v. f. toropova's 85th birthday
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1061-9348/01/5602- $25.00 © 2001
åAIK “Nauka
/Interperiodica”0196
Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 56, No. 2, 2001, p. 196. Translated from Zhurnal Analiticheskoi Khimii, Vol. 56, No. 2, 2001, pp. 222–223.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2001 by Editorial Board.
On November 20, 2000, Vera Fedorovna Toropova,Doctor of Chemistry, Professor of the AnalyticalChemistry Department of Kazan State University cele-brated her 85th birthday. Toropova is widely knownamong analytical chemists.
Vera Fedorovna was born in Molog, Yaroslavl prov-ince, in the town, as she says, “which already does notexist” (in fact, it is beneath the water now). She enteredKazan State University in 1935. “I have an aspirationfor studying chemistry more profoundly. A conscien-tious and keen chemist is more useful than a poor engi-neer is. Therefore, I ask you to let me continue mychemical education at the university,” she wrote in theapplication for admission addressed to the rector of theuniversity, being at that time a student of Kazan Insti-tute of Chemical Technology. Her desire came true.Only excellent marks were in her student’s record-book. She graduated from the Department of Chemis-try with honors. After that, Toropova was a post-gradu-ate student and defended her candidate dissertationunder the title “Polarographic Studies of Stability ofSome Iron and Copper Complexes with CarbonicAcids” two days before the Great Patriotic War began.
By this work, she initiated electrochemical analyticalstudies at Kazan State University. Prof. Toropova wasone of the pioneers of general polarographic applica-tions. During the war, she worked at an armory factory.In 1943, she returned to the Department of AnalyticalChemistry at her university. Successfully combiningteaching activities with intense research work; in 1959she defended her doctoral dissertation entitled “Study-ing Metal Complexes in Solutions by ElectrochemicalMethods.” Even now, this study is of interest because itsummarizes all that was made in the polarography ofcomplexes during the first half-period of the develop-ment of the method. Vera Fedorovna is remarkable forher breadth of interests. As already said, she was amongthe first who started to develop polarography in ourcountry. In the beginning, Toropova studied complexcompounds, next, the catalytic currents of hydrogenand oxidants. The studies of Prof. Toropova and hercoworkers devoted to amalgam polarography with accu-mulation (as stripping voltammetry was named at thattime) were characterized by innovations, experimentalthoroughness, and the reliability of results and conclu-sions. The list of her works includes more than 300 titles.She advised more than 50 candidate dissertations. Amongher former students, there are five doctors of science.
From 1958 to 1986 Prof. Toropova was head of theDepartment of Analytical Chemistry of Kazan StateUniversity. She established a school on electroanalyti-cal chemistry. Her former post-graduate students, whothemselves became heads of various scientific and edu-cational divisions, remember that working under herguidance was a real school that favored idea generationand scientific quest and cultivated decency, benevo-lence, and public spirit. Numerous students of Prof.Toropova are widespread throughout the world. Theyall speak of her with the deepest gratitude, write lettersto her, consult with her about scientific problems, sharewith her their achievements, problems, and simplyeveryday life. For each of them, Vera Fedorovna has akind word and wise advice.
Today Prof. Toropova, with her great interest andenthusiasm, is pursuing investigations in the field ofkinetic analytical methods (including analysis in liquidflows), takes an active part in advising term anddiploma papers and post-graduate works. She is askilled teacher and expert. She celebrates her jubilee inthe circle of her students, colleagues, and adherents.
The Editorial Board and Staff of
Zhurnal Ana-liticheskoi Khimii
join her colleagues and studentswishing Vera Fedorovna Toropova good health and newscientific achievements.
V. F. Toropova’s 85th Birthday
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