Sometimes, when talking to experienced scientists, teachers, and engineers, the conversation involuntarily "slips" from the main topic. In this case, it's better not to distract the interlocutor from his thoughts about his work, his experiences, and his plans for the future.
After all, in some five to seven minutes the conversation will return to the main leitmotif, but will be enriched with new colors. This happened during the conversation of the KP correspondent with Olga Volodymyrivna Linyucheva, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Technology of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
During one of the last meetings of the administration of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, it was noted that according to the check of students' attendance at full-time classes, the highest rate was at the HTF. A nice fact: 94% of future engineers and scientists at the faculty study hard. By the way, according to the university administration, this result is better than before the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic. Much of the credit for this goes to the teaching staff of the HTF, headed by O. V. Linyucheva.
The conversation of the KP correspondent with Olha Volodymyrivna began not with her own career as a scientist and teacher, but with her story about the universally recognized scientific achievements of famous scientists who, since 1980, have shaped her as first the best student of the faculty, then a graduate student, assistant professor of the Department of Electrochemical Production Technology (EPT), whom they stimulated to creative results as a lecturer and researcher. Subsequently, the masters of chemical science watched the talented student work on her research assignments and, finally, waited with extraordinary tact and patience for the positive results of her work. O. Linyucheva names prominent scientists. First of all, the founder of the world-famous scientific school "Electrochemical Kinetics", the author of the textbook "Theoretical Electrochemistry", which was reprinted in English, French, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese (it was recognized as a bestseller among electrochemistry textbooks), Professor L.I. Antropov. Olha Volodymyrivna considers the moment when, as a freshman, she received as a gift the synopsis of Lev Ivanovych's first institute lectures, which began on her birthday, to be a real life milestone.
Therefore, the date of September 13, 1963 is a kind of guideline in the life of the current head of the scientific school, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Chairman of the Commission on Scientific and Innovative Work of the Academic Council of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Dean of the Chemical Engineering Department, member of the Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine, member of the Specialized Academic Council for the Defense of Candidate and Doctoral Theses of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, National Secretary of Ukraine in the International Electrochemical Society (ISE) for three terms (2010 - 2022) and a member of the Sectoral Expert Council for Knowledge Area 16 "Chemical Technology and Engineering" in NAQA, a member of the Ukrainian Association of Corrosionists, a member of the expert councils of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, an expert on projects for research state programs, a member of the editorial boards of professional publications: "Scientific news of NTUU "KPI", "Sensor electronics and microelectronic technologies", "Water and water purification"...
O.V. Linyucheva did not forget to mention her direct teachers - Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine V.P. Chviruk, Honored Professor of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Doctor of Chemical Engineering, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine O.G. Yurchenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine I.M. Astrelin. It was they who supported L.I. Antropov's idea to create a youth group of scientists under the leadership of V. Chviruk, who were engaged in fundamental and applied research in the field of electrochemistry, in particular, sensor devices.
Olga Volodymyrivna's demanding nature, extraordinary diligence and determination allowed her to achieve quite significant results while working in this experimental group. It was at the Department of TECV, where O.V. Linyucheva worked for a long time, that a new scientific direction was initiated and developed - electrochemistry of solid-state systems with proton and matrix electrolytes and frame catalytically active gas diffusion electrodes. These studies contributed to the creation of a unified series of new generation gas sensors, initially for monitoring the air environment. These sensitive high-tech sensor devices exceed the best samples of leading foreign manufacturers in terms of operational and technical performance. On their basis, portable and stationary multi-channel gas analytical systems, including those with sensor units for remote diagnostics of air conditions, have been created and implemented in various industries and utilities. The sensors can be used to determine the ammonia contamination of premises, for example, at poultry farms or in underground galleries for growing edible mushrooms. There is a demand for sensors in the meat and dairy industry. They are also indispensable in the study of various environmental problems of urban transportation infrastructure. In underground tunnels, the presence of, say, CO or NOx cannot be avoided. Sensors for the detection and disinfection of Covid-19 viruses using Cl2 and O3 have also become a promising development of scientists and engineers at the HTF. These small devices are also used for military purposes.
The training of bachelors, masters, candidates and doctors of sciences in technical electrochemistry and chemical resistance of materials and the development of a series of models of the above sensors is the current work of the well-known scientist Olga Linyucheva. She is the head of the Department of Electrochemical Production. She also worked for 24 years as the deputy dean for research at the KTHF (1999-2023). Only at the beginning of 2024 did she hand over the reins of scientific activity to worthy young colleagues at the faculty. However, the dean's workload did not decrease.
Olha Volodymyrivna does not hide the fact that she is demanding. To herself and to her colleagues. You might say it's because of her upbringing? And you will not be mistaken. The daughter of the director of a Kyiv machine-building plant and a school teacher successfully graduated from a school with a physics and mathematics focus. Her parents, Vladimir Vasilyevich and Nina Pavlovna, were happy to support their youngest daughter's love of the sciences. And not only that. Classes at the training and production plant (an organization that provided high school students with initial vocational training) helped her master the art of technical drawing. She was also attracted to medicine and journalism. But she entered Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. And the first lectures in the classrooms of the Chemical Building convinced Olya Kopanitsa that a technical university was the right choice. The knowledge and skills she had acquired in high school came in handy. There was no indifference to the chosen field while studying dozens of institute textbooks, an endless series of laboratory work. I did not notice fatigue or burnout in any course. On the contrary. She has been a habit of superactivity, a desire to participate in a large number of research projects, and to overwork since her student days. She has been a scholarship holder of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine three times.
Perhaps that is why her credo as a supervisor today is to try to help capable students and talented young scientists decide on a research direction. And an active reaction, as chemists say, and a useful result from hard work will not be delayed. After all, a teacher needs to realize that youth is a time when some students may have doubts about their future career. The main thing here is to become a good adviser to a capable student, to inspire them to do routine work in the laboratory for the sake of success. This is why students and teachers respect her. Olha Volodymyrivna recalled how, during the 2021 election of the faculty dean, the staff almost unanimously supported her candidacy. She is still grateful to her colleagues for their trust. She believes that teaching and research staff should have a sense of security and stability. There are no trivial matters for her. Updating laboratory equipment, the faculty library, office, classroom, and sanitary facilities is on the dean's agenda. This also motivates her to continue working with like-minded people. And O.V. Linyucheva has a lot of them. She feels supported. Because they work for the future of KTHF.
"The profession of a university lecturer," the dean of the faculty does not forget to repeat to her colleagues, "is one of the most creative and challenging professions that combines science and art. This work is akin to the work of a writer (for example, creativity in preparing material), a director and stage manager (creating a lecture or seminar idea and its implementation), an actor (in teaching, the instrument is the personality of the teacher who knows how to interest students with his or her performing skills), a mentor, a psychologist, and a scientist."
... Mentally turning the pages of life. The teaching of basic disciplines was entrusted to the assistant of the Department of TECV O.V. Liniucheva at a young age. She listened to the opinion of Prof. L.I. Antropov, who blessed her with teaching. Since then, Olha Volodymyrivna considers the lecture chair and the classroom to be "her own". She has lectured in China, France, the United States, Canada, and at universities in European countries. After all, the International Electrochemical Society (more than 10 thousand scientists) operates throughout the civilized world. Her foreign colleagues are familiar with the functioning of a single complex of three world-class scientific schools of the KHTF, which unite researchers representing several generations of scientists of the faculty - the School of Chemistry and Technological Production of Inorganic Products, Water Treatment and Industrial Waste Utilization; the School of Electrochemical Materials and the School of Composite Materials.
Olga Vladimirovna tells us interesting stories about graduate students who have considerable experience in practical work at the factory. Such motivated young people impress with their perseverance while working on their dissertations. And the research talent of young scientists, which is felt during the defense of their work, brings sincere joy to teachers.
Professor Linyucheva is working on creating academic mobility programs, certificate programs, and professional development programs to open up new opportunities in the creation of research activities. Thus, her election as the chairman of the Commission on Scientific and Innovative Activities of the Academic Council of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was not accidental. Her candidacy was proposed to the university community of the Academic Council of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute by Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine M. Ilchenko. Now she is entrusted with managing the process of peer review of research works of the entire university, participating in the organization of relevant competitions, examinations, publishing textbooks, manuals, monographs, etc.
As an educator, Olha Volodymyrivna is also sincerely concerned with the problems of teaching and learning online. Students learn modern science, its methods, penetrate the depths of its main problems, the logic and methodology of its development, enter the so-called laboratory of scientific thinking of the teacher, but during online sessions, reliable communication between student-teacher-lecturer is gradually lost. This confuses Professor Linyucheva, as does the poor preparation of first-year students. "But there is a teaching methodology to improve the knowledge of today's "C" students," Olha Volodymyrivna assures with a sincere smile.
We also managed to talk about personal matters. Olga Vladimirovna considers her marriage to be happy. She is convinced that family comfort is made up of little things. She also loves to cook. Do you remember: "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" - this saying was invented by our great-grandmothers. However, it is still relevant today. Of course, working to maintain relationships is not easy. But Olga Lyunicheva knows how to do it.
The conversation was interrupted by a cell phone call. Olga's son invited her to visit: her granddaughter wants to see her grandparents. Mariia likes to listen to her grandmother's skillful playing of the musical synthesizer. It turns out that Olga Vladimirovna has had a love for music since childhood. An excellent student at school, Olia managed to study piano at the "music school". This passion was supported by her parents. The teachers at the music school even advised her to enter the Glière School of Music. But the career of a concertmaster did not appeal to him. However, the joy of playing the piano filled her soul more than half a century ago and hasn't disappeared to this day.
"Unconditional love for the melody played by a musician fills the space of the soul, spreads warmth across the small planet Earth," the interlocutor sets the stage for a new stage of the conversation. Among her favorites is Edvard Grieg's music for Ibsen's drama "Per Gynt". She dreams that her granddaughter Mariia will learn to play the piano. The famous scientist's other hobbies include cooking, crocheting, and, above all, driving (she has 24 years of experience). "A man's style of driving a car," as her colleagues who traveled around Ukraine with her in peacetime say...
Olga Linyucheva is sincerely concerned about the fate of the students who are now fighting at the front. She has a dream. Is it worth specifying what it is? Let it come true!