Российский ученый, профессор, Академик Российской инженерной академии; родился в 1919 г. в д. Рожки Кировской области; закончил Томский государственный университет (1941), военно-инженерную академию им.Жуковского (1962); награжден рядом государственных наград, премией правительства Российской Федерации (2002), премией Президента Российской Федерации (2003), Золотой медалью Института инженеров-механиков (IMechE) за исследования в области трибологии, золотой медалью Британского трибологического треста за выдающиеся заслуги в области трибологии (науке о трении и износе материалов) в 2006 г. Золотая медаль Трибологического треста является самой большой наградой в мире по трибологии. Она вручалась 34 раза. Пять раз ею награждались российские ученые. Дмитрий Гаркунов открыл новое направление в трибологии, оно основано на двух открытиях: "эффект безысносности" и явление водородного износа металлов. Его изобретения нашли широкое приобретение в авиационной и химической промышленности, легком и тяжелом машиностроении и в сельском хозяйстве.
He was born on in 1919 in the village of Rozhki in the Kirov district of Russia and graduated from the Physo-Mathematical Faculty of the Tomsk State University, his special subject being metal physics, in 1941. He continued his studies at the Zhukovskii Air Force Engineering Academy and received his doctorate in 1962. After graduation and until 1970 he worked in the Aviation Research Institute. His research was on problems of improving the wear resistance and lifetime of aircraft parts. Since 1970 he has lectured on problems of tribology and materials science in the Gomel State University, the Russian Academy of Consumer Service, the Moscow Agro Engineering Institute and other Institutes. He is still working as a Professor at the Russian Academy of Quality Problems. Dr Peter Jost, CBE, Chairman of IMechE"s Tribology Trust Awards Committee said: "Prof Garkunov"s scientific ideas were new and original. He is the founder of a new direction in tribology, based on two discoveries. They are the "no-wear effect" (selective transfer phenomena) and the phenomenon of hydrogen wear of metals." Dr Jost went on to explain: "The explanation of the no-wear effect mechanism is understood to be a principle of the evolution of biological systems. His inventions have found wide application in aviation technology and in light and heavy, as well as chemical industries, agriculture and others, increasing service life, reliability and reduction of lubricants and yielding considerable economic benefits." NB: Among his achievements in the science and technology field, Prof Garkunov has received The Achievement Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation (2002) The Russian Federation President Prize (2003).