"AN ESPECIALLY GIFTED FOREIGNER"

The Azerbaijani scientist, PhD and former professor of Azerbaijan Technical University, Elyaz Babayev, who discovered the phenomenon of tension in the bones of humans and animals in collaboration with Moscow scientists (Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School) in 1978, now lives in America and has received status as an especially gifted foreign scientist. He is the author of more than 50 US, over 100 international approved patents and more than 25 new technologies.

The scientist who now works in a private US company told us about his scientific discovery, new achievements, and recalled the difficulties he had to face.

 - Elyaz muallim, you came to science in the Soviet era. Could you remember your first steps?

- I graduated with honours from an Azerbaijani high school in the city of Kafan. I entered the Cingiz Ildirim Polytechnic Institute in Baku. On the recommendation of the faculty management I was left at the university to work as a lecturer at the department of welding production.

In January 1972, I found out that at the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School, scientists of the department of welding production under the guidance of the rector, Academician G. A. Nikolayev, who won the State Prize of the USSR in the same year, had created a new field - welding and cutting of living biological tissue with ultrasound. I decided to apply to the post-graduate school. I flew to Moscow. By the way, there were more than 50 applications for two places.

- So there was very little chance to get into the post-graduate school.

- Yes, that's right. Taking my documents, Professor V. Vinokurov, who was deputy head of the department and rector of Moscow Higher Technical School, G. Nikolayev, told me not to waste my time, money and energy because I had not only no practical, but also theoretical chances to get in. The thing is that 90 per cent of applicants were graduates of this institution of education, most of whom had graduated with honours and were Lenin scholarship holders.

- In spite of this, you did...

- The exam was attended by the rector of the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School, G. A. Nikolayev himself, who asked me to tell him about myself after my responses to questions and a debate with professors. Wishing me good luck and saying that we would meet in January, he was about to leave the hall but surprised Loschilov and Vinogradov addressed him: "Georgiy Aleksandrovich, where are you going? The exam has just started." Nikolayev replied that he'd already made his choice.

- You and two Soviet scientists established a previously unknown phenomenon that was patented and awarded a special diploma by the USSR State Committee for Inventions and Discoveries. What's the essence of your discovery?

- The academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, G. Nikolayev, the doctor of technical sciences, Professor V. Loschilov, and I discovered the existence of internal tension in the bone tissue of humans and animals. The essence of it is that we established for the first time that there are complex residual stress fields in the bones of animals and human tissues, equilibrated in macrovolumes and depending on the skeleton and age of the body.

- Did your life change after this scientific discovery?

- It saved my career as a scientist. The thing is that due to the planned cutbacks in 1978, I was asked to write a letter of resignation, although by law they had no right to do so, because I was one of the few candidates of sciences in the department. However, I submitted my resignation to keep the place for my friend.

When on the early morning of 30 December 1978, TASS reported this scientific discovery, the management of the institute started looking for me and tore up my resignation letter in front of me. I was not only declared the winner of the socialist contest, but also given the post of senior lecturer.

- Is it true that you had to write your doctoral work twice?

Yes, it is. I first defended my doctoral thesis in 1991 at the Latvian Academy of Sciences. At that time, internationally renowned scientists in the field of biomedical engineering worked there. Suffice it to recall such names as Academician A. K. Malmeyster, Academician V. K. Kalnberz, Academician I. V. Knets, Professor Kh. Yanson and others. I was awarded the academic degree of doctor of science, after which I decided to also get the academic degree of doctor of sciences of the USSR.

Unfortunately, my ill-wishers sent enough "good" messages to the then Soviet Appraisal Commission. I was summoned to the Appraisal Commission and told that due to the fact that the USSR was destroyed and if I wanted to have a Moscow diploma, I had to rewrite 60 per cent of my dissertation. That's how I got a second diploma, testifying to the defence of my doctoral dissertation.

- There is an opinion that many scientists left to earn good money. But you didn't have financial problems. After all, you occupied several positions at the same time...

- You are absolutely right. I was a professor at Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU), head of the laboratory of biomedical engineering at the same university, head of the laboratory of biomechanics and ultrasound in traumatology and orthopedics institute. Moreover, I was a consultant at various Soviet organizations. I earned a lot at the time. I went on business trips abroad. I travelled almost the whole world.

- What prompted you to go to America?

- To be honest, no one forced me to leave Azerbaijan. I was fed up with the atmosphere at the university where I taught. I was a man of principle: I never danced to the tune of the management, didn't accept any cronyism and so on. They constantly put a spoke in my wheel. Sometimes I had to hear that my thesis was written by somebody else... They did everything possible to prevent me from becoming head of the department or dean. It was shameful and funny when some of our scientists were awarded the Lenin or Zeynalabdin Tagiyev Prize...

- Elyaz muallim, time put everything in its place. You are now an internationally recognized scientist who has received the status of an especially gifted scientist. Tell me, please, are those engaged in science treated in a special way in the US?

- In America, scientists don't have any privileges. It's capitalism here. You must be useful where you work. The status of an especially gifted scientist gave me the opportunity to quickly get the Green Card - a residence permit and citizenship (without any political background). Here, scientists are called "doctors", that's all. Universities don't pay so much. In order to get a good income, it's necessary to work for more than 10-15 years and bring good scientific contracts. I had a few offers, but wasn't satisfied with the financial side, so I had to start from scratch...

- Were your expectations related to scientific work in the US realized?

- They were more than realized. I'm the author of more than 50 US patents and more than 25 new technologies. In world practice hospitals mainly use five different devices for the treatment of incurable, intractable and ordinary wounds and burns. As an Azerbaijani, I'm the author and inventor of two devices, for which I have patents. The third one has already been approved by the US government (FDA) and is waiting to be released to clinics.

You know, I admire Soviet and Russian science, which has no analogues in the world.

- How many hours a day do you work?

- 10-12 hours a day. I just take pleasure in it. After the working day, you can find me in one of the laboratories where I carry out experiments. Sometimes I have to work simultaneously on several projects.

- What are you working on now? Is there progress?

- I've completed work on a device for mixing gas with any liquid at the ionic level. Devices (experimental) for extracting bullets and foreign objects from the body (of soldiers, policemen, firemen, etc.), for stopping bleeding, pain relief and sterilization are ready. I have very interesting results in the field of surgery and cancer treatment in a foreign country.

I've developed a completely new device for dual-stream audio surgery - in total, 25 technologies without analogues in the world.

- At all times the best brains from around the world are "flowing" to America, as is in your case. What's the appeal of the American market of scientific work, which attracts scientists like a magnet?

- In America, they value innovations - inventions that benefit companies and business. That's all.

- Please tell us about your family.

- My wife, Farida Qasimzada, has graduated from the metallurgical faculty of Azerbaijan Polytechnic University. She is the daughter of the late metallurgical professor, Nadir Qasimzada. She spent 10 years working in a famous steel company, where she led the laboratory, and now, for over a decade, she has headed the laboratory of high quality metallurgical processes in one of the world's largest healthcare companies in the field of cardiovascular surgery. My eldest daughter Gulzar is a doctor of jurisprudence. She has graduated from the University of Minnesota. She is a lawyer in the field of business. My youngest daughter Leyla is also a lawyer, but in the field of criminology. She has graduated from Georgetown University. My daughters worked in the Senate as interns, and the youngest - even in Congress. I have two grandchildren - Maximus (4 years) and Qais (2 years). My sons-in-law are also lawyers.