Nikolay Konstantinov
Encyclopedia
Nikolay Nikolayevich Konstantinov is a leading Soviet and Russian
mathematical educator and organizer of numerous mathematics competitions for high school students. He is best known as the creator and chief organizer of the Tournament of the Towns
. For his work he was awarded the Paul Erdős
award in 1992.
, Soviet Union
. He graduated from the Physics Department
of the Moscow State University in 1954, and later received a Ph.D.
in physics
.
In the 1950s he started a math circle
in Moscow University and since 1960s in a number of Moscow high schools. He continued working with schools developing special classes with mathematics concentration and individual approach to learning. His students went on to win mathematics competitions on all levels and dozens of them became well known mathematicians.
In 1978, Konstantinov started the Lomonosov tournament, a multi-subject science competition. This tournament is continued every year since then. In 1980, he started the international Tournament of the Towns
which is now organized in over 150 towns in 25 countries.
In 1990 Konstantinov was one of the founders of Independent University of Moscow, one of the leading institutions of higher learning in mathematics in Russia.
Even now, in his late 70's, Konstantinov continues working in Moscow High School 179 and is an editor of Kvant magazine
, a popular Russian science publication.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
mathematical educator and organizer of numerous mathematics competitions for high school students. He is best known as the creator and chief organizer of the Tournament of the Towns
Tournament of the Towns
The Tournament of the Towns is a town-based mathematics contest originating in Russia...
. For his work he was awarded the Paul Erdős
Paul Erdos
Paul Erdős was a Hungarian mathematician. Erdős published more papers than any other mathematician in history, working with hundreds of collaborators. He worked on problems in combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, classical analysis, approximation theory, set theory, and probability theory...
award in 1992.
Biography
Konstantinov was born and grew up in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He graduated from the Physics Department
MSU Faculty of Physics
The Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University is the largest faculty of Moscow State University.-Nobel winners:*Igor Tamm *Ilya Frank *Lev Davidovich Landau...
of the Moscow State University in 1954, and later received a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
.
In the 1950s he started a math circle
Math Circle
Mathematical circles are a form of outreach that bring mathematicians into direct contact with pre-college students. These students, and sometimes their teachers, meet with a mathematician or graduate student in an informal setting, after school or on weekends, to work on interesting problems or...
in Moscow University and since 1960s in a number of Moscow high schools. He continued working with schools developing special classes with mathematics concentration and individual approach to learning. His students went on to win mathematics competitions on all levels and dozens of them became well known mathematicians.
In 1978, Konstantinov started the Lomonosov tournament, a multi-subject science competition. This tournament is continued every year since then. In 1980, he started the international Tournament of the Towns
Tournament of the Towns
The Tournament of the Towns is a town-based mathematics contest originating in Russia...
which is now organized in over 150 towns in 25 countries.
In 1990 Konstantinov was one of the founders of Independent University of Moscow, one of the leading institutions of higher learning in mathematics in Russia.
Even now, in his late 70's, Konstantinov continues working in Moscow High School 179 and is an editor of Kvant magazine
Kvant magazine
Kvant is a popular science magazine in physics and mathematics for school students and teachers, issued since 1970 in Soviet Union and continued in Russia...
, a popular Russian science publication.