Janis STRADINS

Janis STRADINS, Professor, Dr.habil.chem, Dr.hist.h.c. Chief Researcher, Laboratory of Physical Organic Chemistry Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles iela 21 Riga, LV 1006 Phone: +371 7 555985 Chief Researcher, Institute of History of Latvia Akademijas laukums 1 Riga, LV 1524 Latvia Chair of the Senate, Latvian Academy of Sciences Akademijas laukums 1 Riga, LV 1524 Latvia Phone: +371 7 213663 Fax: +371 7 228784, +371 7 821153 E-mail: stradins@lza.lv

Born: December 10, 1933, Riga, Latvia

Interests:

• History of Science (Chemistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Physics, Research Centres of the Baltic Countries, Biographies of Eminent Scientists)
• Molecular Electrochemistry of Organic Compounds
• Intellectual History of Riga and Latvia during Eight Centuries
• International Scientific and Cultural Relations in Europe: West-East, North-South
• Latvia and the Latvians in the World, Baltic Intellectual Cooperation

Languages: English, German, Russian, French, Latvian

Education:

• University of Latvia ( Faculty of Chemistry), cum laude, 1956
• Dr.chem. (Candidate of Science in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), Lomonosov Moscow State University,1960
• Dr.habil.chem. (Doctor of Science in former USSR), Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1968

Postdoctoral studies:

• N.Semyonov Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, 1961
• N.Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Moscow, 1961
• Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 1968
• J.Heyrovsky Institute of Electrochemistry and Physical Chemistry, Prague, 1984
• Institute of Microbiology and Experimental Therapy, Bioelectrochemistry Department, Jena, 1965, 1989

Experience:

• Researcher, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, 1957-1961
• Head, Laboratory of Physical Organic Chemistry, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, 1961-2006; since 1993 -  Chief  Researcher
• Professor (Physical Chemistry), University of Latvia, 1972-1976
• Professor, Institute of History of Latvia, University of Latvia, 1990-
• Chief Researcher, Institute of History of Medicine, Riga Stradins University (Medical Academy of Latvia), 1992-
• Curator, Institute "EUROLAT", 1993-1998 (since 1998 - head of the Latvian group of members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts)
• Vice-president, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1992-1998
• President, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1998 - 2004
• Chair of the Senate, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2004 -

Honours and Awards:

• Full Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1973
• Honorary Doctoral Degree, Dr.h.c. (Chemistry), University of Latvia, 1989
• Honorary Doctoral Degree, Dr.h.c. (History) , Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1992
• Honorary Doctoral Degree, Dr.h.c. , Latvia University of Agriculture, 1999
• Honorary Doctoral Degree, Dr.h.c. , Riga Stradins University, 2007
• Professor and Grand-Doctor in Chemistry and History, World Information Distributed University (WIDU), Bruxelles (Belgium), 2001
• Full Member, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea (Salzburg, Austria), 1991
• Corresponding Member, Saxonian Academy of Sciences ( Leipzig, Germany), 1993
• Full Member, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher "Leopoldina", 1994
• Foreign Member, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, 1994
• Foreign Member, Estonian Academy of Sciences, 1998
• Foreign Member, Georgian Academy of Sciences, 2002
• Honorary Member, Riga Technical University, 2000
• Honorary Member, Wilhelm Ostwald Gesellschaft (Grossbothen, Germany), 1990
• Member, New York Academy of Sciences, 1995
• Corresponding Member, Baltische Historische Kommission (Goettingen), 1991-
• Honorary Member, Estonian Association of the History of Sciences, 2001
• Honorary Member, Latvian Association of the History of Sciences, 2002
• Honorary Member, Lithuanian Association of the History and Philosophy of Sciences, 2006
• Honorary President, Latvian Association of the History of Medicine, 2000 -
• Honorary Member, Latvian Culture Foundation, 1998
• Honorary Member, Latvian Pharmaceutical Society, 1995
• Honorary Member, Academic organisation "Austrums" (Latvia), 1996 
• Honorary Member, Riga Latvian Society, 2006

• The Latvian SSR State Prize, 1980
• Award of the Cabinet of Ministers, Republic of Latvia, 2001
• Latvian SSR Merited Scientist, 1986
• The Three Stars Order (Republic of Latvia), 1995
• Order of the Legion of Honour, France, 2001
• Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Estonia), 2004
• Ordine Al merito della Republica (Italy), 2004
• Medal for 1991 Barricade Defense, 2005
• Honorary Diploma of Soviet Association for History of Natural Sciences, 1970
• The Purkinje Silver Medal (University of Brno, Czechoslovakia), 1977
• Silver and Bronze Medal of USSR Exhibition of Achievements in National Economy (Moscow), 1978,1980
• The P. Stradins Award (Museum of History of Medicine, Riga), 1983
• The P.Walden Medal and Award (Riga Polytechnical Institute),1988
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Grand Medal, 1993
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences G.Vanags Prize (Chemistry), 1994
• The T.Grothuss Medal and Award (Vilnius , Lithuanian Academy of Sciences), 1994
• The G.Soros Social Harmony Award, 1995
• Medal of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts "Pro Merito", 1998
• Medal of the Academies of Sciences of three Baltic countries, 1999
• The Wilhelm Ostwald Medal (Saxonian Academy of Sciences), 2004
• The City Riga Award, 2004
• Life-time Stipendiate of the Latvian Culture Capital   Foundation (LKKF), 2007 -
• The S.Hiller Medal (Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis), 1990
• The D.H.Grindel Medal (Company "Grindex", Latvia), 1995
• The P.Snikers Medal ( Fraternitas Metropolitana), 1996
• The L.Liepina Medal (Institute of Inorganic Chemistry), 2001
• The A.N.Kost Medal (Moscow University, Mendeleev Society), 2006
• Commemorative medals of outstanding scientists (Copernicus, M.Lomonosov, L.Pasteur, E.Rutherford, A.Kirchensteins, G.Vanags, Arv. Kalnins, etc.), e.a.

Professional Activities and Memberships:

• Member of the Board, Latvian Council of Science, 1990-2007
• President, Latvian Association of History of Sciences, 1987-  
• President , Association of Science History and Philosophy of the Baltic States (1990-1991, 1993-1996, 2001-2003, since 2006)
• Advisor to the Prime Minister, Republic of Latvia, 1993-1994
• Member of the Council, Latvian Union of Scientists, 1988-
• Member, Numismatic (Coin) Design Commission, Bank of Latvia, 1992 -
• Member of Curatorium, Riga Stradins University, 1998 -
• Member of the Board, Koknese Foundation, 2005-
• Honorary President, Association of Selonians (Latvia), 1999-
• Member, Council of Monuments of Riga City, 2001- 
• Member, State Language Commission, 2002 - 2006
• Chairman of the State programm "Lettonica" Board, 2006 -

Member of the Editorial Board for

• ''Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds'' ("Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii"),1965-; Editor-in-chief , 1975-1985
• "Iz istorii jestestvoznanija i tekhniki Pribaltiki" (Acta Historiae Scientiarum Baltica), (Editor-in-chief), 1968- 1992
• "Acta Medico-Historica Rigensia", 1987-
• "Akademiska Dzive", 2006 -
• "Mokslo ir technikos Raida" (Lithuania), 2007 -

Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for

• ''Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences", 1990-
• "Latvijas Vestures Instituta Zurnals"  (Chairman of the Board, since 2005), 1991-
• "Russian Journal of Electrochemistry" (Elektrokhimiya), Moscow, 1993-
• ''Humanities and Social Sciences. Latvia'', 1996-
• RTU Raksti "Humanitaras un socialas zinatnes", 2002

• Member, International Electrochemical Society, 1972-1999
• Member, Writers’ Union of Latvia, (Member of the Board, 1986-1990), 1984 -
• Member, International EPR (ESR) Society, 1990-
• Member, Societe Internationale de l'Histoire de la Medicine, 1997-
• Member, Riga Latvian Society, 1992-   (Honorary Member, 2006)
• Member, "Fraternitas Metropolitana" (Latvia), 1990-
• Chairman, Jury Commission of the Cicero Award, 1999 -
• Chairman, Riga Award Jury Commission, 2005 -
• Chairman, L'Oreal Award Jury Commission, 2005 -
• President (2000 - 2007), Member of the Board,  Grindel Fraternity, 2000 -
• Honorary President, Riga P.Stradins University Hospital Support Foundation, 2000 -
• Member of the Consulting Council, P.Stradins Museum of History of Medicine, 2005 -
• Member of the Consulting Council, Latvian Academic Library, 2007 -

Lectures:

• Plenary Lecture, J.Heyrovsky International Memorial Congress (Prague, 1980)
• Plenary Lecture, A.Frumkin Centenary Memorial Symposium (Moscow, 1995)
• 20 plenary lectures at Baltic conferences on history of sciences (1958-2003)
• Invited Lecture, 6th Nordic Conference on History of Science and Ideas (1992)
• 14 invited lectures at plenary meetings  and sessions of Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian Academies of Sciences, 1991-
• Invited Lecture, Plenary Meeting of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters (1999)
• Lectures at 3  International Congresses for History of Sciences (Tokyo, 1974;  Moscow, 1971; Bucharest, 1981)
• Aula Lecture, Tartu University (1997)
• Report, World Conference on Science (Budapest, 1999)
• Invited Lecture, International Conference " Riga and the Baltic Sea Area, Regional and Multicultural Relations" (Riga, 2001)
• Invited Lecture, 9th Baltic Conference on Intellectual Cooperation (Vilnius, 2003)
• Invited Lecture "Wilhelm Ostwald and Riga" , Leipzig University (Leipzig, 2003)
• Plenary Lectures, 1st and 2nd Congresses of Lettonica (Riga, 2006, 2008).

Courses:

University of Latvia:

• History of Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Physical Methods in Organic Chemistry

Recent/Representative Publications:

7 books and 330 articles on molecular electrochemistry; 20 books and  250 articles on history of science

• J.Stradins, B.Turovska, V.Glezer. Electrochemical Potentials, Charge Transfer and Complexation Properties of Quinoid Systems. - Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics, 1993, vol. 32, pp. 1-13.
• J.Ogle, J.Stradins, L.Baumane. Formation and Decay of Free Cation Radicals in the Course of Electro-Oxidation of 1,2- and 1,4-Dihydropyridines (Hantzsch esters). - Electrochimica Acta, 1994, vol. 39, No 1, pp. 73-79.
• J.Stradins, R.Gavars, L.Baumane. Principles and Procedures for the Electrochemical Generation of Free Radicals of Organic Compounds Aimed at Studying their Structure by the ESR Technique . - Russian J. of Electrochemistry, 1995, vol. 31, No 10, pp. 1016-1026.
• K.Broka, J.Stradins, V.Glezer, G.Zelcans, E.Lukevics. Electrochemical Oxidation of Silatranes. - Journal of Electroanalyt. Chem., 1993, vol. 351, pp. 199-206.
• B.Turovska, J.Stradins e.a. Electrochemical Oxidation of Hydrogenated Indolizines and their Precursors.- Electrochimica Acta, 1997, vol. 42, No 23/24, pp. 3553-3564.
• L. Baumane, A. Krauze, L. Chernova, L. Sile, G. Duburs, J. Stradins. Synthesis and electrochemical oxidation of 4-aryl-3-carbamoyl-metylthio-5-ethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitriles. - Chem.Heterocycl. Comp., 2003, N 12, pp. 1591-1599.
• B. Turovska, D. Muceniece, V. Lusis, I. Turovskis, E. Liepins, J. Stradins. Electrochemical reduction of 5-oxoindeno[1,2-b]pyridinium perchlorates on the presence of alkylating reagents. - Chem. Heterocycl. Comp., 2003, N 12, pp. 1600-1607.
• I.Goba, B.Turovska, J.Stradins, I.Turovskis e.a. Electrochemical synthesis of 1,2,3,4,4,5,6-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines. - Chem. Heterocycl. Comp., 2007, N 2, pp. 175-186.

• J.Stradins, K.E. Arons, A.Viksna. Such was Our Time [Book about Prof. P.Stradins and recent history of Latvia], 1996, Riga: Spriditis, 495 pp. (in Latvian, Summary in English).
• From D.H.Grindel to the Present. A Review of the Search of New Pharmaceuticals in Latvia, by Prof. J.Stradins, 1996, Riga: Nordik, 360 pp. (in Latvian, Summary in English, German, Russian).
• Janis Stradins. Biobibliography [1951-1992], 1993, Riga: Academic Library, 303 pp. (includes 2155 titles of books, articles, notes). Additional edition (1993-2003), Riga: Academic Library, 2004, 464 pp.
• Janis Stradins. Latvian Academy of Sciences - Origin, History, Transformation, 1998, Riga:Zinatne, 711 pp. (in Latvian).
• J.Stradins, Dz. Cebere. The Outset of Science and Higher Educational Institutions in the City of Riga (110 pp.). - In: Old Riga, III, 2001 (in Latvian).
• History of the Higher Technical Education in Latvia, Vol. I (Riga, 2002), Vol. II (Riga, 2004), Vol.III (Riga, 2007)  (co-author), (in Latvian).
• History of Latvia. 20th Century. Vol. I (Riga, 2000), Vol. II (Riga, 2003) (co-author, chapters on history of science and higher education) (in Latvian).
• J.Stradins. 800 years of science in Riga, Latvia. - Proc. Latv.Acad. Sci., B, 2002, vol. 56, N 4/5, pp. 145-154.
• J.Stradins. Science and scientists in Latvia: A historical perspective. - Proc. Latv.Acad. Sci., B, 2003, vol. 57, N 1/2, pp. 42-55.
• J.Stradins. Gustavs Vanags and Organic Chemistry in Latvia, 2005, Riga: PIC, 212 pp.(in Latvian)
• J.Stradins, O.Pugovics (Ed.). Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis - 50, 2007, Riga: Zinatne, 328 pp. (in Latvian).

Research Projects:

• J.Stradins (Head of Project). The Forms and Structures of   Science in Latvia in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Latvian Council of Science (1991-1993)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Electrochemistry of Organic Amines, Organometallic Compounds (IV B group) and Quinoidal Systems. Latvian Council of Science (1991-1993)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Investigation of the Structure of Organic Compounds. Latvian Council of Science (1994-1996)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Molecular Electrochemistry of Organic Compounds and Free Radical Intermediates . Latvian Council of Science (1994-1996)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Headlines of the History of Science in Latvia from  the 18th to the 20th Century. Latvian Council of Science (1994-1996)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Electroanalytical Chemistry of Hydrogenated Pyridines. International Science Foundation (LF-5000, 1994-1996)
• J.Stradins (Head of Project). Molecular Electrochemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds and Phenols. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000)
• J.Stradins (Partner of Programme). Lettonica (Studies of the History of Culture and Science in Riga and Latvia). Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000, 2001 - )
• J.Stradins (Partner of Project). Structural and Electrochemical Investigations of Organic Compounds. Latvian Council of Science (2001-   )
• J.Stradins (Head of Programm). State Programm  for Language, History and Culture of Latvia "Lettonica". Ministry of Education and Science (2006 -  ).

Last update 04.01.2008