STEPAN POZNIAK: SOIL SCIENTIST, FOUNDER OF THE LVIV SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL OF GENETIC SOIL SCIENCE, TEACHER

Due to the 80th anniversary of the outstanding Ukrainian soil scientist, founder of the Department of Soil Science and Soil Geography of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the life and scientific path, in particular, the Odessa period of scientific activity of Professor, Doctor of Geographical Sciences Stepan Pavlovich Pozniak, is highlighted. The scientific growth of Professor Pozniak S. P. associated with the Odessa University named after I. I. Mechnikov, where he studied and worked from 1969 to 1993 inclusive. He began his scientific activity in 1966 with the study of modern geomorphological processes in the Carpathians mountains. Futher, he continued large-scale surveys of the lands of Northern Kazakhstan and Transbaikalia. Since 1970, he studied the problems of genesis and ecology of chernozems of the steppe zone of Ukraine. Since 1993, he has been the head of Department of Geography of Ukraine at the Ivan Franko University of Lviv, where the scientist’s scientific activity is related to the study of soil and ecological problems of the western region of Ukraine. Stepan Pozniak – scientific supervisor and consultant of 21 candidate’s and 9 doctoral theses; launched the publication of the scientific series «Soils of Ukraine» and «Ukrainian Soil Scientists». Stepan Pozniak is an honorary member of the Ukrainian Society of Soil Scientists and Agrochemists, the head of the Lviv branch of USSSA, an honorary member of the Ukrainian Geographical Society, a member of the International Society of Soil Scientists, a member of the European Society for Soil Protection. Has awards and distinctions: Outstanding Education of Ukraine (1998), Laureate of the Yaroslav the Wise Award of the Academy of Higher Education of Ukraine (2010), Gold Medal of the Polish Society of Soil Scientists (2012), Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine (2018).