Scientific tourism has proven to be one of the most effective ways to explore international experience and learn from global best practices. Today, researchers and student researchers actively apply the new information, knowledge, and skills they gain through scientific travel in their subsequent professional practice.
Kyiv. Vilnius. Madrid. Rio de Janeiro.
Victoria Tarasenko, a master’s student at the Department of Electronic Devices and Systems of the Faculty of Electronics at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, took part this year in the Third Congress of Students, Young Professionals, Scientists, and Industry Leaders organized by the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society. The event was once again organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and took place from August 13 to 15. The IEEE community brings together nearly 500,000 members from 150 countries worldwide (according to the IEEE website — editor’s note). The Institute regularly organizes research presentations, hands-on workshops, and expert-led discussions. In other words, the Congress serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, professional development, and career advancement.
“This year, I took part in a major event organized by the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society’s Student and Young Professionals (SYP) Congress 2026 organizing committee. The event took place in Rio de Janeiro, Federative Republic of Brazil, and it was truly an exceptional experience,” says Victoria Tarasenko, Chair of the IEEE KPI Student Branch.
In her conversation with us, Victoria explained that her participation in panel discussions as an ambassador for Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute focused on a range of innovative technologies in the energy sector.
A Look at Victoria Tarasenko’s First Steps Toward Her Chosen Profession. After graduating with honors from the Faculty of Electronics at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree, Victoria Tarasenko enrolled in the master’s program at the same faculty. There, she was invited to join the IEEE Ukraine community. This gave her the opportunity to become part of an international professional association dedicated to exchanging cutting-edge engineering and research expertise in technology, both in Ukraine and abroad. Participating in scientific conferences and congresses held around the world, where scientists, young researchers, and engineers can share their experience, has proved invaluable to Victoria Tarasenko. “Initially, as an early-career engineer and researcher, I took part in a regional scientific congress for young scientists held in Vilnius, Lithuania, in September 2025. This was made possible through the full support and funding provided by IEEE Ukraine,” Victoria recalls. “The event helped us identify specific areas for cooperation with the international research community and establish a foundation for future collaboration between students of the Faculty of Electronics and other academic and research institutions in Ukraine.”
Later, while attending the IECON 2025 conference in Madrid, Spain, Victoria Tarasenko was invited to represent IEEE Ukraine as an ambassador and deliver a presentation on the organization’s activities. The professional connections established at the event gave researchers from the Faculty of Electronics at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute an opportunity to discuss approaches to further participation in an international project. It was also during this conference that Victoria was invited to lead the IEEE KPI Student Branch, the organization’s student chapter at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
“My participation in the Third Congress of Students, Young Professionals, Scientists, and Industry Leaders organized by the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society in Rio de Janeiro was the result of fruitful cooperation between the Faculty of Electronics—specifically, the Department of Electronic Systems, headed by Yevhen Verbytskyi—and Yevhen Pichkaliov, Chair of IEEE Ukraine,” Victoria emphasizes. “My business trip was fully funded by IEEE Ukraine. By the way, the flight to Rio took almost 12 hours, but the travel conditions were comfortable, despite the six-hour time difference. Still, the positive impressions of staying in the remarkable city of Rio outweighed the fatigue. Realizing that I was in the Southern Hemisphere, thousands of kilometers from home, was truly inspiring as I presented one of Kyiv Polytechnic’s scientific schools at this international event.”
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What stood out most during the trip? “First and foremost, I would like to highlight the friendly atmosphere at the Congress and express my sincere gratitude to the IEEE organizers for their full support. The inspiring plenary sessions and practical thematic workshops devoted to power electronics and the programming of modern embedded systems using artificial intelligence left the strongest impression,” says Victoria Tarasenko.
She explains that the knowledge she gained while studying at the Faculty of Electronics at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute provided a solid foundation for meaningful conversations with international conference participants during panel discussions. This experience demonstrates the high standard of professional training at Kyiv Polytechnic. The opportunity to develop effective communication skills while working with an international team and explore prospects for building an engineering career through cooperation with the IEEE ecosystem were among the many benefits of Victoria’s participation as a university ambassador at the forum in Rio de Janeiro.
“Meeting young engineers and researchers from countries including the United States, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Sweden, Poland, Brazil, Italy, and France laid the groundwork for future professional collaboration,” says Victoria Tarasenko.
Of course, the scientific trip also left her with a wealth of wonderful memories.
“As part of the cultural programme, I had the opportunity to present traditional Ukrainian cuisine as the only representative of Ukraine at the event,” Victoria continues. “At first, I wanted to prepare popular dishes such as borshch, cherry varenyky, nalysnyky (Ukrainian crepes), and garlic pampushky. However, this would obviously have required access to a kitchen, which, unfortunately, proved difficult to arrange at the local hotel. So I presented traditional Ukrainian snacks and a dessert instead. The enthusiasm surrounding the presentation exceeded my expectations. The Congress participants loved everything, and I could feel it in the warm atmosphere that filled the event.”
Victoria Tarasenko also recalls the regional excursion that took place after the IEEE event. The participants had initially hoped to visit the famous monumental statue of Christ the Redeemer, a major tourist attraction. However, rain and low, white clouds made it difficult to take in the full magnificence of the landmark. It was the end of winter, with temperatures around +20°C.
Nevertheless, the ocean bays, local wildlife, and unusual palm-fringed landscapes left a lasting impression. The unforgettable emotions and memories of this scientific journey will stay with all the participants for a long time.