[1]: 5 In 1927, Lavrentyev spent half a year in France, collaborating with French mathematicians, and upon returned took up a position with Moscow University.

In 1939, Oleksandr Bogomolets, the president of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, asked Lavrentyev to become director of the Institute of Mathematics at Kyiv.

One of Lavrentyev's scientific interests was the physics of explosive processes, in which he had become involved when doing defense work during World War II.

Six months after the decision to found the Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences Novosibirsk State University was established.

[4] Lavrentyev was awarded the honorary title of Hero of Socialist Labour, a Lenin and 2 Stalin Prizes, and a Lomonosov Gold Medal.