DIrectors

From its founding until 1947, the Georgian Water Management Institute was led by directors K. Mikhailov, E. Gabiev, N. Sokolovsky, D. Galilov, Sh. Bitlazari, G. Larin, and P. Solodi. From 1947 to 1968 (a period of 21 years), the institute was headed by Professor Mikheil Gagosidze, who made significant contributions to its development.

Mikheil Gagosidze graduated from the Georgian Polytechnic Institute in 1930.

From 1932 to 1947, he worked at the Transcaucasian Scientific Research Institute of Water Management as the head of the Mountain Reclamation Department. From 1947 to 1968, he served as the director of the Scientific Research Institute of Hydrotechnics and Reclamation of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. He was also the chairman of the permanent commission for the study of mountain erosion, mudflow streams, and countermeasures under the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Council of Ministers of Georgia. He was a prominent scientist in the field of hydrotechnics, earning his Doctorate in Technical Sciences in 1955 and becoming a professor in 1956.

Mikheil Gagosidze graduated from the Georgian Polytechnic Institute in 1930.

From 1932 to 1947, he worked at the Transcaucasian Scientific Research Institute of Water Management as the head of the Mountain Reclamation Department. From 1947 to 1968, he served as the director of the Scientific Research Institute of Hydrotechnics and Reclamation of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. He was the chairman of the permanent commission for the study of mountain erosion, mudflow streams, and countermeasures under the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Council of Ministers of Georgia. Gagosidze was a renowned scientist in the field of hydrotechnics, earning his Doctorate in Technical Sciences in 1955 and becoming a professor in 1956.

Membership in Organizations, Associations, or Groups:

  • National Committee of the International Congress on Reclamation and Drainage, member (since 1957)
  • Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Transcaucasian Branch) (since 1957)

Awards, Prizes, and Honors:

  • 1979: Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Georgia

From 1968 to 2005 (a period of 38 years), the institute was led by Academician Zotne Mirtskhulava, a member of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. From 2006 to 2010, he served as the institute’s chief scientific researcher and chairman of the Scientific Council. In 2006, he was awarded the title of Scientist of the Year. His contribution to the institute’s achievements and the establishment of its reputation is of great significance.

Zotne Mirtskhulava graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Georgian State Polytechnic Institute in 1942.

From 1942 to 1953, he worked in the “Saknakhte” system, where he advanced from a foreman to the position of deputy head of the trust. From 1950 to 1997, he served as a docent at the Polytechnic Institute. From 1955 to 1968, he was a postgraduate student, head of a department, and deputy director at the Water Ecology Institute. From 1968 to 2005, he served as the director of the Scientific Research Institute of Water Management and Engineering Ecology of Georgia. His work focused on the theory of reliability in reclamation and hydrotechnical structures, as well as issues related to river and canal bed erosion. He was the first to establish patterns of soil erosion and developed methods for predicting it. He also created an analytical method for determining the erosion velocity of cohesive soils, a technique for modeling soil erosion, and a method for predicting the intensity of water erosion. He published around 600 scientific papers, including 26 monographs. He held a Doctorate in Technical Sciences and was a professor.

Doctoral Dissertation Topic: “The Erosion and Permissible Flow Velocities for Cohesive Soils and Their Determining Factors,” defended in 1960.

Membership in Organizations, Associations, or Groups:

  • International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, member
  • Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, member
  • Georgian Academy of Sciences, academician (1973-2010)
  • Hydraulic Research Association, member

Awards, Prizes, and Honors:

  • 2000: Georgian State Prize in Science and Technology for his work “Erosion of Soil and Riverbeds, Prediction, and Protection” (published between 1967-1993)
  • 1999: Georgian Order of Honor
  • 1980: Order of Friendship of Peoples
  • 1977: Order of Lenin
  • 1974: Order of the Red Banner of Labor
  • 1970: Honored Worker of Science of Georgia
  • Order of the Badge of Honor (awarded twice)

Givi Gavardashvili graduated from the Faculty of Hydromelioration at the Georgian Agricultural Institute in 1981, specializing in hydromelioration. In 1984, he completed his postgraduate studies at the Institute of Hydrotechnics and Reclamation of Georgia. In 1987, he defended his candidate’s dissertation at Tbilisi State University named after Ivane Javakhishvili on the topic “Channel Processes in Mountain and Foothill River Sections in Reservoir Regulation Zones.” In 1996, he defended his doctoral dissertation on “New Debris Flow Control Structures of Trampoline Type and Their Calculation Methodology.” He has published around 249 scientific papers, including 12 monographs.

Membership in Organizations, Associations, or Groups:

Since 2005: Director of the Georgian Water Management Institute, Academician of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, and Professor Givi Gavardashvili

Since 2006: Member of the World Academy of Science in Engineering and Technology.

Since 2007: Academician of the Engineering Academy;Since 2011: Member of the International Association for Debris Flow, Russia;Since 2014: Agriculture Expert, USAID, USA;Since 2015: Member of the Civil Society Association, USA;Since 2019: Vice-President of the National Commission on Irrigation and Drainage of Georgia.

Awards, Prizes, and Honors:

  • 1985: Silver Medal of the World Inventors (Bulgaria);
  • 1987: Bronze Medal at the International Exhibition (Russia);
  • 2012: Silver Medal, Czestochowa University of Technology (Poland);
  • 2013: Medal, International Association for Debris Flow (Russia);
  • 2013: Georgian Order of Honor;
  • 2016: Silver Medal, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland);
  • 2018: Letter of Appreciation, Ryazan Agro-Technological University (Russia);
  • 2023: Title of Honored Builder of Georgia, Certificate of Award, and Gold Medal by order of the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.