History of the department

The department of theoretical physics - one of the oldest and the leading department at al-Farabi Kazakh National University - was founded in 1938.

Scientific research activity of the department has its background from the time when it was founded in 1938 by A.A. Gukhman – a founder of scientific direction of thermodynamics in Kazakhstan. The further establishment and development of scientific life of the department is closely connected with scientific pedagogical activity of associate professor N.M. Petrova – a follower of the outstanding soviet physicist-theoretician V.A. Fock. She came from Leningrad in 1939 and supervised the department from 1945 to 1970. Her scientific activity is closely connected with one of the main scientific directions of the department – bodies motion problem in the general theory of relativity. In 1955 G.Zh. Murzagaliyev began his teacher activity at the department, in 1959 – Т.М. Kuchina, in 1962 the teaching staff was enlarged by Z.A. Goldberg, who developed a new scientific direction – nonlinear acoustics. The other scientific direction connected to nuclear theme began to develop from 1969 with M.A. Zhusupov and T.A. Kozhamkulov coming to the department.

In 1970 the chief of the department became a follower of academician V.A. Fock – M.M. Abdil’din, who successfully developed the scientific direction on theory of relativity and gravitation.

In December, 1982 by the decision of the USSR Higher Education ministry S.M. Kirov Kazakh State University is established as the leading institute of higher education on bodies motion problem in the general theory of relativity. From 1971 a teaching activity was being led by specialist of elementary particles and field theory – Yu.V. Liventsov. During 1981-1986 years the department was supervised by T.A. Kozhamkulov – who developed on the department a new scientific direction of Quantum Chromo Dynamics.

In the 80^th of the 20^th century the scientific potential of the department was more enlarged. The doctoral dissertations on theoretical physics were defended by M.M. Abdil’din (1985), T.A. Kozhamkulov (1986), young candidates of sciences – graduates of the department – M.S. Omarov, N.A. Burkova, O.I. Imambekov, T.D. Kaipov, K.A. Zhaksybekova – began to teach, in 1985 specialists of field quantum theory – M.S. Imashev and A.M. Kusainov – began to work at the department. From 2002 to 2006 specialist on field quantum theory – professor V.I. Ruskin – taught at the department.

In2003 году М.М.Abdil'din was selected as an academician of the NationalAcademy of Sciences ofthe Republic of Kazakhstan. During 1988-1991 years he was a rector of the university. Professor T.A. Kozhamkulov in 1994 was selected as anacademician of the International Academy of Higher School Science,in 2008 was selected as academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan,during 2001-2008years – iwas a rector of al-Farabi Kazakh National Universuty. In2007 N.А.Burkovaand К.А.Zhaksybekova defended doctoral dissertations.

In 2008 the candidate ofphysics and mathematics М.Ye.Abishev was arranged as a chief of the department.In 2009 М.Ye.Abishev defended the doctoral dissertation on major "Theoretical physics"

In2007the first PhD doctors were issued (Т. Myrzakul),in 2008 -PhD dissertations were defended byК.А.Boshkayevand Zh.N. Brisheva,in 2009 - А.М. Zhusupov.

In 2011 G.S. Nurbakova defended the candidate dissertation for major"Theoretical physics".

At the current time 7 professors, 5 associate professors, 2 senior teachers, 1 assistant and 3 specialists work at the department. Academicians of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.M. Abdil’din and T.A. Kozhamkulov, professors K.B. Baktybayev, M.A. Zhusupov, G.Zh. Murzagaliyev, N.A. Burkova, K.A. Zhaksybekova and associate professors M.Ye. Abishev, N.A. Beisen, F.B. Belisarova, A.A. Komarov, A.G. Murzagaliyeva, senior teachers G.S. Nurbakova and Zh.N. Brisheva, assistant R.S. Kabatayeva teach and lead scientific activity at the department. Educational and methodical activity of the department is provided by specialists A.S. Taukenova, D.A. Tursynbayeva and F.Z. Dzhandarbek.