A conversation with the winner of the All-Ukrainian competition of students and young scientists with international participation "Youth Intellect. Rational Nature Management and Modern Energy Efficient Technologies", a lecturer at the Department of Automation of Electrical and Mechatronic Complexes (AEMC) of the Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Sofia Zholtailo, did not begin with technicalities and terms, without which her teaching and research activities are impossible. Only later did the conversation turn to recommendations for modern approaches to teaching, which she received from the staff of her department, as well as from colleagues from the LEMTA laboratory (Laboratory of Energy, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics) at the University of Lorraine (France).
- Your childhood was spent in a family of technicians, as they say. I wonder how the future scientist's talent developed?
- Yes, it was my family that laid the foundation for my adult life. My mother graduated from Kharkiv Polytechnic with a degree in Applied Mathematics, and my father has a diploma from the Faculty of Electronics of our Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. My maternal grandfather was also an electromechanic, and my grandmother was a chemist. My older sister Lisa decided to be an English translator, she has a real talent for this.
When I was studying at Boyarka Secondary School No. 4, I didn't dream about the future. After graduating in 2012, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I combined my excellent studies with clubs and activities. By the way, I've been crocheting since I was eight years old, and when I was nine, I knitted sundresses for myself. I have a hobby - I knit soft toys and give them to my friends. I attended drawing, dance, and singing classes, and learned to play the guitar.
- And in my adult life...
- Part of me wants to be in science, I like to delve into solving a problem on a chosen topic. I've been proven by experience: my brain processes data so deeply that when, for example, I couldn't solve a certain math problem when I was a student, I knew the answer in the morning because... I dreamed about it.
- As they say in romantic stories, a dream tells the tale. In this case, do you believe in astrological predictions?
- Don't be surprised: I believe in astrological forecasts (laughs). However, it is always worth remembering that these astrological predictions are only a third of the probability of what can happen to a person in a certain period of time. After all, prognostication is a science for predicting the future. What will happen in the future depends on a person's set of traits and character, on our efforts and aspirations. I like the thoughts of astrologer Angela Pearl from Ukraine, who says that “stars are mathematical points in the sky.” I also liked the concept of Chinese astrology by Ba Zi (a unique system that analyzes the pattern of a person's birth data to reveal his or her life potential - ed.) and the mysterious I Ching. The Book of Changes". This is a Chinese philosophical and occult treatise that appeared at the end of the second millennium BC, and the commentaries to it were written by Confucius, the creator of the original ethical and philosophical doctrine that was named after him and became the basis of Chinese statehood. By the way, my father is fond of this concept, so I am familiar with it.
- And yet, how did a girl with a humanitarian mindset end up at a technical university?
- You will understand everything in a moment. By the way, looking ahead, I will say that I dreamed about parts of my dissertation after a certain brainstorming session with my colleagues. Such brainstorming and “scientific” dreams are fun. Of course, I can't live without creativity. That's why in 2012, after my high school graduation, I tried to study to become an architect, but I only got a contract at a construction university - I didn't get enough points in the creative competition. But I had a rather interesting experience: very few people of my age participated in this competition, most of the applicants were over 30 years old, and I was impressed by their artistic skills. I could have studied on a contract basis, but from a financial point of view, my family would not have been able to afford to pay for such an education. I prepared again for the EIT in math, also passed physics and English, and the following year I applied to many universities. And then, of course, I tried to enter the Kyiv Polytechnic.
Later, when I visited Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, I immediately felt that this was my alma mater. I was greeted very cordially at the admission committee, at the faculty, and at some point it seemed as if all university doors were open to me. The romance of my first days on campus is unforgettable. I chose between materials science, electromechanics, and technical translation from English. Then everything was simple: I did not pass the technical translation, I did not wait for a call from the materials scientists, and a phone call from the admissions committee of the current Institute of IEE determined my future: I started studying in an unknown and very interesting direction (smiles).
- Department of Automation of Electrical and Mechatronic Complexes. Even the name itself seems to signal a purely “male” specialty. Did student Sofia succeed in her first year of studies, and how did it go in her senior year? Can you recall any extraordinary events during your undergraduate, master's, and graduate years?
- I entered the first year easily, but it was hard to study. I must admit that in my first year I practically slept for four hours a day: I got out of bed at six in the morning, went to class from Boyarka, and then returned home at about six in the evening and did my homework until late at night. And yet, despite the lack of hours to sleep, I had a rich and happy student life, my classmates and I had fun, often consulting on what to do and how to do it during classes and preparing for seminars... Since my classmate Iryna and I (there were 2 girls in the group) did not live in a dormitory, we used to finish our homework even in the cafeteria or on the windowsills in the academic building. I know that journalists like “fried” facts. You're welcome: once during the spring semester, during a practical class in materials science, during an experiment that I was conducting, the lid of a transformer oil device instantly opened... The guys quickly hid behind me. The situation was under control, we turned everything off according to the instructions. However, we laughed for a long time afterwards... The girl defended the stronger sex. Isn't that a reason to make witty jokes about knights? Student humor helps in many situations.
- They say that friends are relatives whom we choose consciously. And teachers are people who influence our worldview, the formation of our personality and our future life in general. Isn't that right?
- I agree. Among the worthy teachers, I would like to mention Viktor Petrovich Rosen, my thesis supervisor, the then head of the Department of Automation of Control of Electrical Engineering Complexes (ACEC), Anton Valerievich Toropov, a lecturer at our Department of Electric Drives, and Yulia Valentinovna Chernetska, a lecturer at the Department of Power Supply of our faculty. I remember the unique lectures on philosophy from Ilya Vladimirovich Devterov. The lectures on rhetoric given by Marina Petrovna Prepotenska in graduate school were extremely interesting. I thank them for their science!
- You also have experience as an engineer. Was it a springboard to big science?
- I don't know if it can be called a springboard, but rather a purely engineering job by profession. At that time, I was already in graduate school, and at the same time I worked for almost two years as an engineer in the production and technology department of a company. My responsibilities included maintaining documentation on the automation and dispatching of ventilation and air conditioning systems for pharmaceutical companies. That is, I worked in the office and went to the factories when the equipment was still being installed, and checked whether the existing technological systems matched the project, made corrections to the drawings. Imagine construction, noise everywhere, and I'm walking around with a drawing and a pencil... Of course, this is an interesting experience, but at the time, writing my dissertation was a priority, so I left this position in 2021 and focused on programming for my dissertation. And we all know what happened on February 24, 2022... At that time, my confusing emotions were restrained by the amount of work to complete the scientific task and creativity. I remember either writing my dissertation or knitting a sweater during my anxiety. And in the fall of 2022, I was offered a job at the university. That's how my teaching career began: step by step, I gained experience and it became easier. Of course, when there are a lot of subjects, especially new disciplines, it is difficult, we learn together with students (smiles).
- I know that you did an internship abroad. Please share your impressions of the teaching methods, organization of practical work, etc.
- I've done three internships in France, and I have experience from an internship in Poland. I first visited France in the fall of 2018 as part of the ERASMUS+ program. There, I studied at the Ecole Centrale de Nantes for five months. The learning process is structured somewhat differently than in Ukraine. French educators do not distinguish between lectures and practices. The teacher makes a short presentation of educational and practical topics, then sets a task, so to speak, from real life, and then all trainees are divided into groups to complete this task. This is followed by an open discussion in the classroom. This, in my opinion, is a fairly effective method: students learn not only to solve real-life problems but also to work in a team. There is also no such thing as a session: for example, a course in a particular subject is completed, followed by a project assignment and then an exam in the middle of the semester. Also, in some of our practical classes, we designed office products made of plastic and cut them with a laser. It's worth mentioning that, in addition to the usual grades A, B, C, they also have such a thing as A+, A, A-, etc.
The next long-term business trip to France was devoted to an internship during my postgraduate studies at the Loria Laboratory of the University of Lorraine in Nancy, also under the ERASMUS+ program, where I was helped to improve the programmatic part of my dissertation. However, just recently, in October-December 2024, I worked at the University of Nancy as a lecturer.
- What exactly did you manage to accomplish during your last internship?
- Together with French scientists Sophie Didierjean and Giuseppe Sdanghi, who work in the field of hydrogen energy, I created practical tasks for our students. I am very pleased with our joint work. I would like to say a few words about the peculiarities of postgraduate studies, since it was during my last internship that I understood more about how postgraduate studies in France are conducted. First of all, postgraduate studies here are one year shorter - 3 years. Secondly, funding is mostly provided through the project budget: the university submits project proposals to the European grant system for a grant, and when funding is received, the laboratory invites a graduate student to study at any time of the year. This fund provides a workplace, research equipment, and a salary of about 2 thousand euros.
As for internships in Poland. I participated in short-term conferences there for three to five days.
- Recently, social media posted information that "Zholtailo Sofia Yuriyivna took part in the All-Ukrainian competition of students and young scientists with international participation 'Youth Intellect. Rational Nature Management and Modern Energy Efficient Technologies“ and won 1st place in the section ”Chemotology and Rational Use of Traditional and Alternative Fuels and Lubricants". Congratulations on your victory in the all-Ukrainian scientific competition. How did the events unfold further?
- The thing is that I was on an internship in France when the results of the competition were being summarized. Therefore, I could not attend the award ceremony. However, everything worked out perfectly. At the request of the Organizing Committee, the first degree diploma was personally handed to me by the Head of the Department of AEMC of the Institute of IEE, Professor Serhii Valeriiovych Boychenko.
- Now about your personal life. You recently got married. Congratulations to you and your husband! If it's not a secret, who is your chosen one? How do promising young female scientists get to know their future spouses?
- Thank you for your congratulations. My husband and I have been friends since high school, since 2010. This is true love! By the way, Yevhen works as a dispatcher at the electricity balancing market, saving our power system. He is a very harmonious and bright person. I consider myself lucky in life.