He who revolutionized high tech

Physicist Zhores Alferov spent almost 60 years of his life working on semiconductors which won him the Nobel Prize in 2000. Today he heads one of the most innovative labs in Russia researching nanotechnologies.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Physicist
• Zhores
• Alferov
• semiconductors
• Nobel
• Prize
• innovative
• lab
• Russia
• research
• nanotechnology

[Igor707]

Thus when a society applies a certain social-economic model at a certain time in history one should not speak about "end of time", "end of history" just because he believes in the model. Today, I think that Russia must find a way for the state to support and (co)finance science and research in high-technology (primarily for the sake of national defense) and at the same time use the practical results of the research in private owned enterprises.

[Igor707]

Therefore one must not allow himself to be blinded by ANY ideology! Ideology must not become a religion. If we believe in the free-market and capitalism, like I do, we should not paralyze our children and turn them into intellectual cripples by inhibiting them to think about different social-economic models that could suit them better. If there is something we should teach our children that would be to THINK rather than to thoughtlessly listen what the system or political parties or TV tell them

[Igor707]

On the other side of the Atlantic many serious people will say that USA owes its good results in science and technology (microelectronics, information science...) largely to the state support for the science and research, mainly for the sake of national security (defense industry). USA demonstrated that state funding of science and technology up to a certain degree and private entrepreneurship can coexist together.

[Igor707]

Even worse, very often these private interests demonstrated that they are ready to join forces if necessary even with FOREIGN interests which are hostile to Russia and Russian national interests in order to gain profit. Transition to capitalism and free-market in USSR should have been done much, much more carefully, considering ALL the side effects, with slower pace in order to give time to the society to adapt, and most importantly without destroying/disintegrating the country.

[Igor707]

I do believe in free-market and capitalism but the almost fatal error of M. Gorbachev was to recklessly deliver his country to the processes he obviously didn't understand well. For example it appeared that private interests very often opt to damage/harm interests of a wider group (e.g. whole nation) if that can bring even a small benefit for their own/private interests.

[Igor707]

Results? Before V. V. Putin came to power Russian industry had been almost completely destroyed by the Russian oligarchs and liberals of Yeltsin era, the new rich almost completely looted the country, and productivity dropped far bellow productivity in soviet Russia!?!

[Igor707]

Russian science was better financed and respected and most importantly it yielded better results during USSR than in present day Russia. 20 years ago it was said that the only thing Russia has to do is to destroy USSR, deliver its industry on the plate to the new greedy and criminal rich for bargain, and then everyone will see his standard of living increasing!?!

[seseljsrs]

Hmmm, yes, of course Russian scientists and inventors can claim to take credit for all sorts of things, the world will only pay attention when this is translated into mass production for the consumer market.

[BulgarianTuber]

bring that to Bulgaria We need it.....