March 16, 2017 was the 95-th anniversary of the first head of the department of mathematics in KPI Vasyl Petrovych Yermakov death (1845-1922) . This personality has introduced the tradition of high-level teaching of mathematics at the Kiev Polytechnic institute.
March 16, 2017. Lukyaniv civilian cemetery. Representatives of mathematical and educational community of Kyiv gathered near the grave of V. P. Yermakova (plot № 21, row № 11, grave № 11). Here were the employees of NAS of Ukraine Institute of Mathematics, NAPS of Ukraine Institute of Education, Kyiv National University named after Taras Shevchenko, National Pedagogical University named after Mykhaylo Dragomanov, NTUU “KPI named after Igor Sikorsky”, members of the Kiev Mathematical Society, the workers of the State Polytechnic Museum of KPI, annual edition of “Ukraine. Science and Culture”, State Historical and Memorial Lukyaniv Preserve. By the way, a monument was erected on the tomb of V. P. Yermakov in 2012. The money was collected by the mathematicians of Kyiv with the active participation of Kiev Mathematical Society administration member and National Pedagogical University named after Mykhaylo Dragomanov employee H. M. Syta and State Polytechnic Museum of KPI workers.
Dr. Sci. (Phys.-Math), NAS of Ukraine Corresponding Member Yuriy Drozd made the speech. He spoke about the life and work of V. P. Yermakov, and also drew everybody’s attention to scholar’s studies in Kyiv and abroad, his educational activities in Kyiv University and Kiev Polytechnic Institute. Participants of the meeting laid flowers on the grave of professor Yermakov.
Then the participants of the ceremony visited the graves of academician Dmytro Hrave (first principal of the academic Institute of Mathematics), professors Heorhiy Pfeyffer and Heorhiy De-Metts (who gave lectures in several universities of Kiev, headed at different times Kyiv University and Kiev Polytechnic Institute), Klavdiya Latysheva (professor and dean of the faculty of mechanics and mathematics of Kyiv National University named after Taras Shevchenko), Yevhen Viktorovskyy (ukrainian genius at mathematics of ХХ century). Ceremonial meeting has finished with the visit to the church of Lukyaniv cemetery where the prominent figures of mathematical science of Kyiv were commemorated.
We still keep in the walls of our university the memories about V. P. Yermakov. His bas-relief was placed in the corridor of the first building of KPI. A star named after V. P. Yermakov is situated at the Avenue of Stars in front of the first building of KPI. An Internet page on the website of our university is dedicated to this personality. State Polytechnic Museum conducts research on its scientific works. That’s why we can assure you that work and ideas of the outstanding mathematician and professor continue to live in the institution where he had been working.