develop fundamental and applied studies based on the priorities of the country and the Russian Academy of Sciences, train qualified personnel, take part in nation-wide projects on nanotechnologies, etc.

Another important event in Yekaterinburg was the opening of the 3rd Ural and Siberian scientific-industrial exhibition. The first one was held in 1887, i.e. 120 years ago, on the initiative of Ural Society of Natural Science Lovers. Revived in 2003, it quickly acquired All-Russia significance.

This year at the exhibition the Ural people demonstrated technical achievements in the sphere of science of machines, geophysics, chemistry of solid body, economics, metallurgy, mining, high-temperature electrochemistry, industrial ecology, etc. In their turn, the Siberians presented the newest scientific developments of 8 institutes: the Institute of Nuclear Physics named after G. Budker, the Institute of Problems of Hydrocarbon Processing, Automatics and Electrometry, the Institute of Catalysis named after G. Boreskov, the Institute of Petroleum Chemistry, the Mining Institute, the Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics.

The conference "Scientific-Industrial Politics and Development Prospects of Ural and Siberia", which was opened by the historian Academician Veniamin Alexeyev (Yekaterinburg), preceded the exhibition. After the

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profound digression into history, he particularly emphasized that back in the 19th century national schools of metallurgists and geologists had begun to form in Ural - the fulcrum of Russia, while at the beginning of the 20th century studies of mineral resources and then machine-building had picked up speed.

Supervisor of studies of the Center of Photochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow), Academician Mikhail Alfimov spoke about studies in the area of nan-otechnologies*. "Trump cards" of our country in this sphere are physics and chemistry, and head institution in this direction is the Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (Moscow). It carries out integration of 70 national research centers, including the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is an interesting fact that positive trends on the basis of interregional integration in combination with regional specialization of one or another search are already observed.

Deputy Minister of Industry, Power Engineering and Science of the Sverdlovsk region Yuri Shevelev noted that the further qualitative growth of economics of the region is impossible without transition to innovational way of development, use of further scientific achievements. According to him, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences must play a coordinating role here. He listed a number of regular economic projects, among which the "Polar Ural-Industrial Ural" ranks first (it must provide enterprises of the territory with local raw materials). Its competitive advantages are science-intensive technologies.

Director of the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member Vitaly Berdyshev pointed at the need of information technologies development. In addition, he emphasized that the supercomputer center of the institution, headed by him, was used insufficiently, called upon the

* See: "Breakthrough Technologies" in this issue of the magazine. - Ed.

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participants to implement the project "Big Eurasian University Complex" as soon as possible.

Director of the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry named after A. Zavarnitsky of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Viktor Koroteyev presented an important subject for discussion - mineral resources of Ural and prospects of its development by joining efforts of academic, college and applied science in creation of modern theory and solution of practical problems. Long-term studies of this region showed: today its polar areas are a very important to replenish ore base.

The participants of the conference listened very attentively to the report of Academician Yevgeny Avrorin from RFNC - All-Russia Research Institute of Technical Physics named after Ye. Zababakhin (Nezhinsk, Chelyabinsk region) about development prospects of nuclear energetics. He examined in detail the world situation in this branch, particularly singling out 2 promising directions - building of new types of reactors operating on fast neutrons (the only one in the world now operates in Sverdlovsk region) and small atomic power stations. Also, the scientist emphasized that in nuclear energetics, as nowhere else, international cooperation is important - this is connected with the prevention of ecological disasters and nuclear non-proliferation.

And finally, one cannot help mentioning the speech of Director of the State Missile Center "Design Bureau named after Academician V. Makeyev", Vladimir Degtyar, Dr. Sc. (Phys. & Math.), about developments in the sphere of non-traditional systems of guiding artificial satellites into orbit. Their advantage is independence from expensive and geographically "immobile" cosmodromes, which allows to significantly widen a range of used orbits. These systems include an underwater start by use of converted combat missiles-today this technology is significantly worked out. Two satellites have already been guided into orbit by such carriers named "Shtil" (Calm), and now the third launch is prepared for a foreign client. The author of the report pointed to the successful combination of commercial interests with the need of supporting combat readiness, which presupposes training starts, as advantages of this system.

There were other interesting reports at the conference. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell about all of them in one publication. This also concerns the agenda of five "round tables", which took place in the jubilee days in a number of Yekaterinburg institutes and institutions, in the course of which the participants of discussions tried to find constructive solutions, exchange scientific experience.

Steady Development of the Academic Line, "Science of Ural", No. 16 - 17, 2007