Nikolai Arkadyevich Tomilov is known in the scientific community as a major Russian ethnographer who had a huge impact on the development of humanities in Russia, in particular, in Siberia.

N. A. Tomilov was born on September 14, 1941 in Yeniseysk, Krasnoyarsk Territory. His parents came from peasant families. My father took part in the Great Patriotic War from the very first days and reached Berlin, while my mother was raising three sons, the youngest of whom was Nikolai. In 1959, N. A. Tomilov entered the Faculty of History and Philology of Tomsk State University (TSU). His aptitude for science was evident from the first days of his studies at the university. As a student, he repeatedly took part in ethnographic expeditions led by G. A. Pelikh, who studied Russians, Selkups, Khanty, Shors and Tatars. Therefore, it is no coincidence that after the creation of the problem laboratory of the History, Archeology and Ethnography of Siberia at Tomsk State University in 1968, Nikolai Arkadyevich was invited to work in this scientific division. The young scientist has already served in the Soviet Army and worked hard.

In the laboratory, N. A. Tomilov first worked as a junior researcher, and since 1971 as a senior researcher. At this time, he was actively engaged in studying the Tatars of Western Siberia, the Chulym Turks and the Russian Old Believers of the Lower Tom region, and spent a lot of time on ethnographic expeditions. In connection with the preparation of the scientific catalog of ethnographic collections of the TSU Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Siberia, N. A. Tomilov's research interests also turned out to be problems of museology. The scientist paid great attention to theoretical issues of museology; under his leadership, the multi-volume series "Culture of the peoples of the World in ethnographic and archaeological collections of Russian museums" was published, highly appreciated by Academician D. S. Likhachev. In 1973, N. A. Tomilov defended his PhD thesis on "Modern ethnic, cultural and everyday processes among the Siberian Tatars".

In 1974, in connection with moving to Omsk to work at the newly created state University, a new stage in the life of Nikolai Arkadyevich began. It was here that his talent as a teacher, researcher, organizer of university and then academic science was fully revealed. At Omsk State University, N. A. Tomilov worked first as a senior lecturer, from 1975 as an associate professor, and from 1985 as a professor of the Department of World History. In October 1985. he became the head of the Department of Ethnography, Historiography and Source Studies, and after its division into two independent structures, he became the head of the Department of Ethnography and Museum Studies, which he still directs today.

N. A. Tomilov's research interests were focused on the development of the ethnic history of the Turkic peoples of the West Siberian Plain from the Middle Ages to the Modern and Modern times. Numerous widely recognized articles and books are devoted to it, as well as a doctoral dissertation on the topic " Ethnic history of the Turkic-speaking population of the West-

of the North Siberian Plain at the end of the XVI-beginning of the XX century", which was defended in 1983 at the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

The range of scientific interests of Nikolai Arkadyevich is very wide. His works on ethnography, ethnoarchaeology, cultural studies, museology, and historiography have become classics of scientific research. N. A. Tomilov wrote more than 1 thousand scientific papers, including 44 monographs.

The main results of Nikolai Arkadyevich's scientific activity include the reconstruction of the ethnic history of the Turkic peoples of the West Siberian Plain at the end of the XVI-XX centuries; the development of methodological, theoretical and methodological aspects of research in the field of ethnic history, ethnoarchaeology, ethnic ecology, museology; the study of the phenomena of traditional everyday culture of a number of peoples of North and Central Asia. Scientists have written several essays on the history of museum business in Siberia, published works on the history of ethnographic Siberian studies and culture of Siberian cities.

N. A. Tomilov devotes a lot of energy to scientific and organizational work. From September 1988 to April 1991, he was the Vice-rector for Research of Omsk State University. In April 1991, while continuing to head the department at the University, N. A. Tomilov became Director of the Omsk Branch of the Institute of History, Philology and Philosophy of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (since 2006 - the Omsk Branch of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences). Since February 1993, Nikolay Arkadyevich also heads the Siberian Branch of the Russian Institute of Cultural Studies of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, which he created. Thus, he organized two large scientific divisions that unite archaeologists, ethnographers, historians and cultural scientists of Omsk, which is very important for the region.

Nikolay Arkadyevich is the organizer and editor-in-chief of the journal " Cultural Studies in Siberia "(published since 1999), scientific series "Culture of the peoples of the world in ethnographic and archaeological collections of Russian museums" (since 1986), " Culture of the Peoples of Russia "( since 1995), " Ethnographic and archaeological complexes: Problems of Culture and Society " (since 1996). The last series has more than a dozen volumes.

N. A. Tomilov is the initiator of many scientific forums. For example, since 1993 the International Symposium "Integration of archaeological and Ethnographic research" has been held, conferences have been organized: since 1979 - "Ethnic History of the Turkic peoples of Siberia and adjacent territories", since 1993 - "Germans of Siberia: history and Culture", since 1996- " Siberian Village: history, current state, prospects for development", since 1992 - "The Russian Question: history and Modernity", since 1995 - "Siberia: contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War". In 2003, the V Congress of Ethnographers and Anthropologists of Russia was held in Omsk under the chairmanship of Academician V. A. Tishkov and Professor N. A. Tomilov.

N. A. Tomilov devotes a lot of time to social work. He was elected president of the Association of Ethnographers and Anthropologists of Russia, co-chairman of the Interregional Public Movement "Siberian People's Cathedral", Chairman of the Siberian branch of the Scientific Council of Historical and Local History Museums of Russia under the Ministry of Culture of Russia, member of the Board of Trustees of the Omsk Cadet Corps, chairman of the Omsk regional branch of the Russian Cultural Foundation, etc.

However, one of the main achievements of the scientist is the creation of a scientific school in Omsk - a team of ethnographers, archaeologists, cultural scientists and museologists capable of performing fundamental and applied research at the level of world science. The hero of the day pays great attention to the training of scientific personnel. He was a scientific adviser to 34 specialists who defended their PhD theses, as well as a consultant to 3 scientists who defended their doctoral theses. Students of Nikolai Arkadyevich successfully work not only in Omsk, but also in other cities of Russia and abroad. For many years, N. A. Tomilov has been a member of the Scientific Council of the IAET SB RAS for the defense of doctoral dissertations in archeology and ethnography. Nikolai Arkadyevich also does not leave active teaching work at Omsk State University. Only in recent years, two master's programs have been opened here under his leadership.

N. A. Tomilov's creative achievements are highly recognized by state and industry awards: he was awarded the Orders of Honor (2010) and Friendship (1995), the honorary title of Honored Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation (2002), the USSR State University Award for achievements in educational and scientific-methodical work (1991), etc.

Doctor of Historical Sciences prof. Nikolai Arkadyevich Tomilov is an example of a scientist, a caring teacher, a decent person and a vivid example of selfless service to the cause of science, culture and education in Russia. We wish him good health, prosperity and implementation of scientific ideas and creative plans.