We keep letting our readers know the winners of all-university competition “Professor-researcher – 2007”. The point at issue is about Leonid Holovko, the professor of Laser Technology and Material Science Department of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr.-Ing.
In 1974, L. Holovko finished with excellence the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of KPI with a specialization in “Mechanical Engineering, Metalcutting Workbenches and Tools.” That time he started working at the Laser Technology and Material Science Department as a principal engineer, then – as a junior research officer, senior research officer, assistant professor, and, since 1994 – as a professor. Prof. L. Holovko successfully combines teaching and scientific work: he teaches “Elecrto-physico-chemical methods of material treatment” (the main subject of the specialization), “Laser technology” and “Physical research methods” at the Department and concurrently conducts scientific work.
The range of Leonid’s scientific interests covers such spheres: structural-phasic transformations in surface layers of material while their heating, thermal cycling, thermal deformational strengthening, alloying, lining with massive laser emission; the notion of abnormal mass-transfer, initiated by laser emission; creating compositional materials and three-dimensional items; developing new techniques for controlling the hardness of complex spatial metal constructions by changing the tight state of the material on selected sectors; research on combined processes of material laser treatment using additional sources of energy – plasma, electrical discharge, ultrasound; research on the processes of interaction between laser emission and biological environment.
Prof. Holovko’s scientific researches findings have been published in more than 200 scientific papers, including 10 monographies (3 of them were republished in the USA, China and Bulgaria; one was published in the USA). The scientist has also received 26 inventor’s certificates and 6 patents of Ukraine.
In 2001 at the behest of the Laser Institute of America prof. L. Holovko became one of the coauthors of world-known LIA Handbook of Laser Materials Processing. L.F.Holovko et all. Laser Institute of America. Orlando, USA, 2001, (715p). Among its co-authors were leading scientists from America, Japan, Germany, England, France, and Switzerland. It is worth accenting that there were only two scientists from former SU working on this oeuvre. Co-authored by other scientists Leonid Holovko is the author of the scientific publications “Hardening and Alloying Details with a Laser Ray” and “Laser and Electrodischarge Hardening”.
Prof. L. Holovko is the head of the laboratory of laser surface material treatment, the professor of the Institute of Superhard Materials of NASU and the professor of National Aviation University. Under the auspices of prof. L. Holovko there were created 10 laser material treatment production departments in different enterprises of production sectors of Ukraine and Poland.
Laser Technology and Material Science Department cooperates with Ukrainian and foreign scientific and educational institutions: the Institute of Superhard Materials of NASU (the profile is the technology of baking diamond-bearing compositions), National Aviation University (the profile is friction and wear), Physico-technological Institute of Metals and Alloys (the profile is the technology of lining), Institute of Geology of NASU (studying the perspectives of and developing technologies and equipment for destructing earth material when preparing and perforating bores), Friedrich Schiller’s University, Jena, Germany (studying the characteristics of laser emission).
Prof. L. Holovko have nurtured 5 Candidates and one Doctor of Engineering. For now he is a research advisor for 4 masters, 4 postgraduates and one PhD student.
Leonid Holovko’s scientific work was rewarded with the Ministry of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine Award in 1981 and 1982, the diploma of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of USSR in 1983, golden and silver medals of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of USSR in 1986 and 1987, bronze medal of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of USSR in 1985, NTUU “KPI” prize in 2006.