For about 60 years the Department of High Temperature Materials and Powder Metallurgy has been providing education for future experts on developing new materials and resource-saving technologies. At the department they are working on breakthrough technologies highly demanded in production; the department staff involve students in research and ensure their all-round development, care about the younger generation and cooperate with the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (JAS).
‘Today our department is the leading training institution in Ukraine in developing and using composite and powder materials, special coating materials, high-performance emission materials, structural ceramic materials for almost all fields of science and technology. Today, we pay special attention to nanotechnology and computer design materials’, proudly says Acting Head of the Department of High Temperature Materials and Powder Metallurgy, Doctor of Technical Sciences Yurii Ivanovych Bohomol.
Thinking of the future
Young scientists work at the department along with experienced ones. Together, they create a solid foundation for improving the educational process and developing of science in materials science. The department staff as experts in materials science particularly identified challenges and addressed the causes, and also gave some exhibits to the Interactive Space “Science Museum”, which was opened at VDNG sponsored by the JAS of Ukraine. ‘We strive to show children and their parents a wonderful world of science,’ shared Associate Professor Yevhen Vasylovych Solodkyi. ‘The department page https://www.facebook.com/compnano gives information on how important materials science is for all mankind.’
Recently, on November 6-7, Associate Professors of the Department of HTMPM Anatolii Viacheslavovych Minitskyi, Yevhen Vasylovych Solodkyi, Yevhen Heorhiiovych Byba, Iryna Yuriivna Trosnikova, Oleh Vasylovych Stepanov and Yurii Ivanovych Bohomol were on the jury of the III Stage of All-Ukrainian Research Paper Defense Competition among the Student-members of Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which was hosted by VDNG. The participants presented many fascinating projects in the section of technical sciences in the Zoom-conference mode.
Having Much to Be Proud Of
‘It is worth mentioning of our students’ training, who are winners of numerous competitions and olympiads,’ said Yurii Bohomol. For instance, students and postgraduate students of the Department were among the winners of the scientific works competition “Innovative approaches in electrometallurgy and related industries: from science to production” supported by the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine in September 2020. Artem Shcherbatiuk was awarded for the scientific work “Manufacturing of iron-zirconium ligatures by method of powder metallurgy” (supervisor - Doctor of Technical Sciences Maksym Oleksandrovych Sysoiev). Serhii Nakonechnyi, a graduate student and an engineer of the Department, became the winner for the scientific work “New protective coatings obtained by method of cold gas-dynamic spraying” (supervisor - Doctor of Technical Sciences, Prof. Oleksanda Ivanivna Yurkova).
‘The Department keeps pace with the times. We often invite our graduates who work in research institutions worldwide to give lectures to students, hold seminars and foster experience-sharing in the framework of international internships,’ said Yurii Bohomol.
To France on Exchange Program
In early autumn, a student of the FN-91mn group Vitalii Sheremet arrived for an internship under the Erasmus + academic mobility program at the National Graduate School of Engineering Chemistry of Lille (Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille), located in Lille, France. There, Vitalii studies the fatigue of stainless steels in the air and in aggressive environments. His research supervisor during the internship is Professor Jean-Bernard Vogt, the author of a number of fundamental works in this area. By the way, Professor Vogt has visited Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute several times. In May 2019, he gave a lecture on his research for students of our University.
A master's student at a French university carries out a series of research, starting with samples preparation (grinding, polishing, electrochemical treatment) and ending with experiment and data processing. He has access to all necessary equipment. At the same time, other research are being conducted, during which you can not only learn results of strength tests, plastic-brittle transition during fatigue testing, but also take part in them.
According to the student's supervisor Associate Professor Iryna Trosnikova, the opportunity to work on the latest equipment at a European university allows students to significantly improve their professional level, and communicating with foreign students expands the worldview and helps overcome language and cultural barriers.
Grants for Training Specialists
Denis Balandin, a bachelor's graduate from the Department of HTMPM (VMPM), shared his experience of studying for a master's degree at European universities (with a grant from Erasmus Mundus): ‘Positive experience and feedback from colleagues influenced my choice for further professional development. Let me tell you a little about the master's program EMJMD Chemical Nano-Engineering according to which I study.
The program consists of four semesters and is distributed among the three leading universities in Europe in nanotechnology. The first semester at Aix-Marseille University has a strong chemical profile and is fundamental for learning the basics of physics, chemistry, molecular dynamics and theoretical chemistry at the nanoscale. Next semesters at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology and the University of Rome Tor Vergata focused on the practical aspects of nanoengineering in a variety of fields (from medicine to energy). The final semester is given for writing a master's thesis in research institutes both in Europe and abroad. A summer internship is important, it is time when you can work on projects in laboratories and gain some experience.
21 students from 18 countries study in my group - from those who studied pure chemistry to mechanical engineering. Materials science students have their advantages and disadvantages at the beginning of the program, but this path is worth the difficulties that students have to overcome. Among the advantages are fundamental knowledge of material analysis, sintering process theory, crystallography and crystal chemistry. In addition to education, there is a large cultural program that provides an opportunity to integrate into the national environment of different countries.
The program allows you to build your own professional familiar people network for further cooperation both academically and in production - Sky is the limit.
Be inquisitive, active, good luck to everyone in the professional sphere.’
How to apply EMJMD?
Tetiana Hryhorchuk, a graduate of the Department, tells about her experience of participating in an international educational program, ‘There are many programs through which you can get a master's degree in European universities. The full Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree catalog is available through web search. Three years ago, I applied for the EMJMD Chemical Nano-Engineering program, which is free, but needs IELTS / TOEFL certificate, preferably at least B1, and requires good letters of recommendation and a cover letter to qualify. You will describe why the chosen program interested you and how you plan to use the acquired knowledge for future professional development.
The program provides students with a scholarship of 1000 euros/ month. The language of study is English. The program is multinational and designed for two years, each semester is held in a different country. My group includes 17 students from 16 countries. The partner universities are located in France, Poland and Italy. Studying was very difficult for me, but after the first year I adapted: I met a hundred people, visited several countries, gained a lot of knowledge, and gained experience, while the cost of living for two years was covered by a scholarship.
I highly recommend joining similar programs to everyone who wants to gain knowledge, experience and vivid emotions. A two-year full program would be a better option than a six-month academic exchange. Promising areas after such training are mostly vacancies in postgraduate school, but employment in industry is also possible (knowledge of the language of the country where you want to work will be very important). Don't hesitate, the years go by fast.’
Based on the materials of the department of HTMPM