Memories and hopes of prof. Petchenko A.M.

Entering the wonderful world of science, arranging in it and achieving certain creative successes would probably be impossible if my first teachers-world-famous physicists, Professors Pines Boris Yakovlevich and Startsev Valerian Ivanovich, as well as the outstanding physicists of Professor Kitaygorodsky A.I., Alshits V.I., Urusovskaya A.О., Indenbom V.L. It was thanks to a conversation with Pines B.Y., to which I asked to discuss my first scientific work written by a third-year student, I fell in love with science and felt a great desire for it. Despite this, I was the first in the Department of "Solid State Physics" KhNU them. Karazin was commissioned to develop a new scientific problem at that time, "High-temperature brittleness of metals," and later prof. V.I. Startsev drew me to the solution of the extremely urgent and complex fundamental problem "Dynamic braking of dislocations by phonons in crystals." Working inspirationally almost round the clock in the laboratory, I managed to conquer some scientific peaks, for which I received gratitude not only from my teachers, but also received worldwide recognition from the scientists of the world.
I believe that the general reduction of hours for the study of the fundamental discipline "Physics", is systematically taking place in general education schools and in higher educational institutions, a path to nowhere. This can lead to complete degradation of students, and then the teachers themselves. Already it is becoming problematic to attract graduates of physical faculties for teaching activities to the departments of technical universities, where physics as an object becomes not in demand.
I am sure that to correct the situation it would be expedient, when entering universities, to return to the old scheme, when the exams would be passed separately in physics and mathematics. Or take a comprehensive exam, with a physical and mathematical discipline, rather than separately in mathematics as it is done in the last ~ 20 years. It is known that the mathematical component can not replace the natural discipline - physics. Look, there are many hours spent at school in mathematics, it dominates at graduation and entrance exams, preparatory courses, in universities, and where is the result? It is clear that any attempts to prepare a modern engineer without obtaining fundamental physical knowledge (physical phenomena, laws, various processes and mechanisms that control them) are vain, senseless and short-sighted. Without knowing the physical essence, it is hardly possible to learn general engineering disciplines (Theoretical and Construction Mechanics, Theoretical Foundations of Electrical Engineering, Fundamentals of Electronics, Physical Basics of Light Sources, etc.), as well as various training courses taught at special departments. The course to reduce the preparation of the fundamental discipline of physics is unlikely to contribute to improving the image of the university, its prestige and popularity.