History of Science and Engineering Annotation << Back The Participation in the Development of the Territory as a State, Public and Scientific Project (From the History of a Scientific Society in Pre-Revolutionary Siberia) Skalaban I.A. The development of social initiatives in the field of science in Russia was carried out through complex processes of interaction of the public and public authorities. In certain situations, this interaction has acquired the character of an aimed project. Its implementation allows to develop and initiate the implementation of scientific and social programs and practices. The project at the same time, helped to solve problems for both the accumulation of scientific material, the institutionalization of scientific and social activities , the development of the public sphere. From the history of the West Siberian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society , acting in the last quarter of XIX–early XX centuries. The article reveals the mechanism of the emergence and the development of such a project to research and development in Western Siberia through mobilization of local social forces to participate in its implementation. They show a limited capacity for access to research resources, administration of the province was able to solve the problems of its study to promote socio-economic development of the region. Keywords: public participation; the scientific community; social mobilization; public sphere; Western Siberia. Contacts: E-mail: skalaban@ngs.ru Pp. 58-66.