In 70 years of the history of the Kazan Scientific Center and the development of academic science in Tatarstan, the outstanding scientific schools have been established in the fields of chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, power engineering, and medicine. Over the years, the center was headed by the world-known scientists – professors, corresponding members and full members of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The role of the Arbuzovs, father Alexander and son Boris, in the development of science in Kazan could hardly be overestimated. Outstanding chemists and brilliant leaders in promoting science, they headed the Kazan Chemical School for almost a century. Practically every discovery made in the field of organic chemistry during this period was associated with their names. The creation of a new branch of science – chemistry of organophosphorus compounds, which became the basis of the so-called “third chemistry” – chemistry of organoelement compound, was associated with the name of Alexander Arbuzov. The research of Boris Arbuzov was mainly concentrated in the field of physiologically active compounds. In 1945, Alexander Arbuzov participated actively in the establishment of the Kazan Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences with the Chemical Institute as a constituent part of it. In 1947, the Chemical Institute was named after Alexander Arbuzov. Later, it served as a basis for the establishment of the Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry.
The founder of the Kazan scientific school of magnetic radiospectroscopy Evgeny Zavoisky was the first to observe the phenomenon of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in 1944. The work of the pioneer of electron paramagnetic resonance was continued by his associates, Semen Altshuler (Kazan State University) and Boris Kozyrev (Kazan Physical-Technical Institute). From the start EPR was exploited by the scientific community in many ways with applications in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, etc. In 1946-1947, Evgeny Zavoisky was one of the first employees of the Kazan Physical-Technical Institute. His fruitful ideas laid the foundation for the formation of the scientific priorities of the Department of Physics. The Department of Physics organized by Evgeny Zavoisky served as a basis for the Kazan Physical-Technical Institute of today. In 1984, the Kazan Physical-Technical Institute was named after Evgeny Zavoisky.
To commemorate the outstanding contribution of the famous Kazan scientists to the Russian and world science, the following International awards were established: