Borys Paton is an outstanding scientist, world-famous expert in the field of welding, metallurgy, metal production engineering, the author of many fundamental research works and technologies which were created on their basis, a prominent organiser of research and a public figure. For half a century, he has been leading the largest research centre – Academic Institute of Electric Welding named after Ye. O. Paton. Since 1962, Borys Paton has been the permanent President of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, today the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
The most widely used research works of Borys Paton relate to working out of basic technologies for permanent metal joints. He, together with his research school, has worked out the basis for creating a new metallurgic industry – the special electric metallurgy. The industry covers the refining, re-melt and casting of pure alloys, production of unique construction materials by using the vacuum vaporisation and condensation method, and also production of materials and billets with special coating. There have been developed and put into practice the industrial methods for construction of main pipelines, large-sized oil reservoirs, blast furnace jackets, high-rise tower constructions, etc.
The Academician Borys Paton was the first to launch research in the field of space constructions, and as a head of this newest research trend, he is the acknowledged leader in this industry. In 1984 under his direct guidance, the astronauts S. Savitska and V. Dzhanibekov were first to perform practical welding, cutting and deposition of metals in open space. Today he works intensively to solve the most important problems of development and production of new promising construction and functional materials of the XXI century.
The high work achievements of the Academician Borys Paton have been commended by the highest state awards of Ukraine, USSR, Russia, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy and other countries. He is the Hero of Ukraine, the twice Hero of Socialist Labour, the winner of Lenin and State Prizes of the USSR, the Honoured Scientist of Ukraine. He also was awarded with Golden Medal of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR named after M.V. Lomonosov, and by many medals and rewards of foreign science and research associations and organisations.
