Published on: 2026-05-18
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
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An outstanding scientist, a world-renowned classic of probability theory and mathematical statistics, founder of a major scientific school, Academician AleksandrAlekseevich BorovkovPassed away on May 14 at the age of 95.
His contribution to science, to the lives of his colleagues and numerous students, is invaluable and has played an important role. Until the end of his days, Aleksandr Alekseyevich remained true to his inherent principles, determination, and loyalty to the truth.
Aleksandr Alekseevich Borovkov was born on March 6, 1931, in Moscow, in a family of an aviation designer. In 1954, he graduated with honors from the Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty of Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov. His scientific path was predetermined by participating in a seminar on probability theory, which was conducted by the leading mathematicians of the 20th century A. N. Kolmogorov and E. B. Dynkin.
Under the guidance of A. N. Kolmogorov, Alexander Alekseevich defended his candidate’s dissertation in 1959. A year later, on the recommendation of his scientific supervisor A. A. Borovkov, he moved to Novosibirsk and headed the newly created department of probability theory and mathematical statistics at the Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where he later became deputy director, chief scientific associate, and advisor to the RAS.
In 1963, Alexander Alekseevich defended his doctoral dissertation, in 1966 he was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and in 1990 he became an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Alexander Alekseevich Borovkov stood at the origins of Novosibirsk State University. In 1965, he founded the Department of Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics at the Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty of NSU, which he headed for more than 40 years. He prepared and for many years delivered original lecture courses on probability theory, mathematical statistics, and queueing theory.
The weekly scientific seminar “Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics,” created and organized at the Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has gained wide recognition. For several decades, this event has become a real center of attraction for scientists. More than 2,000 meetings have taken place, with Alexander Alekseevich being the heart and most dedicated participant in every discussion.
A special place in the life of Alexander Alekseevich Borovkov is occupied by the creation of textbooks reflecting the current state of science. His textbooks “Theory of Probability” and “Mathematical Statistics” have become some of the main textbooks in the country for mathematical specialties of universities in the USSR and Russia. These books have gone through several editions, have been translated into European languages, and published in a number of other countries. On the textbook of A. A.Borovkova educated more than one generation of researchers, including many candidates and doctors of science, including in other specialties related to the application of theoretic-probabilistic methods. Many specialists consider these books among the best examples of textbooks in the field of probability theory and mathematical statistics. These textbooks became foundational materials for university education and trained more than one generation of mathematicians in many countries. Colleagues are confident that the books by A. A.Borovkova will continue to determine the direction of the main development of the educational process for the specialty “Theory of Probability and Mathematical Statistics” at the leading university for a long time.
Alexander Alexeevich Borovkov founded the journals “Siberian Advances in Mathematics” and “Mathematical Works” and led them for more than 20 years. He was a member of the editorial boards of the journals “Theory of Probability and Its Applications”, “Siberian Mathematical Journal”, “Mathematical Methods of Statistics”, “Electronic Journal of Probability”, and “Markov Processes and Related Fields”. He was a member of the Commission on Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics at the Mathematics Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), chairman of the editorial and publishing board of the Sobolev Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, headed the Council D.002.23.03 for the defense of doctoral dissertations, and for many years was a member of the Scientific Councils of the Sobolev Institute of Mathematics.Soboleva, Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU, United Scientific Council on Mathematics and Informatics of the SB RAS.
The bibliography of Alexander Alekseevich’s works contains over 300 pieces, including more than 10 monographs and university textbooks. His monographs, published by leading world publishing houses, have received the broadest recognition in the professional community.
The high merits and achievements of Alexander Alekseevich have been recognized with prestigious state and scientific awards. He was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor, the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” IV degree, twice the medals “For Labor Valor” (1958, 1968), and was presented with the Certificate of Honor from the President of the Russian Federation. Alexander Alekseevich is a laureate of the State Prize of the USSR for a series of works on asymptotic methods in probability theory and a laureate of the Government Prize of the Russian Federation for the creation of textbooks on probability theory and mathematical statistics for institutions of higher professional education. A. A.Borovkov was also awarded the A. N. Kolmogorov Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the series of works “Extended large deviation principle for random walk trajectories” and the A. A. Markov Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the series of works on limit theorems for random processes.
Colleagues note that Aleksandr Alekseevich, until recently, possessed a rare ability to meet a new result with almost youthful enthusiasm and, barely catching his breath, to strive again toward the unknown. This joy of discovery, multiplied by sincere attention to others, was his way of life.
The passing of Alexander Alekseevich is an irreplaceable loss for the scientific community, but his works remain a reliable foundation for future discoveries, and his research will be continued by his students.
Deeply saddened and express sincere condolences to the family, relatives, and close ones of Alexander Alekseevich.
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