On June 14, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) held an event dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the outstanding scientist-geologist, prominent public figure, organizer of science, teacher, double laureate of the USSR State Prize, USSR honorary oilman, academician Ahad Yagubov.
At the beginning of the event, participants honored the memory of the prominent scientist in the Alley of Honor and laid wreaths and flowers at his grave.
Opening the jubilee event, President of ANAS, Academician Akif Alizadeh brought to attention that the event is organized in accordance with the Order of President Ilham Aliyev “On marking the 110th anniversary of Academician Ahad Yagubov” on March 29, 2018.
Academician Alizadeh noted that Ahad Yagubov made an important contribution to the development of geological science in Azerbaijan and the training of highly qualified personnel. As a result of his predictions, such rich oilfields as Oil Rocks, Sangachal Deniz, Duvanni (Zanbil), Bulla (Khara-Zira) were later discovered.
Noting that with the name of Academician Ahad Yagubov are connected all-round studies of mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan and scientific and practical issues of mud volcanism, Alizadeh added that in 1966 at the Institute of Geology named after Gubkin of Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, the scientist organized the first mud volcanism laboratory in the former USSR and also published the “Atlas of mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan” in Germany, which was appreciated by outstanding scientists and producers of the USSR as a valuable encyclopedic work on mud volcanism.
President of ANAS said that being a prominent public figure, Yagubov was also deputy of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR, deputy secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, head of the oil industry department of the Central Committee of the USSR, adviser - lawyer for the affairs of the USSR Embassy in Iran.
Saying that Yagubov’s merits in the oil and gas sector were highly appreciated by the state, Academician Alizadeh stressed that the scientist was twice awarded the orders “Lenin”, “Badge of Honor” and “October Revolution”, in the Great Patriotic War - medals “For Defense of Caucasus”, “For valiant labour”, title of “Honorary Oilman” of the USSR and twice the State Prize of the USSR. He added that the scientific and organizational activities of Yagubov is an instructive example for young Azerbaijani geologists.
Then, Head of Department of Mud Volcanism of ANAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Professor Adil Aliyev made a report on “Academician A.A. Yagubov – founder of mud volcanism in Azerbaijan”. The reporter noted that after graduating from current Azerbaijan Oil and Industry University, Academician Yagubov worked as an employee and scientific secretary of the Geological Sector in the Azerbaijan branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He created more than 200 scientific papers and reports, including 20 books and teaching materials. The textbook “Oil and gas provinces and regions of the USSR” written by the scientist with a group of co-authors was awarded the Gubkin Prize. After the death of Yagubov, who devoted his entire life to the study of mud volcanoes, the activities of the scientist were continued by his students and successors.
Professor Aliyev informed that the laboratory created at the Institute of Geology under the guidance of the scientist is now recognized as the main scientific center on the problems of mud volcanism. He said that Yagubov was awarded silver medal of the All-Union Exhibition of the National Economy of the USSR for the map-mock “Mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan” (1974), and the Institute of Geology - diploma of the first degree.
The speaker highlighted that the name of Academician Yagubov occupies a special place in the history of the development of Azerbaijani science, and his activities for many years will serve as an example for future generations.
Rector of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Professor Mustafa Babanli delivered a report on “A.A. Yagubov: a student of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University – a prominent scientist-geologist”. The scientist named Academician Yagubov one of the most outstanding representatives of the Azerbaijani science of the 20th century and informed about the period when the scientist studied and worked at AzII, predecessor of ASOIU.
It was emphasized that Yagubov who directly received Doctor’s degree in defense under the chairmanship of outstanding academician Zelinsky at the Academic Board of the Institute of Fossil Fuels Deposits of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1941, was considered a famous scientist in the field of mud volcanoes.
Babanli noted that with 45 years of a 70-year life devoted to the problem of mud volcanoes and the search for oil and gas deposits, Academician Yagubov refused the offer to head the Petrovsky Institute of Oil named after Gubkin in Moscow and dedicated his life to his people, training of a new generation of oil geologists and volcanologists. He became the author of a number of textbooks and scientific and methodological works in the field of geology in the Azerbaijani language.
Then, Academician Khoshbakht Yusifzadeh, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences Rahid Rahmanov, Ph.D. in Earth Sciences Adila Kabulova and others shared their memories of the outstanding scientist.
The event featured a documentary about the life and work of Academician Ahad Yagubov.
Speaking on behalf of the scientist’s family, Rasim Yagubov expressed gratitude to the organizers and participants of the event for the attention shown to the memory of his father.
