Andrey Bezsonov (Bessonov) Ivanovich soil scientist-geographer, doctor of agricultural sciences (1936), professor (1926), corresponding member of the Kazakh SUR Academy of Sciences (1946), honored worker of science and technology of the Kazakh SUR (1945). The first researcher of soils of Kazakhstan and one of the organizers of the Institute of Soil Science of the Kazakh SUR Academy of Sciences. The last contemporary of the founder of soil science V.V. Dokuchaev. Dokuchaev. Indefatigable chairman of Kazakh branch of the All-Union Society of Soil Scientists. Author of schemes of vertical zonation of soils of Zailiyskiy and Dzungarskiy Alatau. 

Bezsonov A.I. was born in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia. He graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University (1898). He worked in Samara provincial zemstvo (1899-1907). In 1907, together with S.S. Neustruyev, he began to research the soil of Kazakhstan along the projected line of the Turkestan-Siberian railway Semipalatinsk-Sergiol-Verny (now Almaty). 1908-1914 - directly participated in the soil research of the territory of Kazakhstan, organized by the Resettlement Administration under the leadership of K.D. Glinka. 1915-1917 - headed Semirechenskaya soil-botanical expedition. 1921-1938 - Head of the Department of Soil Science of Samara Agricultural Institute, a researcher in the organizations of the Volga region.

In 1939, the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences under the leadership of A.I. Bezsonov was established soil sector, consisting of 8 soil scientists, which became the main center of soil research in the country. Soil research carried out by young Kazakh scientists provided a scientific basis for farming and thus made an important contribution to the formation of soil science.

Under the leadership of A.I. Bezsonov in the summer of 1939 the first soil expedition, which made a soil map of the Kengir River basin in Dzhezkazgan district of Karaganda region was carried out by the staff of the sector.

He was the first researcher of soils of Kazakhstan and Samara province, large territories of Semipalatinsk, Vernyi, Dzharkent and Vernyi districts, covering mountain systems of Zaili and Dzungarian Alatau, Iliisky depression. Conducted soil-geographical description of these territories, characterized soils and their classification position, revealed important laws of formation of soil cover, for the first time gave the scheme of vertical zonation of soils. He systematized and generalized data on soils of Semirechenskaya region, made soil maps for a significant part of many counties of the former Semipalatinsk region. He established that the zonal type of foothill desert-steppe zone is grey soil, a common soil type for Semirechye and Central Asia. 

His name was given to the peak (3900 m) and the glacier of the northern slope of Dzungarian Alatau. According to the Catalogue of Glaciers of the USSR, the glacier is not located in the basin of the Kora River (a tributary of the Karatal). It is the largest in this basin. Its coordinates are 44053′nl, 79026′el. The glacier was named Bezsonov in recognition of the merits of Bezsonov for describing and taking the first measurements of it in 1909. The glacier was named in 1950 by Palgov N.N. - geographer, glaciologist, and Academician of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences.

A.I. Bezsonov is the author of about 100 publications. The main ones are: "Soils along the projected line of the railroad Semipalatinsk - Vernyi" (1908); "Materials for the assessment of lands in Samara province". (1910); "Soils of parts of Dzharkent and Vernyi uyezds of Semirechenskaya oblast". (1910); "Soil cover of Djetysuyskaya oblast. Alma-Ata" (1925); "Study of soils in the field" (1931).

For services in the field of soil science, he was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor, medals, the Certificate of Honor of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR, and the Certificate of Honor of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences.