Alexander Janelidze

Alexander Janelidze served as the Rector of Tbilisi State University from February 1942 to August 1945 during the harshest times of the Second World War.   Despite these hardships and thanks to the Janelidze’s  organizational efforts, the university continued its educational programs and scientific research throughout the war.    
 Alexander Janelidze was born in the village Nikortsminda, Ambrolauri district on November 6, 1888.   After finishing Kutaisi Classical School, A. Janelidze left for Paris to enroll in  the faculty of Natural Sciences at the Sorbonne University, where he graduated with honors in 1910. In 1911, he returned to his homeland and taught Physics and Mathematics at boys’ and girls’ high schools.  Later, he studied at the faculty of Physics-Mathematics at the Kazan State University and returned to Georgian in 1918 to participate in the founding the first Georgian University.   
In 1920,  Alexander Janelidze went abroad to study geology and paleontology and returned in 1923 to defend his doctoral dissertation, which was the first dissertation in natural sciences ever presented at the Tbilisi State University. In 1924, A. Janelidze was elected the head of the faculty of Geology and Paleontology. He stayed in the office without interruption for 45 years. In addition, A. Janelidze founded the faculty of Geology and Paleontology at the Georgian Technical University and acted as the head of the faculty for many years.   Alexander Janelidze is the author of more than 150 essays, among them monographs and textbooks.
For 30 years, Alexander Janelidze ran the Institute of Geology which was founded by him in 1925 at Tbilisi State University.   At present, the institute is part of the Georgian Academy of Sciences.   He also  established Georgian Geological Society, which he devotedly chaired until his death.  In 1941, having been elected in the first team of Academy of Sciences of Georgian SSR, Alexander was the director of the faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences for many years and served the Vice-President and member of Presidium of the Academy. Alexander Janelidze  passed away on January 16, 1975.

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