Among the prominent Soviet scientists in electronics the place of pride belongs to the correspondent member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR Semen Isaakovich Tetelbaum (1910-1958) - a graduate of the KPI, professor, head of department, dean of the faculty. S.I. Tetelbaum lived a short life - only 48 years old, but managed to do very much, because he always liked to live in a hurry. At the age of 24 he became the candidate of technical sciences, a 29-year doctorate, in 30 years became the head of the department, in the 38 - member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR.
He was born in Kiev, July 7, 1910. In 1924, he graduated from the seven-year working school, and began working as a projectionist and electrician. At the same time he also attended electrical professional school and graduated in 1927. Subsequently, he surprised everyone who knew him as a scientist - theoretical and experimental – by his ability to perform complex turning, metalwork, assembly and other works.
In the 1928-1932 S.I. Tetelbaum was a KPI student, after graduation - a design engineer at the institute.
When describing the results of his operations, very often it is used the word "first".
In 1932 Tetelbaum designed and built a television set with which in Ukraine for the first time, there were experiments on television.
In 1934-1939 under the leadership of S.I. Tetelbaum important studies were successfully carried out and designs in the field of remote control and automation, electro, reconstruction of radio stations in Kiev and Odessa were developed. Among these structures it should be mentioned a device for underwater communication (1940), the drafting of which important techniques for ultrasound and sonar question were addressed for the fist time.
On the instructions of the Academy of Sciences in 1936, S.I. Tetelbaum developed and produced the first in Ukraine device for measuring the height of the ionized layers of the atmosphere, by which conducted a study of the ionosphere to the solar eclipse, during and after it.
In December 1939 he defended his doctoral thesis on "New methods of sealing broadcast band and modulation methods with increased efficiency." In 1940 he was approved as the head of the department "receiving and transmitting equipment."
During the war, S.I. Tetelbaum worked as the dean of the Faculty of Radio Central Asian Industrial Institute. Simultaneously he performed many valuable research in the field of radar. In addition, a group of researchers led by S.I.Tetelbaum developed and produced the powerful high frequency machine to melt special alloys. For his work he was awarded the Order of the Red Star (1944) and "Honor" (1948).
In the postwar years, SI Tetelbaum develops general questions of the problem efficient transmission of energy without wires over long distances, explored the conditions of wireless power transmission over short distances for the high urban transport, solved new problems and maked numerous inventions in the field of radio, television, electro, automation and remote control, electrical engineering, electronics use in medicine, and others. He has also conducted studies of the circular electrodeless discharge for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
From 1945 until his death, S.I. Tetelbaum headed the Institute of Electrical Engineering (now - Institute of Electrodynamics) Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Laboratory of high-frequency currents, created with his active participation. S.I. Tetelbaum was the first managing editor and organizer of the All-Union Scientific and technical journal "Proceedings of the higher educational institutions under section radio technology." In the KPI, he taught courses "Radio-transmitting devices," "Television," "Fundamentals of Radar" and others.
He died suddenly on November 24, 1958. His ideas in the field of radio were developed by numerous students.
S.I. Tetelbaum published two papers on the physics of the cosmos - "On the circulation of matter in an infinite universe" and "The question of the intensity and spectral composition of the meta galactic radiation." These works still are not properly evaluated.
And, incidentally, in the second paper on the basis of the hypothesis of circulation of matter and energy in the universe it is given calculation of the spectrum of the microwave background - what we called the cosmic background radiation. The ideas, expressed by SI Tetelbaum in these articles, are waiting their time..
To read more about the outstanding scientist one can in the brochure I.V. Akalovsky and V.V.Ogievskii "Semen Isaakovich Tetelbaum" (1960), which also provides a list of his works.