ON CONTINUITY IN SCIENCE
"There are scientific schools. There are people who teach the youth. I feel sincere gratitude when thinking about Acad. Ioffe under whose guidance I worked and whom 1 owe everything I achieved. To my mind, the scientific school of Leningrad Institute of Physics and Technology played a significant role in my life, in the fate of Acad. Kurchatov, Khariton, Zeldovich, and many other Soviet physicists...
Perhaps, the most striking thing was a friendly attitude of the institute employees towards each other and the creative atmosphere that reigned in the house in Lesnaya Street. Unfortunately, today such a friendly atmosphere is a kind of rarity at research institutes. I remember Abram Fyodorovich walking through the laboratories. Once a week he visited each of them. He asked about their work, with authentic interest discussed obtained results, pointed out possible mistakes and what to focus on. We felt really sorry if we had nothing to say when he asked: 'Well, what's the news?'. To avoid such situations, we had to work a lot. And we worked hard...
We were very young and bowed down before the authority of our teacher. But, of course, we had different vision of the world. And, most likely, we quarreled and felt hurt... But I do not remember that. I do remember the enthusiasm we worked with. I remember how we helped each other when the equipment broke down, how we put aside everything and rushed to repair it. We shared everything we had. As for seminars and different scientific views on this or that problem, we spoke straight out when arguing. I remember someone once told Ioffe: 'You forgot Ohm's law!'
An interesting fact is that at the institutes later on headed by former students of the Leningrad Institute of Physics and Technology conflicts are avoided even today."
ON COMPROMISES
"There are different types of compromises. You know, I don't like those brave wise heads, who attack everything and everyone ...
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