To support the most talented young researchers and encourage outstanding scientific achievements, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, by Order No. 1526 of November 19, 2025, awarded Presidential Academic Scholarships for the 2025/2026 academic year to selected PhD students. The scholarship amounts to UAH 23,700 per month. Among the recipients are two researchers from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute: Andrii Makarchuk (Educational and Research Institute of Nuclear and Thermal Energy; see Kyiv Polytechnic, No. 3–4, 2026) and Roman Pedan (Yevhen O. Paton Educational and Research Institute of Materials Science and Welding).
It is worth noting that the selection process was both rigorous and highly competitive. Applicants were evaluated against a broad range of criteria, including publications in Category A journals and journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and/or Scopus; articles published in Category B journals; popular science publications and openly accessible digital scientific content (with a DOI or permanent URL); participation in research projects funded through national or international competitive calls; and patent applications (for inventions or utility models), among other achievements. Additional considerations included participation in international academic mobility programs, involvement in the development of startups or innovation projects, leadership of a student research group or section operating within a higher education institution, and supervision of students' research activities.
Given the breadth of these requirements, it was especially interesting to speak with one of the scholarship recipients—someone who successfully met them all. That recipient is Roman Pedan, a PhD student at the Department of Physical Materials Science and Heat Treatment.
Roman recalls the beginning of his student years with great enthusiasm: "Like many prospective students, I found choosing a university to be a difficult decision. I was considering both the humanities and engineering, although I was more inclined toward the latter. I chose to study materials science because I was fascinated by its fundamental nature—everything around us is made of different materials, and the possibility of turning any idea into reality or creating a new product depends largely on selecting the right materials. Another important reason for enrolling at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was that my close family members—my grandfather and my mother—are both graduates of the university." Indeed, family tradition is a powerful influence. Older generations take pride in seeing younger family members continue their path, while young people often find it inspiring to pursue a profession they have been familiar with since childhood.
In 2016, the Department of Metal Physics of the Faculty of Engineering Physics—now the Department of Physical Materials Science and Heat Treatment within the Yevhen O. Paton Educational and Research Institute of Materials Science and Welding—welcomed another curious and highly motivated student. From the early years of his bachelor's studies, Roman became actively involved in research. He participated in international conferences and co-authored publications in Ukrainian peer-reviewed scientific journals. However, as he explains, he truly immersed himself in research during his master's studies, when, under the supervision of Dr. Ihor Vladymyrskyi, he began investigating nanoscale ferromagnetic materials and structures based on them. This work culminated in the successful completion of his master's degree with honors. Roman has continued his research in this field throughout his PhD studies.
"My primary research focus, which I continue to pursue under the supervision of Ihor Anatoliiovych Vladymyrskyi," the young researcher explains, "is the investigation of structural and phase transformations induced by different types of energy stimuli in nanoscale thin-film composites based on ferromagnetic materials." This topic forms the basis of his PhD dissertation. In fact, the research has now been virtually completed, and he is currently preparing for the dissertation defense. "The study of these materials," Roman continues, "is essential for advancing nanoelectronics and spintronics technologies for both military and civilian applications. These include the development of next-generation devices for ultrafast detection and spectral analysis of electromagnetic radiation (such as radar systems), radiation emitters, high-capacity and high-speed information storage and processing technologies, as well as other high-tech electronic devices." Based on his doctoral research, Roman has co-authored six scientific papers published in journals indexed in Scopus and the Web of Science, obtained three Ukrainian utility model patents, and presented his research annually at international scientific conferences. Between 2021 and 2025, he participated as a researcher in several international research projects funded by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme and the German Research Foundation (DFG). He has also contributed to state-funded research projects commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as to a project supported by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine.
In addition to his research activities, Roman is actively involved in the department's educational work. Since 2024, he has been serving as an Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Physical Materials Science and Heat Treatment.
Reflecting on his experience, the young researcher emphasizes that the Department of Physical Materials Science and Heat Treatment provides an excellent environment for the development of early-career scientists. The department has long been distinguished by its strong research potential and the high publication activity of its academic staff in both Ukrainian and international scientific journals.
"I would like to encourage students and PhD candidates," the scholarship recipient says, "to remain persistent and systematic in both their studies and research. Learning—and especially scientific research—is not always easy, but working with something new is always incredibly exciting. Moreover, scientific achievements play an important role in the development of our country and in strengthening its international reputation."