Nikolai G. Bochkarev
Russian Federation
1947-2022
Obituary:
Professor Nikolai G. Bochkarev, the Editor-in-Chief of the Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions (the Journal of the Eurasian Astronomical Society), who worked in this position since the first issue of the journal published in 1991, deceased after many-year serious illness on December 24, 2022.
N.G. Bochkarev graduated from M.V. Lomonosov Moscow University (faculty of physics, astronomy department) in 1971, got his PhD degree in 1974 (his supervisor was Prof. S.B. Pikelner), and his D.Sci. degree, in 1988. He had the top scientific position (Main Researcher) at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute.
In 1990, he became one of the main initiators of establishing the new non-government organization, Astronomical Society of the USSR. The congress of the Society elected him one of its three first co-chairpersons. Next year, the Society was reformed to become an international one, the Eurasian Astronomical Society. Its co-chairman N.G. Bochkarev also became the head of the Society’s International Bureau. During early years of the EAAS existence, which coincided with one of the most difficult periods in Russian history, N.G. Bochkarev paid much attention to contacts with governmental structures and was able to ensure additional funding for astronomical institutions through the special program “Survival of Astronomy in Russia”, where additional funds had been distributed with active participation of the EAAS in decision making. He was also a vice-chairman of the Russia’s Union of Scientific Societies.
Having left the position of the EAAS Chairman, N.G. Bochkarev was elected a honorary member of the Society. He was very active at all EAAS Congresses and Board meetings, weekly participated in offline and online meetings of EAAS active members. The last time he participated in such an online meeting was on December 21, 2022, three days before his death, and he warmly greeted all the participants.
In astrophysics, N.G. Bochkarev’s main fields of interest were interstellar medium, active galactic nuclei, galactic X-ray sources. He also worked in the fields of astrobiology, history of astronomy. He authored more than 350 scientific papers and 8 books. His scientific achievements were recognized with the honorary titles “Distinguished Person in Russian Higher Education”, “Distinguished Person in Science and Technology of Moscow”. We can find his name in outer space: one of the main-belt asteroids is called 19915 Bochkarev. Among the first, N.G. Bochkarev was awarded the memorial medal “30 Years of the EAAS”.
We will remember Prof. N.G. Bochkarev as a scientist completely devoted to astronomy and astrophysics, a man who spared no effort pursuing a worthy purpose, an extremely initiative EAAS member, and an excellent Editor-in-Chief of the EAAS scientific journal, “Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions”.