Tag: Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

On June 8, 2024, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) launched the international youth conference “Model UN – New Silk Road” 2024, dedicated to empowering youth in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The conference, which underscores climate action, gender equality, and the attainment of all 17 SDGs, also commemorates the 90th anniversary of the university and the 10th anniversary of its designation as a Global Hub for the United Nations Academic Impact program.

Yerkin Duyssenov, Chairperson of the Sustainable Development Committee and Vice-Rector for Operational Activities at KazNU, inaugurated the event. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the crucial role of youth as a vital component of human capital and the evolving demands on universities. He highlighted the need for universities to go beyond imparting academic knowledge and focus on preparing graduates to adapt to change and embrace continuous development. Today’s students, he noted, must be leaders capable of making unconventional decisions and addressing contemporary challenges.

“As a Global Hub of the UN Academic Impact program on sustainability since 2012, KazNU has actively supported the international youth platform Model UN ‘New Silk Road’ and has been committed to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals through education, scientific research, and cooperation with international organizations,” stated Vice-Rector Duyssenov. He also noted the successful operation of two UNESCO chairs at the university, the Academic Regional Resource and Information Center of the UN at the Faculty of International Relations, and the reinstatement of the Ban Ki-moon Institute for Sustainable Development.

The conference aims to educate students in international diplomacy and develop their skills in addressing global issues through international law. Participants are tackling critical topics such as climate action, gender equality, and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Esteemed speakers at the conference included Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan; Dr. Amir Piric, Acting Director of the UNESCO Cluster Office; Dr. Vlastimil Samek, Head of the UN Department of Global Communications; Dr. Serik Naryssov, Chairman of the Asian Diplomatic Society; Mr. Fayzulla Nurullayev, Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Almaty; Dr. Rustem Kurmanguzhin, Associate Professor at Narxoz University; and Dr. Rafis Abazov, Vice-Rector of KazNARU.

Throughout the conference, participants engaged in three committees to discuss the significance of education in promoting human rights and reducing inequality, enhancing the resilience of Central Asian economies amidst climate change, preserving cultural heritage, and amplifying the role of women.

The conference concluded with all active participants receiving certificates and commemorative prizes, underscoring the pivotal role of youth in solving global problems and strengthening international cooperation.

Doszhanov Yerlan Ospanovich is a highly qualified specialist in the field of petrochemistry, microbiology and ecology. The main area of his scientific research concerns the environmental problems of the Republic of Kazakhstan related to the processes of purification of oil-contaminated soils, oxidation of hydrocarbons and oil refining after bioremediation and phytoremediation. The problem of environmental protection and purification from oil and petroleum products pollution is becoming increasingly acute due to the limited possibilities (and sometimes environmental harm) of using biotechnological and physico-chemical purification methods for these purposes. This area of research is particularly relevant for Kazakhstan, where soil and water bodies are polluted during oil extraction, transportation, processing and storage. Meanwhile, many aspects of the impact of hydrocarbon pollution on the environment and humans have been little studied.

For the first time , together with the laboratory staff under the guidance of Prof. Z.A. Mansurova proposed a method for investigating the regularities of the process of biooxidation of oil and petroleum products in soils depending on the process parameters and physico-chemical characteristics of hydrocarbons.

The proposed unique biochemical method for identifying sources of hydrocarbon pollution and assessing the degradation of oil and petroleum products in soil systems has been used in the implementation of scientific projects and published in a number of internationally cited journals.

The patterns and information obtained as a result of the performed studies on the utilization of hydrocarbon raw materials in the technogenesis zone are of great practical importance in petrochemistry and ecology for taking effective measures to reduce the impact of oil and petroleum products on the local population and predicting the biochemical and physico-chemical behavior of hydrocarbons in oil production sites, during its transportation, processing and storage. The obtained scientific results, as well as biochemical methods of analysis developed during the implementation of scientific projects, are widely used in the educational process in the courses “Petrochemistry”, “Oil and Gas business” (section “Ecology of the oil and gas complex”), including in the discipline taught in English (“Petrochemisty”).

He participated in conducting research work on oil fields and granary oil fields, conducted as part of scientific projects for conducting model and field experiments on cleaning soils with free cells of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms and oil-resistant plants.

In accordance with the program of scientific activity for the period of receiving the award, E.O. Doszhanov was engaged in the development of scientific foundations for the creation of a new technology for remediation of soils contaminated with organic hydrocarbons, taking into account the peculiarities of biotic and climatic conditions of the regions of Kazakhstan.

The development and implementation of highly effective biotechnologies based on the use of microorganisms-destructors of hydrocarbons, plants-accumulators for the protection and protection of the environment in oil-polluted soils of the regions of Kazakhstan are relevant. In order to develop a high technological level that ensures the formation of a biotechnological cluster, it is necessary to provide scientific and technical support for the development of biotechnology in the republic for the purification of soils from oil and petroleum products.

The expected scientific results will have important theoretical and applied significance in petrochemistry, biotechnology and ecology, which is associated with ensuring the safety of the population and preventing hydrocarbon pollution of the territory of Kazakhstan.

Tolganay Temirgalieva, a doctoral student at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, a researcher at the Institute of Combustion Problems, creates supercapacitors – new generation batteries. In the manufacture of lithium batteries, rare earth, reactive metals are used that are toxic during use and disposal.

The advantage of such batteries is a long life cycle: up to 1 million charge-discharges versus 3 thousand for lithium ones. In addition, supercapacitors are dozens of times lighter than traditional ones and release a charge very quickly: a mobile phone can be fully charged in just seconds.

Supercapacitors have less energy stored in 1 kg of the device than in a lithium battery. Energy capacity is increased due to nanotechnology. “Tolganai uses nanotubes instead of polymers used in lithium batteries. This is the uniqueness of her work, ”says Mukhtar Eleuov, a colleague of the inventor from the Institute of Combustion Problems.

The nanotubes were developed at Waseda University (Tokyo) under the guidance of Professor Suguru Noda. The Japanese have also created and are already selling carbon-based electrodes. But their material “Kurarai” has a capacity of 120 farads, and the materials of Tolganay – 180-200 farads per gram. Therefore, the Japanese professor began to cooperate with a scientist from Kazakhstan: from them – nanotubes, from us – coal from waste. “Using materials based on rice hulls and apricot kernels, it achieved good performance comparable to commercial activated carbon,” comments Professor Noda.

So far, the development of Tolganai can be used for electric vehicles. When the volumes of supercapacitors are “compressed” to the size of batteries for portable devices, the scope of their application will significantly expand.