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Alexander HenckelRussian biologist, teacher and educator.
Date of Birth: 20.07.1872
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Content:
- Life and Career of Alexander Genkel
- Academic Contributions
- Research and Expeditions
- Study of Plankton and Botany
- Doctoral Degree and Symposium
- Professor at Perm State University
- Geographical Statistics and Planning
- Legacy and Family
- Publications and Influence
Life and Career of Alexander Genkel
Early Life and EducationAlexander Genkel was born on July 20, 1872, in Vilnius, Russian Empire (present-day Vilnius, Lithuania). In 1886, he graduated from the Natural Sciences Department of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty at St. Petersburg University.
Academic Contributions
Professor and ResearcherIn 1897, Genkel became an assistant at the Department of Botany at St. Petersburg University. Later, he moved to the University of Novorossiysk, where he was elected associate professor in 1899. In 1900, he returned to St. Petersburg University as an assistant and earned his Master's degree in botany in 1902.
Research and Expeditions
Genkel embarked on several research trips abroad to study marine algae and participated in the Caspian Expedition in 1904. He also contributed to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, writing articles on the morphology of marine algae.
Study of Plankton and Botany
Much of Genkel's research focused on small free-floating algae, the biology of lower organisms, and the morphology of flowering plants. He published articles on planktonic algae found in the Kara and Caspian Seas, Lake Baikal, and rivers of the Ural region.
Doctoral Degree and Symposium
In 1911, Genkel earned his Doctor of Botany degree from the University of Novorossiysk for his dissertation on the Caspian Sea's phytoplankton. He presented at the International Symposium on Symbiosis in 1923.
Professor at Perm State University
Contributions to PermFrom 1916 to 1927, Genkel headed the Department of Morphology and Systematics of Plants at Perm State University. He founded the university's Botanical Garden.
Geographical Statistics and Planning
Genkel also played a significant role in the statistical and geographical study of the Perm region. He led the Perm Guberniya Statistical Bureau and oversaw the zoning of the region. His work influenced the boundaries of various districts and the formation of the Perm Oblast in 1923.
Legacy and Family
Genkel's descendants continued his scientific pursuits at Perm State University. His sons, P. A. and A. A. Genkel, followed in his footsteps as researchers. His daughter, M. A. Genkel, headed the Department of Russian Language and General Linguistics. His grandson, Professor G. A. Voronov, distinguished himself as an ecologist. A street in the Dzerzhinsky district of Perm bears Genkel's name.
Publications and Influence
Throughout his career, Genkel authored over 200 scientific articles in botany and planктоlogy. He was also an avid reader of modern poetry and wrote literary criticism for various publications.