Vocabulary:

an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences – академик Российской Академии Наук (РАН);

tribology – трибология, трение и износ;

the Academy of National Economy at the Government of the Russian Federation – Академия народного хозяйства при Правительству РФ;

to defend a candidate thesis – защитить кандидатскую диссертацию;

a thesis for a Doctor's degree – докторская диссертация;

an Assistant Professor – доцент;

the head of the Chair – заведующий кафедрой;

an Honoured Man of Science – заслуженный деятель науки;

Dissertation Board – диссертационный совет;

inventor’s certificate – авторское свидетельство на изобретение;

the Legislative Assembly – Законодательное собрание;

the Member of the Commission of Experts in Transport at the Highest Certifying Commission of the Russian Federation – член Экспертного Совета по транспорту Высшей аттестационной комиссии РФ;

the Presidential Prize – премия Президента Российской Федерации;

the Order of Honour – Орден Почета.

Questions to the text:

1 What are the scientific interests of V.I. Kolesnikov?

2. What are his scientific titles and awards?

3. By what facts can you prove that the Rector of the RSTU takes an active part in the social life of the country?

4. How can you interpret the words of the Rector: «The most important person in our University is a student»?

5. What is done for the students in the Rostov State Transport University to make their life more comfortable and interesting?

6. Do you think that it is necessary to participate in the charity actions?

7. Why must every modern specialist possess not only his professional knowledge and competencies but know one or two foreign languages, to be computer literate and have a wide cultural outlook?

8. What question would you like to ask the Rector?

Igor yevgenievich levitin – transport minister of the russian federation

Igor Yevgenievich Levitin is the current Russian Transport Minister. He was appointed to the position on March 9, 2004.

Igor Y. Levitin was born on February 21, 1952 in Odessa region. In 1959 he graduated from school. From 1970 until 1973 he served in the Soviet armed forces in the Odessa military district and in the southern group of the armed forces in Budapest (Hungary). In 1973 Levitin graduated from the Leningrad military school of the railroad forces and communications, in 1983 – from the Military academy of rear services (logistics) and transport, gaining the specialty of «railroad engineer». In 1983 he became Military Commandant of the railroad section of the Baykal-Amur railway, in 1985 – Military Commandant and Deputy Head of Moscow Military Railway Communications Service.

From 1994–1996, he was a member of the Railways Reform commission which created the Russian Railways Company as part of its reform program.

In April 1994 Levitin started to work in the Financial and industrial company of the rail transport, in 1995 he became its Vice President. In 1995–1996 Levitin was the chief of the transport department of the privately-owned company «Phoenix-trans». In 1996 he began to work in the privately-held company «Severstaltrans» (he was in charge of the rail transportation and transport machine building).

In 1998 he was appointed the deputy director of company. As the representative of the privately-owned company «Severstaltrans» Levitin was selected into the Board of directors of the joint stock company «Tuapsinskiy sea commercial port». In May 2004 Igor Y. Levitin became the Minister of transport and communications of the Russian Federation in Mikhail Fradkov's government.

In 2006 Levitin headed the government Commissions of Inquiry and rendering aid to victims of the plane crashes near Sochi, Irkutsk and Donetsk. In September 2007 the government of Fradkov retired and Levitin preserved the post of the Minister of transport in the new cabinet of ministers headed by Victor Zubkov.

Levitin is Colonel of reserve, Candidate of sciences, assistant professor, senior lecturer of the Moscow State Open Pedagogical University. In January 2008 Levitin was rewarded with the medal «For the development of railroads» by President Putin`s Decree «For the large contribution to the development of the rail transport». After Medvedev`s assuming the office of the President of the Russian Federation on May 7, 2008, Igor Y. Levitin reserved the post of the Minister of transport.

Igor Y. Levitin is married, he has a daughter.