Chairman of the presidium of the Kola branch of Academy of sciences of the USSR 1952 – 1961, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the Branch of Earth sciences (1966; a corresponding-member, 1953), chairman of Presidium of the Kola branch of AS (1952-1961), minister of geology of the USSR (1962-1975), vice-president of AS of the USSR (1975-1982). A winner of the Lenin award. A delegate of the twenty third to twenty sixth congresses of the CPSU, a candidate to members of the Central Committee of the CPSU, a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR (from 1966), a delegate of the fourteenth and fifteenth congresses of trade unions of the USSR. Doctor of geologic-mineralogical sciences (“On the mineralogy and geochemistry of continental mass of Karakum desert”, 1952, PhD (geol.& mineral.)., 1945). An expert in the field of geology and geomorphology of deserts, processes of mineralization and metallogeny of weathering crusts, a complex estimation of mineral raw materials and preservation of the environment. The founder of a new scientific direction – lithology of sedimentary-metamorphic masses of the Precambrian.       In A.V.Sidorenko's creative biography a few stages can be clearly distinguished: 1932-1940 – geological department of the Voronezh university (a student, a junior member of the teaching staff, a post-graduate student, a participant of expeditions to the Crimea); 1941-1943 – he took part in the battle of Stalingrad, a teacher at the Leningrad artillery military school, he was discharged from service due to a wound; 1943-1950 – a senior researcher, the head of department of minerals at the Geological institute of Turkmen branch of AS of the USSR; at the same time, he was a scientific adviser of expedition works carried out by the Ministry of geology and protection of subsoil of the USSR. Geochemical processes of mineralization in modern deserts were the basic object of the research during that period, while the results of studies based on presentations of academicians V.A.Obruchev, D.S.Belyankin and D.V.Nalivkin were published in the ‘Proceedings of the Academy of sciences of the USSR”.       1950-1961 –he became vice-president of the presidium of the Kola base of AS of the USSR (since 1952 – he became president of the Kola branch of AS of the USSR). During that period based on some laboratories a network of new research institutions – the Geological institute (1951), the Murmansk Marine biology station (1953, at present – the Murmansk Marine biology institute), the Institute of chemistry and technology of rare elements and mineral raw materials (1958), the Polar geophysical institute (1960), the Mining-metallurgical institute (1961, at present – the Mining institute), a department of economic studies (1965, at present the Institute of economic problems), a seismological station were established. In the same years, the construction in Apatity of the Academy campus with modern laboratory buildings and dwelling houses was started.       Along with expansion and deepening of complex research of the natural-resource potential of the Murmansk region a creative cooperation was established between institutes of the branch with industrial companies for introduction in the people’s economy practice of scientific developments in the field of complex use of natural resources. For the outstanding contribution of the team of scientists to the science and scientific and technical progress in 1967 the Kola Branch of the AS of the USSR was given the Order of Lenin.       Being the chairman of presidium of the Kola branch of AS of the USSR A.V.Sidorenko established at the Geological institute the department of quaternary geology and geomorphology. He found a wide development in the Kola peninsula continental preglacial sediments and precambrian weathering crust with which gravel deposits of minerals can be associated. The results of these studies are published in monographs “Preglacial crust of aeration of the Kola peninsula» (1958) and “To the question of lithological studying of metamorphic masses” (1961).       1961-1975 – he was the first vice-president of the State committee of the Council of Ministers of RSFSR for coordination of research works, in 1962-1975 – he was the minister of geology and protection of subsoil of the USSR, the chairman of the State geological committee, the minister of geology of the USSR.       Under the leadership of A.V.Sidorenko in the office of the minister of geology of the USSR the mineral-raw material policy of the branch was focused on the strengthening of the material base of industrial geological enterprises, on the coordination of branch scientific research institutes and creative connections with institutes of Academy of sciences and specialised higher educational institutions, on the expanded reproduction of the mineral-resource potential of strategic kinds of minerals – oil, natural gas, non-ferrous, rare, precious metals and nonmetallic raw materials. The main focus of geological works was concentrated upon the exploration and prospecting of minerals in the poorly investigated areas of the European North, Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia.       On A.V.Sidorenko’s initiative in Moscow the All-Union scientific research institute of economy of mineral raw materials (VIEMS), in Riga – the Institute of marine geology and geophysics, in Krasnodar – the Institute of marine geophysics, in Leningrad – a research-and-production association (NPO) «Sevmorgeo», equipped with modern equipment were established. During those years the NPO "Aerogeology" launched works of introduction of remote methods of geological mapping and forecasting of minerals based on the use of satellite and high-altitude surveys. In the Kola peninsula the construction of reference superdeep borehole for the purpose of studying the structure of earth’s crust within the ancient platform began. The development of new, nonconventional kinds of mineral raw materials stimulated the development of research dealing with the technology of their dressing and complex processing.       1975-1982 – he worked as vice-president of the Academy of sciences of the USSR and chairman of the Section of the Earth sciences of AS of the USSR. A.V.Sidorenko's scientific-administrative activity at the Presidium of the Academy of sciences was focused on the strengthening of international cooperation of Soviet scientists with their foreign counterparts. With that end in view he repeatedly visited various countries in the Eastern Europe, Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Algeria, Syria, Mongolia), Finland and Cuba where Soviet geologists and workers carried out successfully geological prospecting works. He used to be the head of the Soviet part of the Permanent commission on geology at the Council of Mutual Economic aid, ran the activity of the VIII International congress on organic geochemistry (Moscow, 1977), participated in the management of a scientific project “Metallogeny of the Precambrian” of UNESCO International program of geological correlation, headed the Soviet delegation at International Geological Congresses (Mexico City, 1956; Copenhagen, 1960; Sydney, 1976).       A.V.Sidorenko for his achievements in the field of international cooperation was given a gold medal “For distinguished service to science and mankind” (CzSSR), a K.Bogdanovich Silver medal (People’s Republic of Poland), a S.Bubnov Silver medal (GDR), government awards from People’s Republic of Mongolia and People’s Republic of Bulgaria.       While holding key posts at the Academy of sciences and in the Government of the USSR, A.V.Sidorenko continued his research in sedimentary geology and metallogeny of precambrian, actively developed new directions dealing with the use of space methods for studying the history of origin of the Solar system planets. His many-sided scientific interests based on V.I.Vernadsky doctrine about biosphere, resulted in the conclusions, which denied the existing concepts about the early geological history of the Earth, he first proved the existence of life not even in Proterozoic but in the Archean, he substantiated the primarily sedimentary nature of the metamorphic Earth crust cover.       A.V.Sidorenko was given three Lenin orders, orders of the Labour Red Banner, order of the Red Star, numerous medals of the USSR. His name was given to a mineral – sidorenkine and to a street in Apatity town.       Monographs “To the question of lithological studying of metamorphic masses, M.-L, 1961. – 198 p.; Pre-glacial aeration (weathering) crust of the Kola peninsula, 1958. – 107 p.; The Kola branch of AS of the USSR and the development of productive forces of the Murmansk region, 1957. The problem of complex use of mineral raw materials (Kola peninsula), 1961. Problems of sedimentary geology of Precambrian, 1963. Development of the mineral-raw-material base of the country and the science tasks, 1964.