Corresponding Member of ANAS Elshad Gurbanov turns 75
The renowned scientist, recipient of the “Progress” Medal, Honored Scientist, Head of the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology at Baku State University, and Corresponding Member of ANAS, Elshad Gurbanov, is celebrating his 75th anniversary.
Gurbanov Elshad Majnun oglu was born on 2 January 1951 in the village of Urud, Garakilse (Sisian) district of the Armenian SSR (Western Azerbaijan). In 1979, he graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Azerbaijan State University with a degree in Botany.
In 1984, E. Gurbanov defended his PhD dissertation in Botany entitled “Flora, Vegetation, and Phytomeliorative Significance of the Nakhchivanchay River Basin,” and in 2004 his doctoral dissertation entitled “Flora and Vegetation of the Atropatena Province (within the Territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan).” In the same year, he was awarded the academic title of Professor, and in 2014 he was elected a Corresponding Member of ANAS.
From 1982 to 1988, E. Gurbanov worked as a senior laboratory assistant at Baku State University; from 1988 to 1992, he served as lecturer and senior lecturer at the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology. Since 1992, he has been the Head of this department.
For the first time in Azerbaijan, E. Gurbanov scientifically substantiated the distribution of “desert” and “pseudo-macchia” vegetation types within the country, which differ from other vegetation types in terms of their morphological and ecological characteristics, as well as dominant and subdominant species, and introduced them as scientific innovations by adding them to the vegetation map. He identified new distribution areas for dozens of plant species of the Azerbaijani flora and developed a number of measures related to the biorecultivation of oil- and petroleum-contaminated soils.
Professor Elshad Gurbanov is the author of nearly 500 scientific works (about 200 published abroad), 17 textbooks, teaching aids, and monographs, more than 70 curricula and methodological guidelines, 15 ecological-geobotanical maps, 16 authors’ certificates, and 1 patent, and he has served as scientific editor of 28 books. He has repeatedly delivered presentations at international (Europe, Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Iran) and national scientific conferences. He was a member of the editorial boards of the 2nd and 3rd editions of the Red Book of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The results of his recent scientific research have repeatedly been included as significant achievements in the annual reports of ANAS. He has compiled ecological-geobotanical maps of many regions of Azerbaijan, as well as the vegetation map of Azerbaijan.
Under the scientific supervision and consultancy of Elshad Gurbanov, 3 Doctors of Science, 18 PhDs, and more than 60 master’s students have been trained. He is currently the scientific supervisor of 5 doctoral students.
The scientist has been elected a full member of several foreign academies. Since 2023, he has been serving as the Chair of the Expert Council on Biology and Agricultural Sciences of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He is also a member of the Scientific Council of the ANAS Division of Biological and Medical Sciences. From 2000 to 2002, he served as a member of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
For the results of his scientific work, E. Gurbanov has repeatedly been awarded Honorary Diplomas of ANAS and has received the honorary titles “Scientist of the Year,” “Teacher of the Year,” and “Head of Department of the Year” for his scientific and pedagogical activity. In 2009, by a relevant Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, he was awarded the “Progress” Medal; in 2019, he received the honorary title “Honored Scientist” and the “100th Anniversary of Baku State University” jubilee medal.
The scientific and pedagogical activities of Corresponding Member of ANAS Elshad Gurbanov have also been highly appreciated by international organizations. He was awarded the Gold Medal and Honorary Diploma “Best Patriotic Research Scientist” by the European Publishing Press House (2015), the International Gold Star Medal (2019), and was elected a full member of the International Academy of Sciences of Turkic World Studies and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz European Academy of Natural Sciences (2021).
The well-known scientist Elshad Majnun oglu Gurbanov, whom his students and disciples call a “living encyclopedia,” turns 75 on 2 January 2026. We sincerely congratulate Elshad Gurbanov on his jubilee and wish him a long, healthy, and meaningful life, as well as new achievements in his scientific and scientific-pedagogical activities.
