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Aleksey Pogrebnoj-AlexandroffPoet, writer and scientist
Country:
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Biography of Alexey Pogrebnoy-Aleksandrov
Alexey Pogrebnoy-Aleksandrov, a poet, writer, and scientist, was born on April 6th in Karaganda, USSR. He was the descendant of the Romanov-Ottoman Empire and had German heritage. Growing up in the Soviet Union, he absorbed the diverse cultures of the people and developed a keen interest in humanities and arts from an early age.
His mother, Nina Aleksandrovna Aleksandrova, played a significant role in his upbringing. She was a dedicated educator and a descendant of noble German and Russian families. Alexey's talent in poetry and storytelling was evident at a young age. His first self-published book of fairy tales, with his own texts and illustrations, was gifted to his elementary school teacher in his second year of schooling. His poem titled "Big Change" later won a school competition and was nominated for a nationwide contest.
With a passion for biology, chemistry, psychology, and the natural sciences, Alexey dedicated most of his time to studying these subjects, leaving little time for literature and fiction. His family library had a significant section of scientific books and journals. After a near-disastrous incident where he almost set his house on fire, his father allocated him a space in the garage, where he set up a laboratory with glass flasks, test tubes, chemicals, and natural stones and minerals. However, the apartment still had numerous birds, animals, and over a dozen large aquariums with tropical fish.
Due to his knack for asking challenging questions, teachers trusted him to teach biology and chemistry classes. For over two years, he maintained a school's mini zoo. Alexey's curiosity knew no bounds; he learned to sew and cook with girls and made hammers and models with boys. While his classmates sometimes failed to understand him, they often envied him.
The early death of his father, Nikolai Prokopyevich Pogrebnoy, changed the dynamics of the family. It became challenging for Alexey's mother to raise two teenage boys and an infant girl. As a result, the family decided to send Alexey's older brother to the Leningrad Restoration and Construction Art School, while Alexey himself started working at a local club and continued his education in higher grades.
After completing high school, Alexey attempted to enter the university but lost his place to an ethnic Jewish boy who only applied to avoid military service. He found work at a zoo and, at the request of the Biological Faculty, became an auditor at Karaganda State University. Despite being a worker responsible for animal care, he found a new passion in teaching zoology to young students and conducting scientific research on mammalian behavior. He became the first person to discover elephants' ability to communicate with humans through spoken words and phrases, which created a sensation worldwide.
Every day, Alexey commuted 40 kilometers between his home and work or university. He earned a modest salary of 78 rubles but remained driven by his passion, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge. He hosted a radio program called "Living Corner" where he shared the wonders of nature, animals, birds, plants, and the mysteries of life. He appeared on television shows, wrote for newspapers and magazines, lectured at scientific conferences, and conducted tours at the zoo. His journal entries further nurtured his extraordinary thinking.
Alexey organized the "Society of Aquarium and Terrarium Enthusiasts," new scientific departments, and sections at the zoo, which won prestigious awards at All-Union and Republican competitions and exhibitions. He also worked as a methodologist at the Scientific and Methodological Center of the Karaganda Regional Executive Committee. He collaborated with renowned scientists such as O.N. Davydov, A.P. Dubrov, N.N. Drozdov, K.E. Fabri, N.I. Epifanovsky, M.E. Goltsman, K. Zvagolsky, K. Atlakhanova, animal trainer I.F. Ruban, and masters of the art of human psychology and hypnosis, including Yu.G. Gornyy with whom he had a long-standing friendship since childhood. He also worked closely with circus troupes and zoos in the Soviet Union and abroad and participated in various international and regional scientific conferences.
After graduating from the Agricultural Institute with a degree in zoology engineering from the Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agricultural University, where he often excelled in exams and tests as an external student, Alexey prepared a scientific work for defending his dissertation. Years later, he pursued a scientific degree in biology at the Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
In December 1991, Alexey left for America, where he continued his studies, scientific work, business, and teaching activities. He conducted research in various fields such as biology, philosophy, psychology, metaphysics, philology, pedagogy, computers, design, and many others. He published articles in newspapers and magazines and hosted his own programs on radio stations such as WMNB, "Narodnaya Volna," and "Novaya Zhizn." Throughout this time, he continued his literary pursuits and involvement in the arts. Several books containing his poems and short stories were published by FCI&PD and US CS - Lode Star Publishing.
Alexey Pogrebnoy-Aleksandrov's journey has been one of relentless pursuit of knowledge, scientific discoveries, and artistic expression. His multidisciplinary approach and dedication to his passions have made him a respected figure in various fields.
