Tag: Ukraine

One of the most urgent problems in war time is providing quality food for the army and civilians in conditions of inappropriate storage. And scientists of NTU «KhPI» are working on it. Within the framework of the joint project of the general pharmacy department of Kharkiv Polytechnic and the University of Cardiff (UK), a master class on the production of eco-packaging based on bee products (beeswax wrappers) was held. The event was attended by volunteers, as well as teachers and students of the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute».

The leaders of the project from NTU «KhPI» were scientists from the general pharmacy department of the Educational and Scientific Medical Institute of NTU «KhPI»: head of the department Igor Grubnyk and associate professor Yulia Yudina. According to them, beeswax wrappers have been used since ancient times to extend the storage life of food. «We have improved this technology and adapted it to modern requirements, and we are now working on improving its antibacterial properties. Our packaging is made of environmentally friendly natural products, reusable and can serve for up to a year. It is biodegradable and has no impact on the environment, unlike plastic. In addition, it can be made independently from materials that are available in any household,» the scientists of the NTU «KhPI» emphasised.

Volunteers also noted the benefits of this development: «We are trying to create balanced food packages for the military and civilians, taking into account all their needs, but still quite a lot of food spoils under the influence of natural conditions. The presented development can be very useful, especially for those who are close to the frontline, where there are no conditions for normal storage of food,» noted volunteer Victoria Kravchenko.

Watch the video to learn how to make such packaging yourself: https://youtu.be/Zn4gyuzPJ-k?si=R4fLFR8iKp0Z828B

Note:

The project «Promoting the development of eco-friendly packaging based on sustainability materials to reduce food spoilage and plastic waste» is being implemented by the general pharmacy department of NTU «KhPI» in cooperation with the University of Cardiff (UK).

The experts of the CIG R&D LAB (CIG) educational and scholarship program selected the participants of the 7th season from Kharkiv Polytechnic. This took place at a pitching event where postgraduate students, students, young scientists and teachers of the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute presented their startup projects. Three teams with the best ideas were awarded the scholarships. Among them: an advanced mine detection system; a method of remediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals and radionuclides as a result of military operations; a highly mobile photovoltaic power supply system. From now on, the teams which got into the season will work with CIG specialists until June 2024 to implement their projects and start commercializing them. The winner will receive funding for his or her startup. It should be noted that exactly in this academic year, a record number of startups – 47 works – were submitted to the CIG competition from NTU «KhPI».

The CIG R&D Lab educational and scholarship program from Chernovetskyi Investment Group consists of three stages: submission of applications; presentation of projects to an expert jury and selection of scholarship teams; and determination of the winner. In total, 47 startups took part in the competition in the 2023/2024 academic year, which was the maximum number for all seasons of the CIG R&D LAB program at NTU «KhPI». Ten of them were selected to participate in the pitching. According to the jury members, all the presented projects are of a high level and are relevant in solving complex modern scientific and technical problems. They have new scientific solutions, intellectual property objects, publications in journals, as well as implementation in production or experimental testing in the real sector of the economy.

The selection process was held in an online format, and the jury members were representatives of NTU «KhPI» and Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG). You can watch the selection pitch here.

Following the second stage, three interesting and perspective startups were determined:

BrownC-Rec is a method of soil remediation contaminated by heavy metals and radionuclides as a result of military operations. The team leader is Denis Miroshnichenko, head of the department of oil, gas and solid fuel processing technology at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering. The team consists of Pavlo Karnojitskiy, associate professor of the department, and Mykhailo Miroshnichenko, student. The team already has a prototype, a patent, scientific articles and cooperation agreements with leading European research centers.

MineGuard is an advanced mine detection system that solves the extremely important problem of detecting explosive devices in the deoccupied territories. The complex system processes data from three sources: a thermal imager, a standard camera, and a ferromagnetic detector. The MineGuard components are controlled by artificial intelligence, using a computer vision model that reads data from the cameras and a neural network that can recognize signals from the ferromagnetometer. The team is led by Oleksii Vodka, head of the department of mathematical modeling and intelligent computing in engineering, and Volodymyr Metelev, associate professor of department computer modeling of processes and systems. The team consists of Pavlo Palamarchuk, a PhD student at the department of computer modeling of processes and systems; Marko Gimonov (Team Leader), Serhii Semivolos, and Viktor Lazarev, students of the department of computer modeling of processes and systems; Ilya Govorukha and Mykhailo Myronenko, students of the department of mathematical modeling and intellectual computing in engineering. All the participants of the MineGuard project study and work at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics and Mathematics of NTU «KhPI».

Prominchik is a highly mobile photovoltaic energy supply system for emergency situations. The project implements an innovative approach that solves an important problem of autonomous electricity and hot water supply in the conditions of military operations; it is mobile, modular, quiet and energy-independent. The system combines the capabilities of generating electrical and thermal energy, and the authors have proposed a modular construction principle that allows the flexible regulation of the power to the needs of specific consumers. The head of the startup is Mykhailo Kirichenko, associate professor of the department of micro- and nanoelectronics at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics and Mathematics. The team consists of Ivan Fedorov, a student of the department of micro- and nanoelectronics, and Eva Makarova and Vladyslav Berezhnoy, students of the department of electricity transmission of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Power Engineering, Electronics and Electromechanics

The teams developing of these ideas will improve their startups during the current academic year, receiving mentoring and financial support. The main task of NTU «KhPI» startups is to create a product and start commercializing it. The outcome of the 7th season of the CIG R&D LAB program at NTU «KhPI» will be the selection of the winning team, which will receive funding for further project development. The final of the program will take place at the end of the academic year.

Anton Drozdov, deputy director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics and Mathematics, is the representative of NTU «KhPI» in the program jury team. Ruslan Kryvobok, head of the Research Department of NTU «KhPI», is the curator of the program from NTU «KhPI».

Note:

The CIG R&D Lab project is being implemented within the framework of a memorandum between NTU «KhPI» and CIG which was signed in August 2018.

Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG) is an investment company which included to the one of the largest venture capital investors in Eastern Europe, was founded in 2012.

For more information: http://cig.vc/

Kseniia Minakova, associate professor of the department of physics at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics and Mathematics of the NTU «KhPI», PhD in Physics and Mathematics, became a finalist for the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award «For Women in Science» 2023. She was among the TOP-10 of the competition, which was attended by women engaged in research in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The selection was made among Ukrainian women aged 18 to 40 who have a degree and publications in the international scientometrics databases Scopus and/or Web of Science.

Kseniia Minakova, who represented the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», impressed the jury of the L’Oréal-UNESCO «For Women in Science» 2023 with her scientific activity. The NTU «KhPI» scientist has more than 50 articles indexed in Scopus and an h-index of -13, and is already being recognized as an expert in her field. These achievements allowed Kseniia to pass a difficult competition and get into the TOP-10 within the 5th season of the L’Oréal-UNESCO award.

We should note that this award is presented with the purpose of recognizing the achievements of outstanding women researchers and supporting women in science. Competitors are selected from among Ukrainian women aged 18 to 40 who have a degree and publications in the international scientometrics databases Scopus and/or Web of Science. The focus of the award is on women engaged in research in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

The prestigious award ceremony took place on December 7, where Kseniia Minakova presented NTU «KhPI» and her field of research.

https://www.kpi.kharkov.ua/ukr/2023/12/14/naukovytsya-hpi-uvijshla-v-top-10-najvydatnishyh-zhinok-doslidnykiv-ukrayiny/387742974_765678972236801_9202502801548763204_n/

https://www.kpi.kharkov.ua/ukr/2023/12/14/naukovytsya-hpi-uvijshla-v-top-10-najvydatnishyh-zhinok-doslidnykiv-ukrayiny/women-in-science-226/

Note:

In Ukraine, the L’Oréal-UNESCO competition «For Women in Science» has been held for 5 years in a row. Its goal is to recognize the most outstanding women researchers who make a huge contribution to the development of science in Ukraine. The prize expands the opportunities for women in science and overcomes gender stereotypes, supports the recognition of talented scientists, and encourages them to choose scientific professions.

The abbreviation STEM means «Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics». These areas are the basis of this educational methodology. At the same time, these disciplines are not studied separately, as usual, but in a complex. The practical application of the acquired knowledge is of great importance. The child not only learns about new areas of development in the exact sciences and engineering, but also learns to implement what he or she has learned in practice.

The team from Kholodnohirsk district of Lyceum No. 18 (#18_Kittens) took first place in the final of the STEM Championship of Kharkiv among high school students in natural and mathematical sciences. The final intellectual battle took place on December 23 in the bomb shelter of Kharkiv Polytechnic. During the month, the selection rounds were held with 164 teams from 140 Kharkiv lyceums. Nine winning teams went to the final. The competition was held in the form of Kahoot quizzes on the following topics: chemistry, physics, mathematics, IT, and the history of Kharkiv. The questions were made up by scientists of Kharkiv Polytechnic. The STEM Championship, which was attended by more than a thousand schoolchildren, was held for the first time in the history of Kharkiv. Its organizers: NTU «KhPI» with the support of the Kharkiv City Administration.

The final competition of the STEM Championship of Kharkiv among high school pupils in natural and mathematical sciences brought together pupils of grades 10-11, teachers, representatives of the Kharkiv City Administration, scientists and teachers of the National Technical University «KhPI». The participants of the tournament have become the winning teams from 9 districts of Kharkiv.

Before the start of the competition, the organizers of the STEM championship welcomed the participants: Professor Yevgen Sokol, Rector of NTU «KhPI», and Valeriy Shepel, deputy director of the department of education of the Kharkiv City Administration. They wished the players good luck and victory.

The competition consisted of 5 blocks of tasks and was held in the form of Kahoot quizzes on the following topics: chemistry, physics, mathematics, IT, and the history of Kharkiv. The questions for the quizzes were developed by a team of young scientists from NTU «KhPI». The leaders from Kharkiv Polytechnic were: Serhii Petrov, professor of the department of organic synthesis and pharmaceutical technologies, executive secretary of the admission committee (CHEMISTRY); Kseniia Minakova, associate professor of the department of physics, finalist of the L’Oréal-UNESCO award «For Women in Science» in 2023 (PHYSICS); Oleksii Larin, professor, director of the Institute of Computer Modeling of Applied Physics and Mathematics (MATHEMATICS); Andrii Kopp, associate professor of the department of software engineering and intelligent management technologies (IT). A fifth set of questions about Kharkiv was compiled especially for the STEM Championship final, hosted by members of the Kharkiv City Administration: Gabriel Mikhailov and Alisa Panova.

During the breaks between the competitions, the participants of the intellectual tournament were supported by the vocal show band «Suzirya», a collective of the NTU «KhPI» Students’ Palace.

Following the results of the Kharkiv STEM Championship, the team from Kholodnohirskyi district #18_Kittens (KhL No18) won the title, ІМПУЛЬС161 (KhL No161) from Nemyshlianskyi district took second place, and One for all (KhL #82) from Slobidskyi district won third place. All participants received diplomas, and the winners also received interesting gifts: power banks and memorable books about Kharkiv. In addition, 10 teachers of NTU «KhPI» – the organizers of the STEM Championship – received the Mayor’s Acknowledgments. And the leaders of the intellectual tournament, the #18_Kittens team, won the Winner’s Cup. The awards were presented by first deputy mayor of Kharkiv Oleksandr Novak and Rector of NTU «KhPI» Professor Yevgen Sokol.

The participants and organizers of the intellectual tournament noted that the competition was a unique event not only for Kharkiv, but also for the whole of Ukraine. Support and popularization of natural and mathematical subjects and technical specialties is extremely important today, although these specialties are not popular among graduates and applicants. After all, this generation will be responsible for the revival of the Ukrainian economy and industry! Therefore, the introduction of gamification, along with the popularization of STEM education and the development of Soft skills, is among the most important components of the educational process.

Note:

The STEM Championship of Kharkiv in natural and mathematical sciences among pupils of grades 10-11 was held from 22.11.2023 to 23.12.2023. The competition was attended by 164 teams from 140 lyceums. The selection stage took place on 11/30/2023. The semifinals were held on 2 December, 2023, 9 December, 2023 and 16 December, 2023. In total, more than 1000 high school pupils from Kharkiv took part in the championship.

National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» held the grand opening of a new project for the restoration and innovative development of Kharkiv Polytechnic – «Starry Sky of NTU «KhPI». Its main «stars» became the creators of the university: prominent scientists, teachers, public figures, and its continuation became the virtual space of the thematic website. Currently, everyone can become a participant of the project and light own star on the «Starry Sky of KhPI» by transferring funds to support the university. Kharkiv Polytechnic’s «Skyline» is located on the wall of the Scientific and Technical Library and on the interactive map of the Internet space. The event was attended by representatives of the Supervisory Board of NTU «KhPI», who gathered for a meeting that day. The event was dedicated to the World Science Day for Peace and Development, which is celebrated on the 10th of November.

«Starry Sky of NTU «KhPI» is a very important project for our university, said the rector of NTU «KhPI», professor Yevgen Sokol, at the opening ceremony. «One of its strategic goals is to give the opportunity to future generations of polytechnics to learn about those who have written their names into the «golden pages» of NTU «KhPI». Each institute in our «sky» is represented by its own constellation, the main stars of which are prominent scientists and teachers who have created the almost 140-year history of Kharkiv Polytechnic. The second important goal of the project is its continuity. We continue to develop and restore the university, which has suffered significant damage due to russian aggression. And, despite the difficult wartime, today everyone who is not indifferent to the fate of NTU «KhPI» can contribute and light their own star in the «Starry Sky of NTU «KhPI».

«Life goes on, and we have to build Ukraine. I will definitely not leave the country. I am sure that we need to return our people. We need to prepare to introduce modern state-of-the-art technologies for the powerful development of the university,» noted Vasyl Khmelnytsky, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NTU «KhPI» and First Vice President of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Rector of Kharkiv Polytechnic Yevgen Sokol and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Vasyl Khmelnytsky cut the ribbons, launching a new project for the restoration and development of Kharkiv Polytechnic «Starry Sky of NTU «KhPI».

In addition, on this day, a meeting of the Supervisory Board of NTU «KhPI» was held, where changes in its structure were announced, as well as the report for 2021-2022 of the rector of the university was heard. The participants of the meeting were shown the performance indicators of NTU «KhPI» during this time, as well as plans and perspectives for the development of the university. After the meeting, Volodymyr Semynozhenko, a member of the Supervisory Board and Head of the North-Eastern Scientific Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, presented to rector Yevgen Sokol a letter of gratitude to the Kharkiv Polytechnic staff from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. «You have not only survived, but are developing and have plans. And if there are plans, there is also optimism, which means that there will be a Victory – a mandatory Victory in all the things that we have started together,» said Volodymyr Semynozhenko at the ceremony.

Scientists of NTU «KhPI» took part in a study tour to Aalto University (Helsinki) and in the annual conference «Nordeep Deep Tech Business Summi» (Espoo) in Finland. The first delegation of Ukrainian representatives included Ruslan Kryvobok, Head of Scientific and Research Part NTU «KhPI», and Natalia Shmatko, Professor of the Management Department and Director of the Spark Start-up Centre of Kharkiv Polytechnic. Together with their Ukrainian colleagues, they presented the national ecosystem of innovations and technological achievements of our country. These events were a unique opportunity to establish contacts and discuss further cooperation between the academic, private and public sectors of Ukraine and the European scientific and business community.

This year’s study tour to Aalto University was dedicated to the development of innovations in the academic environment and the commercialization of university research. And the «Nordeep Deep Tech Business Summit» conference has become the first and only European scientific forum with a focus on deep-tech. Every year, it brings together more than one thousand five hundred entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, representatives of various institutions and media interested in the current tandem of science and business. Participants of the 2023 conference presented their practical cases of scientific developments and discussed important topics for further cooperation at panel discussions. Foreign experts were particularly interested in the presentation of the Ukrainian ecosystem and programs of scientific research and technological achievements that took place during the facilitated sessions. Thus, cooperation and partnership with Aalto University will allow Ukrainian and European experts to combine innovative research in an interdisciplinary environment of cooperation between science, business and art.

We should note that the study tour and the «Nordeep Deep Tech Business Summit» conference were held in cooperation with the Finnish university’s innovation department and ArcticStartup Events, an organization that brings together startup entrepreneurs, investors, corporate representatives and media from more than 60 countries.