5 January] 1847 – 17 March 1921) was a Russian scientist, mathematician and engineer, and a founding father of modern aero- and hydrodynamics.

Whereas contemporary scientists scoffed at the idea of human flight, Zhukovsky was the first to undertake the study of airflow.

He published a derivation for the maximum energy obtainable from a turbine in 1920, at the same time as German scientist Albert Betz.

In December 1918 at Zhukovsky's proposal and with his active participation, the Soviet government founded the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI), of which he became the first head.

At the same time, theoretical courses for military pilots were founded, later transformed into the Moscow Aviation Technical College.