Director of KFU’s Magnetic Observatory Mikhail Cherzor celebrates 85th birthday
One of the most senior employees of Kazan Federal University has been warmly congratulated by his many colleagues and students.
Mr Cherzor was born in Kazan, where after graduating from school with a silver medal he enrolled in Kazan State University (now Kazan Federal University).
“It is noteworthy that I could have graduated with a gold medal, but I made only one stylistic mistake in my Russian language essay and therefore graduated with a silver medal,” says Mikhail Cherzor.
In 1957 he started to study geophysics and graduated with honors in 1962. Mr Cherzor chose a scientific career and enrolled in a PhD program. After graduating, he learned that the geophysics department was creating a paleomagnetic laboratory and joined this work. Mikhail Cherzor dealt with hardware issues – instruments for paleomagnetic measurements.
Tody he heads the Magnetic Observatory, which is responsible for continuous measurements of the Earth’s geomagnetic field. At present the archive of the observatory contains a number of observations of the magnetic field for more than 100 years.
As Mikhail Cherzor admits, his work helps him to stay cheerful and active.
“Previously, the observatory was located in Zaimishche, but because of problems with the railroad it had to move it to Raifa [both are suburbs of Kazan – editor’s note]. We did it in a record time – 4 years! And in the 80s the observatory was recognized as one of the best in the country,” he says.
He especially thanks his spouse for her unwavering support in all decisions.
Vice-Rector Danis Nurgaliev said this in his congratulatory words to Mikhail Cherzor, “Mikhail Prokopyevich has been working and heading the Magnetic Observatory of Kazan University for about 60 years. During this time he had to move it from Zaimishche, which is too close to the railroad, and when there were plans to electrify the railroad, it was decided to move the observatory to another place because of the strong magnetic influence. The place for the observatory was chosen by Mikhail Prokopyevich near the village of Belo-Bezvodnoe in the Raifa Reserve. It was a huge organizational and technical work. The importance of this work can hardly be overestimated, as the Magnetic Observatory of Kazan University is one of the oldest magnetic observatories in the world. Measurements of geomagnetic field elements at Kazan University started in 1825 – next year we will celebrate 200 years of this event! Back then it was the first magnetic observatory in Europe. Until 1909 the observatory worked in the courtyard of the Main Building. From 1909 till 1980 the facility functioned in Zaimishche. And the measurements in Raifa began in 1972-1974 – and have been going on for more than 50 years. And this work is still being carried out by Mikhail Prokopyevich. The whole staff of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies, Department of Geophysics and Geo-Information Technologies wishes Mikhail Prokopyevich Cherzor health and all the best!”
“Mikhail Prokopyevich is a great example of how a person can serve his calling all his life, and at the age of 85 remain at his post, literally live at the workplace,” says Ildus Chukmarov, Deputy Director for Marketing, Director of the Center for Advanced Training, Quality Management and Marketing (CdoGEO). “Mikhail Prokopyevich, we wish you and your relatives peace, health, kindness. prosperity and many years of quality life! Thank you very much for your loyalty to your profession!”