Dr. Alexander Karpov
President of Russian Youth Engineering Society, President of Ministry of Education
Russia
Alexander Olegovich Karpov was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, on February 1 1959, into the family of a naval officer. He was educated at Bauman University and at Lomonosov University. In 1989 he defended a dissertation on mathematical cybernetics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. He worked at the General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (1982-1984). Since 1984, he has been working at Bauman University and is now Head of the “Educational and Scientific Programs and Projects for Youth” Department.
From 1979 to 1982, he taught at – and was Director of – the Physical and Mathematical School at Bauman University. He was also involved in the innovative production development of a youth science engineering company that he was in charge of (1989-1991). In 1995-1999, he acted as Assistant Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science in the State Duma (the Lower Chamber of the Parliament). In 1990, he was elected Chairman of the Association “Actual Problems of Fundamental Sciences” and in 1995 he became President of the Russian Youth Engineering Society.
In 1991, Alexander Karpov founded a Russian Socio-Scientific Program for Youth and Schoolchildren, “Step into the Future”, which, he believes, is the main work of his life. He is Chairman of the Program’s Central Council. At present, about 150,000 schoolchildren and students are engaged in the program’s research activities.
In 1996, on the approved decision of the Russian Ministry of Science and the European Commission, Alexander Karpov was appointed National Organizer of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. Today the National Organizer’s office has well-established scientific and educational connections with 46 countries.
Alexander Karpov has written 157 articles, published in Russia and abroad: 131 publications on philosophy of education, psychology and culturology (1996-2011), and 26 articles on mathematical cybernetics (1986-1994). He is a laureate of the Russian President Award in Education (2003).