ISSN 1027-4510, Journal of Surface Investigation. X-ray, Synchrotron and Neutron Techniques, 2008, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 815–816. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2008.
Original Russian Text © Editorial Board, 2008, published in Poverkhnost’. Rentgenovskie, Sinkhrotronnye i Neitronnye Issledovaniya, No. 10, pp. 5–6. 815
Svetlana Ivanovna Zheludeva
DOI: 10.1134/S1027451008050297
T
he
Russian scientific community experienced a great loss on May 17,
2008, with the sudden death of
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Svetlana Ivanovna Zheludeva, a
talented scientist, an outstanding organizer, and a fine person. The
community knew her as a tireless worker and a great enthusiast of
science with inexhaustible energy and optimism. S.I. Zheludeva was
born in 1948 in Moscow to a family of physicists. Having graduated
from Moscow State University with honors, she entered graduate school
at the Department of Physics of the Moscow State University and, in
1976, defended the thesis “Study of Domain Recombination
Instability under Conditions of Pulsed and Alternate Voltages.”
While still an undergraduate, her remarkable creativity was noticed
by Academician A.I. Shalnikov, which predestined in many respects the
further course of her life. After postgraduate study, S.I. Zheludeva
entered the Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography. At that time,
x-ray diffraction studies of surface layers and heterostructures were
initiated on the basis of the available scientific structural school.
Svetlana Ivanovna, with her usual enthusiasm, had engaged in
familiarization with the new research area and shortly was quite
confident in this field. She first systematically studied such
secondary processes as the internal photoelectric effect and
photoluminescence under conditions of dynamical diffraction of
x-rays. In the study of x-ray scattering in layered long-period
systems, i.e., x-ray waveguide structures, multilayer x-ray mirrors,
and Langmuir–Blodgett films, she succeeded in detecting novel
capabilities of the x-ray standing wave method, which made it
possible to obtain spectrally selective information on the structure
of ordered organic systems with complex molecular architecture and to
determine parameters of ultrathin nanoscale films. The results of
these studies performed by Svetlana Ivanovna using various
synchrotron radiation sources underlay her doctoral dissertation
“Method of Long-Period X-ray Standing Waves for Characterizing
Layered Nanostructures,” successfully defended in 1995. In
recent years, S.I. Zheludeva primarily paid attention to the
development of methods for diagnostics of protein–lipid layered
nanosystems on the liquid subphase surface, which represents an
adequate model of biological membranes. These studies are very
important to understand the mechanism of cellular membrane
functioning. Their further development in our country necessitated
creation of a novel instrumental basis, and Svetlana Ivanovna
actively undertook the development of the “Langmuir”
unique scientific and technological complex at the Kurchatov Center
of Synchrotron Radiation and Nanotechnology. This facility will allow
x-ray studies of bioorganic systems on the liquid surface in which
native conformation of protein molecules is conserved. She laid the
foundation for this project, which, unfortunately, will need to be
completed without her. In recognition of the significance of the
contributions of S.I. Zheludeva to the development of the scientific
and technical complex at the “Kurchatov Institute,” she
was awarded the rank “Laureate of the Prize of the Government
of the Russian Federation in the Field of Science and Engineering”
in 2006. She was nominated as a candidate for correspondent member of
the Russian Academy of Sciences in “Nanodiagnostics” of
the Division of Nanotechnologies and Information Technologies of the
Russian Academy of Sciences and was recommended by the Division for
election. Her great work ethic allowed her to perform many duties
associated with science organization. She was a deputy chairman of
the working group of the direction “Industry of Nanosystems and
Nanomaterials” of the scientific and coordination council of
the federal target program “Research and Development of the
Priority Areas of Science and Technology in Russia for 2007–
2012” and a member of the Commission of the Russian Academy of
Sciences on nanotechnologies at the Presidium of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, deputy head of the Nanodiagnostics” section. For
many years, S.I. Zheludeva represented our country in the European
Crystallographic Association and was a member of the Bureau of the
National Committee of crystallographers of Russia. Since 1998, S.I.
Zheludeva was a deputy director on scientific work of the Shubnikov
Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She
was also an executive secretary and later a deputy editor-in-chief of
the journal “Surface Investigation. X-ray, Synchrotron, and
Neutron Techniques.” Svetlana Ivanovna was a second mother to
many young scientists and in every possible way supported their
participation in various international and Russian programs and
projects. She supervised the work of the Council of Young Scientists,
organized lectures on problems of crystallography and crystal
physics given by leading specialists of the Institute. Svetlana
Ivanovna was not only held in high respect by Russian and foreign
colleagues because of her scientific achievements. She was
distinguished by remarkable human qualities, i.e., high intelligence,
respectability, responsiveness, striking work ethic, and the high
expectations she placed on herself and others. Svetlana Ivanovna was
a bright and unordinary forward-looking person. The many colleagues
and friends of Svetlana Ivanovna feel deep sorrow at her untimely
passing and offer their sincere condolences to her family.
JOURNAL OF SURFACE INVESTIGATION. X-RAY, SYNCHROTRON AND NEUTRON TECHNIQUES Vol. 2, No. 5 2008