Armen Sergeev

The remarkable mathematician and friend of the Moscow Mathematical Journal and of the Independent University of Moscow Armen Sergeev has turned 60.

Armen started to study mathematics at the specialized mathematics school #52. He graduated from the department of mechanics and mathematics (mekh-mat) of Moscow State University. His student works and diploma thesis were guided by prof. A. G. Kostyuchenko at the chair of Function Theory and Functional Analysis. His PhD thesis, supervised by prof. V. S. Vladimirov, was devoted to the theory of hyperfunctions, and his DrSc thesis, to complex analysis in the future tube. The topological and geometrical approach to analytic problems is characteristic of Sergeev from the very beginning of his studies and research. The relevance of a problem to mathematical physics was always one of his main criteria.

At the present time, A.Sergeev is the author of numerous articles and several monographs in the fields of complex analysis and in the geometry of pseudo-convex domains, on n-linear equations of modern mathematical physics (Seiberg–Witten equations and invariants, Abrikosov strings, Ginzburg–Landau equations, and others, in particular in the set-up of non-commutative geometry), in geometric quantization where, by applying Penrose twistor ideas, he has elaborated the method of twistor quantization. In his recent fundamental work “Kahler geometry of loop spaces”, Sergeev gives a mathematically rigorous treatment of Kahler quantization of certain infinite-dimensional Frechet manifolds important in theoretical physics: the loop spaces of compact Lie groups, the universal Teichmueller space and the Hilbert–Schmidt Grassmanian.

For many years A. Sergeev is the deputy director of the Steklov Mathematics Institute, organizing research and contributing a great deal to all sides of the institute's life. He has done and is doing much to preserve the rich traditions of the Steklov Institute and shape a new image of it. Armen is also very active in the Moscow Mathematical Society, being the Editor-in-chief of the MMS Proceedings.

His open mind, wide scope of scientific interests, natural democratism and personal attraction make him an administrator of a rare type. The same traits lead to him being an eagerly desired collaborator and lecturer in the universities of several countries, including Russia, many European countries, China, Japan and some countries of the former Soviet Union. He is a prized research advisor of many talented students.

It is difficult to fully embrace the scope of Armen's personal interests. He loves and knows literature, music and arts. He has composed the music for several dozen songs. Armen is a passionate traveller, greedily absorbing the features of landscape, language and culture of the places he visits. He has spent a lot of time in the mountains of the Caucasus, Tyan-Shan, Pamir, in the North of Russia. He has the title of Master of Sports in mountain hiking. This spring Armen descended on skis from Mont Blanc (Aiguille du Midi).

We cordially congratulate Armen, and wish him happiness, success and joy of life.

V. Buchstaber, S. Gusein-Zade, Yu. Ilyashenko,
V. Kozlov, S. Natanzon, O. Sheinman, A. Sossinsky,
D. Treschev, M. Tsfasman