Статья посвящена истории научного изучения Якутии в предвоенный период (1920-1930-е гг.). Отмечено, что в ХХ веке, особенно в советский период, изучение Якутии значительно интенсифицировалось в связи с государственными интересами в освоении ресурсов. Основное внимание уделено роли отраслевых исследовательских структур, которые способствовали развитию геологии, гидрометеорологии, сельского хозяйства и промышленности региона. Отмечается, что наряду с фундаментальными исследованиями значительную роль играли прикладные и отраслевые работы, направленные на практическое использование ресурсов.
Novelty of the research: Despite extensive studies on Yakutia, the activities of non-academic sectoral research institutions in the region have not yet been recognized by historians of science as a distinct research field. The accumulated expertise and achievements of applied research have typically been incorporated into broader narratives of scientific progress in existing historiography, without proper consideration of their institutional and administrative specificities. The aim and objectives: This study attempts to delineate sectoral research from the general scientific context that emerged in Yakutia during the first half of the 20th century. To achieve this, we examine the activities of research institutions operating in the region during the 1920s-1930s and synthesize their scientific outcomes. Research methods: By compiling and systematizing data on research institutions in the region, we provide a comprehensive assessment of science development in Yakutia during the initial stage of its autonomous development in the Soviet period. Our analysis of the regional context through the activities of sectoral research institutions active in the 1920s-1930s enabled us to identify priority research directions during this historical period. Results: The pre-war period in Yakutia witnessed a shift from fundamental academic research toward applied studies serving various economic sectors. The applied and sectoral research programs in geology, hydrometeorology, agriculture, and industry established long-term research trajectories that subsequently played a crucial role in the region's development, shaping its economic and social structure.