Sergei Borisovich Sapozhnikov

Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences,

Head of the Department of Technical Mechanics

Aerospace Faculty

SUSU

In 1975, Prof Sapozhnikov graduated with honors from Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute with the qualification of an engineer. In 1981, he received a PhD degree; in 1996 he became the Doctor of Technical Sciences. Now he is the Dean of Extramural Studies Faculty, head of the Technical Mechanics Department. He is also the Scientific Director of the following Centers: Center for Composite Materials and Constructions, Center for Experimental Mechanics, Center for Materials Science and Nanotechnologies. Prof Sapozhnikov is a scientific consultant for a number of innovative enterprises. Prof Sapozhnikov is a member of the European Society for Composite Materials (ESCM), the International Association of Engineers (IAEng), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Nanotechnological Society of Russia (NtSR), the Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation. Prof Sapozhnikov is a member of the Editorial Boards of the following scientific journals: SUSU Bulletin. Series: Mechanical Engineering; Composites and Nanostructures (ISSP RAS); Space Engineering and Technology (Aerospace corporation “Energia” named after S.P. Korolev); PNRPU Bulletin. Mechanics (indexed by Scopus).

Prof Sergei Sapozhnikov gives lectures for Master’s students in applied mechanics, namely, computer-aided design and mechanics of composite materials and structures. He heads a PhD program Dynamics and Strength of Machines, Devices and Equipment. Five PhD dissertations were defended under his supervision (dissertations by M.V. Vorental and N.Y. Dolganina defended in 2010 and focused on numerical solutions to the problems of the body impact interaction with fabric and metal barriers (body armour elements).

Prof Sapozhnikov specializes in experimental and computer dynamics of deformation and fracture of composite materials and structures with the use of high-performance computing. Prof Sapozhnikov is the author of the widely recognized theories of accumulation of scattered microdamages and the structural strength of composite materials, the theory of nanocomposite strength, the concept of using fabrics of different weaves in the bulletproof vest structure, protection from hollow charge grenades, and the methods of low visibility of armored vehicles over a wide frequency range. He is the author of more than 200 scientific publications including monographs and patents. Prof Sapozhnikov has delivered lectures in the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Spain, and Portugal. Professor Sapozhnikov has participated in various international scientific conferences presenting his research on the strength of composite materials in critical structures. He is an official reviewer of a number of international journals such as Journal of Composite Materials, Composite Science and Technology, International Journal of Impact Engineering, Materials and Industry, and many other journals indexed by Scopus and Web of Science.

His inventions are widely used for aerospace structure design (PJSC Tupolev, JSC Academician V.P. Makeyev State Rocket Centre) and human and technical protection systems against local impacts (CJSC FORT Technology is the leading supplier of protective equipment of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation).

Prof Sapozhnikov was awarded for his works in the field of strength of composite materials and protective structures (Medal of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR: 1972; RF Cosmonautics Federation Medals: 2011, 2013; Soros Foundation Award: 1997; Intel Award: 2010. Under his supervision, major research projects were carried out for Russian Science Foundation grants, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, and for a number of Federal target programs.

Prof Sapozhnikov does a lot of organizational and methodological work at the University. He is a member of the Dissertation Defense Board at the Aerospace Faculty, a member of the Scientific and Technical Council and a member of SUSU Directorate. He has repeatedly participated in the work of the specialized commissions such as the Ministry for Economic Development of the Chelyabinsk Region and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation on nanomaterials.

He is known for his enviable erudition, determination and creative mind. Prof Sapozhnikov can quickly capture people’s attention and he is interested in new and unusual things.

He devotes a lot of time to self-development, masters his English, reads science fiction and biographies and he loves playing sports and caravanning.