Eminent scientist-academician, power engineer ? Shapyk Chokin

ASTANA. May 6. KAZINFORM ?Wealth is ice, melting in your hands, your deeds are your trace on the Earth?, ancient east wisdom says. Shapyk Chokin was one of such people, whose deeds live longer then he himself. Kazinform offers its readers a brief biography of known scientist and academician who contributed to the development of energy, National Hero Shapyk Chokin.

S.Chokin was born on October 1, 1912 in Bayanaul district of Pavlodar region in a poor family. In 1918 at the age of 6, after his father?s death, he remained in the custody of his older brother Riza Chokin. He received his first education in a rural school. Later he graduated from the school of peasant youth in Bayanaul, Karkaraly pedagogical technical school. In 1931-1933 he continues his education in the Central Asian Institute of Engineers and Irrigation Technicians in Tashkent. In 1937 S.Chokin graduated from hydro land reclaiming department of the Omsk Agricultural Institute named after S.M.Kirov. From 1937 till 1939 he worked as head of department, chief engineer of the Kazakh Republican Trust of Rural Electrification of People?s Committee on Land of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1939 Sh. Chokin was appointed Deputy Director of the Trust. In 1943 at the invitation of Kanysh Satpayev he became head of the energy department of the Kazakh affiliate of the Soviet Science Academy. Later he founded an affiliate of the Institute for Energy Research on the basis of the department. He headed the affiliate till 1989. Shapyk Chokin's other appointments were Chairman of Mineral Resources Department of the Kazakh Academy of Sciences (1954-1955), member of the Presidium of the Kazakh Academy of Sciences (1954-1968), Chief Academic Secretary of the Presidium of the Kazakh Academy of Sciences (1955-1962). In 1964 he was elected the President of the Kazakhstan's Academy of Sciences. He held this post till 1967. Besides, he was elected a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Socialist Republic of the VI convocation. Shapyk Chokin laid the foundation for an integrated system of scientific and technical forecasting of energy development in Kazakhstan, they justified the way of forming the fuel and energy complex of the country. He is a founder of the Kazakh Research Institute of Energy, author of projects of Irtysh-Karaganda channel, Kapchagai hydro-electric power plant. Being one of the closest associates of academician Kanysh Satpayev, Shapyk Chokin contributed to the establishment and development of the Kazakh Academy of Sciences. Shapyk Chokin devoted his life to science and in 1996 was awarded the title ?Halyk Kaharmany?.