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Professor Andrei Nikolaevich Beketov (1825-1902)
President of the Society from 1881 to 1990. A renowned botanist, founder of plant geography, author of University textbooks. Head of a large scientific school. Advocate and organizer of women's education in Russia. Head of the Department of Botany, Rector of St. Petersburg University.
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Corresponding Member of USSR Academy of Sciences Valentin Dogel (1882-1955)
President from 1941 to 1955, he was heading Department of Zoology for 20 years. An energetic member of the Society, commonly known protistologist, zoologist, expert in comparative anatomy of invertebrates. The founder of classical parasitology, the head of two large scientific schools (of protistology and parasitology). The author of a number of fundamental textbooks for high school. In the midst of "Lysenkoism" he held a plenary meeting of the Society to criticize the ideas of Lysenko. Head of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the University of Leningrad.
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Corresponding Member of USSR Academy of Sciences Sergey Lvov (1879-1959)
President of the Society from 1955 to 1957, an active member of the Society, plant physiologist who was concerned with fermentation issues, plant respiration, physiology of essential oil formation, etc. Head of the Department of Plant Physiology at the University of Leningrad.
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Professor Boris Tokin (1900-1984)
President of the Society from 1966 to 1984, head of the Department of Embryology at the University. Having readjusted funding of the Society that was nearly cut off and having resumed publishing activities, B. Tokin significantly refreshed work of the Society. During the years of his presidency, several new sections were opened, Space Earth Science was separated organizationally. Plenary sessions were regularly held as well as the anniversaries celebrations.
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Corresponding Member of USSR Academy of Sciences Yuri Polyansky (1904-1993)
President of the Society in 1939-1941 and from 1984 to 1991. The whole life of Yu. Polyansky is associated with the University and the Society, which member he became more than 60 years ago. Elected in 1940, he resigned due to the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. In the second period of his presidency, research and development center was established, which activity provided the flow of funds for the establishment of the bonus scholarship fund.