Those who knew Sergei Alekseevich Chaplygin well noted in him not only the talent of a scientist, but also human qualities: kindness and justice. Even in old age, he appeared at the right time in the research laboratory, showing his young colleagues an example of serving science.
From the biography of Sergei Chaplygin
Sergei Alekseevich Chaplygin was born on April 5, 1869 in the city of Ranenburg, in the Ryazan province. His father was a shop assistant. Mom was in charge of the household. The family lived very amicably, but the happiness did not last long: when the boy was two years old, his father died during a cholera epidemic.
The mother's parents insisted that she remarry. After that, Anna Petrovna and her son Serezha moved to Voronezh, where the mother's new husband lived.
Sergei grew up a serious boy beyond his years. He early learned to count and write, helped his mother a lot with the housework. The stepfather treated his adopted son well. It was he who invited an acquaintance of a seminary student to the house, who undertook to prepare the boy for admission to the gymnasium. Sergey passed the exams brilliantly: his excellent memory and ability to study helped.
However, the stepfather turned out to be a useless family man and as a result left Sergey's mother alone with five children. All the household chores fell on the eldest son. After completing the school day, Seryozha helped his mother with household chores, and then went to give lessons. The boy studied excellently, so many invited him to work out with lagging children. So, at the age of 13, Chaplygin became the breadwinner of the family.
The adult life of Sergei Chaplygin
In 1886, Chaplygin graduated from high school with a medal and became a student of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Moscow University. He attended all lectures, and in his free time continued to give private lessons. Sergei sent most of his earnings to his mother in Voronezh.
Chaplygin lived from hand to mouth. But the young man did not complain about fate. He persistently mastered knowledge in his specialty. Best of all he was given physics, mathematics, mechanics and astronomy. He studied with the best teachers: lectures at the faculty were read by A. G. Stoletov, N. E. Zhukovsky, F. A. Bredikhin.
After Zhukovsky's lectures, Chaplygin became seriously interested in mechanics. On the advice of the professor, Sergei began work on a scientific work on hydrodynamics. This research formed the basis of the thesis and earned a gold medal.
Remaining at the university, Chaplygin worked on his dissertation and taught. Since 1894, Sergei Alekseevich has been a privat-docent at Moscow University. In the autumn of the same year, he married his landlady, Ekaterina Arno. In 1897, the couple had a daughter, who was named Olga.
The path to serious science
The young father conducts an active research work in the field of hydrodynamics at the university. The scientist was also interested in issues related to the movement of bodies on a rough surface. Experts recognize his works as classical. Chaplygin also managed to write two textbooks on mechanics for the natural faculties of universities. Subsequently, Chaplygin defended his doctoral dissertation and became a professor at the Moscow University.
After the October Revolution, Chaplygin continued his scientific research and teaching. After the creation of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, Zhukovsky also recruited Chaplygin to work, instructing him to head the TsAGI branch near Moscow. In 1921 Zhukovsky died. Sergey Alekseevich Chaplygin becomes the scientific director of TsAGI.
Sergei Chaplygin becomes recognized by all scientists. In 1929 he was elected an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The workload affected the scientist's health. In 1931, he asked to be relieved of his leadership at TsAGI, but Chaplygin continued to cooperate with this organization until the end of his life.
Sergei Chaplygin passed away on October 8, 1942 in Novosibirsk, when he was evacuated.
