[3] He published his seminal work in a paper entitled "The Electrodynamics of Substances with Simultaneously Negative Values of ε and μ".

[6] Professor Mark Yefremovich Zhabotinsky supervised Veselago's project for his graduation diploma.

Veselago then studied under the author of the book, Professor Semen Emmanuilovich Khaikin, for three summers at the P N Lebedev FIAN Radioastronomy Station in Crimea.

He also studied under Professor Sergei Mikhailovich Rytov, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, who lectured on the theory of oscillations.

[6] It appears that the most significant event of his career, and the most important moment in his life was when he realized that materials with both negative permittivity and permeability are possible.

The recipient is awarded this medal because he or she "exemplifies the thought that 'optics transcends all boundaries,' interdisciplinary and international alike.

This prediction was confirmed 33 years later when David Smith et al., created a composite material with negative refractive index.

Veselago also predicted a flat plate consisting of these materials will produce some curved lens properties.

[9] Sir John Pendry demonstrated this prediction in the lab and noted greatly improved optical resolution.

[9] After Smith's and Pendry's accomplishments with metamaterials, Veselago realized that the most important contribution of his original paper is not that a composite material can be designed to produce a negative refraction, but that a composite material can be designed to produce any value for permittivity and permeability.

At least a part of his research goals was then to critically reconsider all formulas of classical electrodynamics that involve permittivity, permeability or refractive index.

He was a founder and vice-editor of the electronic Russian scientific journal "Исследовано в России" ("Investigated in Russia").