Category: Университетская жизнь /

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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A meeting between SPbPU students and researchers and representatives of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) organization, including Alexander Alekseev, Deputy Head of the Science and Integration Department and Igor Rodin, Deputy Head of the Tokamak Program, took place at the SPbPU Resource Center.

Alexander Alekseev is a 1986 graduate of the Polytechnic University's Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, Department of Mechanics and Control Processes. Igor Rodin is a graduate of ETU "LETI." Both guests worked for many years at the D. V. Efremov Research Institute of Electrophysical Equipment (NIIEFA).

"The ITER project is of particular importance to the Polytechnic University, as the Institute of Physics and Mechanics, the successor to the Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, carries out a number of projects for it," emphasized Nikolai Ivanov, Director of the Institute of Physics and Mechanics, opening the meeting. "The Higher School of Mechanics and Control Processes is actively involved in the design and construction of ITER. The Higher School of Applied Mathematics and Computational Physics is involved in solving problems related to cooling systems for various types of equipment. But the project's primary focus is on the former Department of Plasma Physics; today, the Higher School of Fundamental Physics Research is one of the drivers of our institute's growth."

Professor of the Higher School, Head of the Scientific Laboratory "Theory and Modeling of Tokamak Plasma" Vladimir Rozhansky, who has been a member of the ITER scientific team since 2018, also offered a few welcoming remarks. He recalled that the first ITER project in Russia took place at SPbPU. Nature conference on plasma physics, which inspired many young polytechnicians to participate in the ITER project.

The central event of the meeting was Alexander Alekseev's lecture, "The ITER Project: From Concept to Implementation," dedicated to one of the key international initiatives of our time. Research into the possibilities of controlling thermonuclear fusion began, in part, thanks to Soviet scientists. Academicians Igor Tamm and Andrei Sakharov developed the tokamak concept—a toroidal chamber with magnetic coils that confines plasma using a magnetic field.

Alexander Alekseev shared recently declassified documents from the archives of Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute, dating back to 1951. Since 1968, a boom in tokamak construction has occurred worldwide. But ITER will be the first tokamak fusion reactor. The project began in 1985 at the initiative of the Soviet Union. Today, scientists and engineers from 35 countries (seven of which represent the world's largest economies) are developing a next-generation fusion facility as part of the international ITER project. Its goal is to demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of using fusion energy to generate electricity in a continuous mode. The design capacity is 500 megawatts, with 50 megawatts invested in plasma heating. The advantages of fusion energy include its inexhaustibility, efficiency (one gram of fuel is equivalent to eight tons of oil), and safety due to the small amount of fuel. Russian scientific organizations, including the Polytechnic University, are among the project participants.

So, the scientific group of Professor Rozhansky is engaged in modeling of the edge plasma of the ITER tokamak reactorThe interaction of hot plasma with material surfaces is key to selecting reactor operating modes. Scientists developed a numerical code for modeling the parameters of tokamak edge plasma, called SOLPS-ITER, and collaborated with Russian and international colleagues to refine it. This resulted in the development of an extended-mesh mathematical method, which enabled a new level of numerical modeling.

In 2023, the Polytechnic University received a task from the ITER management to create a model of the near-edge plasma in the region that contacts the tokamak wall. Researchers from the Tokamak Plasma Theory and Modeling Laboratory at the PhysMech Institute (PhysMech) were the first in the world to conduct calculations on an extended grid, allowing for the prediction of particle and energy fluxes on material surfaces. Supercomputers from SPbPU and ITER were used for the calculations. The data obtained convinced the ITER management to fabricate the tokamak's first wall from tungsten (instead of beryllium, as planned).

PhysMech scientists are currently calculating how tungsten will be sputtered by the energetic particle streams hitting the first wall, what impurities might reach the center of the facility, and how this will affect the reactor's operating mode. These calculations are being shared with ITER engineering teams working on wall sputtering issues to determine a method for controlling this process and, ultimately, the reactor's operating mode.

Following Alexander Alekseev, Igor Rodin spoke. He discussed the project's technical aspects and the contributions of Russian participants in more detail.

The speakers also answered numerous questions from the audience.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants, in partnership with Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, has launched a series of intensive educational programs for students. The events are part of an agreement signed between the company and the university in December 2025. The partnership entails the joint development of educational programs tailored to the needs of the real economy, scientific research, and an active exchange of experience between SPbPU faculty and Gazpromneft-Lubricants employees.

At the university's premises, Gazpromneft-SM experts brought together future logistics specialists, marketers, IT specialists, and economists. In a team-based game format, participants immersed themselves in real-world technological challenges and learned about the career opportunities offered by science-intensive lubricant production. A series of similar meetings is planned for students in relevant fields.

Gazpromneft-SM, as an industry leader, successfully develops partnerships with leading Russian universities. The company offers a transparent career development system for students at partner educational institutions. Students complete practical training and internships at production and administrative sites in Omsk, the Moscow region, and St. Petersburg. Future specialists are immersed in the full product production cycle, receive mentoring, and access to the corporate knowledge portal. The best students are invited to a paid internship, and successful completion guarantees inclusion in the company's talent pool and job recommendations.

Anatoly Skoromets, CEO of Gazpromneft-Lubricants, noted: "Gazpromneft-Lubricants isn't just looking for employees—we're creating an environment for cultivating elite engineering talent. Peter the Great Polytechnic University is renowned for its fundamental engineering, and we give students the opportunity to experience real-world production. Future specialists can already begin addressing the industry's ambitious challenges. We want to see among our ranks not just certified graduates, but passionate professionals."

Andrey Rudskoy, Rector of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, emphasized: "Collaboration with Gazpromneft-SM is another step in the university's systematic efforts to develop the country's human resources potential. We actively engage the company's specialists in the educational process. This allows us to train specialists who meet the current demands of the high-tech industry, and for students, it creates a career boost, providing direct access to employers even before receiving their diploma."

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Official website of the State –

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On March 26, the State University of Management held its latest "Lesson of Courage." Guests included Sergei Veremeyenko, head of the mobile team at the A.A. Vishnevsky National Medical Research Center for Military Medical Technologies (BMC) Blood Transfusion Center; Sergei Barbus, a representative of the All-Russian public organization "Combat Brotherhood" and a veteran of the special military operation; and Artem Nikolayenko, federal coordinator of the "Combat Brotherhood" volunteer company.

The meeting was opened by Sergei Lenshin, Director of the Institute of Distance Education (IZO), who emphasized the goals of such meetings: "To develop the student's personality as a citizen with the values, views, attitudes, and motives for action and behavior inherent to such a personality; to preserve the country's historical heritage among the younger generation; to cultivate a sense of love for the Motherland, pride in the nation's heroic past, and a respectful attitude toward the country's history."

During the meeting, students watched a film about the war crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces against civilians in Donbas, neo-Nazism, and its impact on generations of Ukrainian youth.

Sergey Veremeyenko spoke about the importance of volunteering and blood donation. After his speech, some students decided to become donors and participate in the blood drive being held at the State University of Management by the Center's staff.

The conversation continued with Artem Nikolaenko, who spoke about developing young people's understanding of courage, duty, honor, responsibility, and the willingness to take courageous action.

Participants in the meeting discussed the reasons for the SVO with Sergei Barbus, a veteran of the special military operation. He shared his personal combat experiences and real-life stories with the students, and spoke about the importance of youth supporting their country. He also spoke about the elite units of the Unmanned Systems Troops, which offer special terms to students at the State University of Management: a one-year contract, without interruption from their studies, and benefits of up to 5.5 million rubles. Learn more at the Information Center for Unmanned Systems and Assistance to the SVO (GUK-150), and apply here.

He also explained that the organization's members annually hold several thousand military-sports and memorial events, including those aimed at promoting patriotic education among young people, and he invited students from our university to participate.

Summing up the meeting, the Director of the Fine Arts Department of the State University of Management once again addressed those present: "In our time, when the world faces numerous challenges, we cannot remain mere observers, and such conversations are especially relevant – these are not just classes, but a profound and important educational process that helps instill in young people patriotic feelings, pride in their country, and respect for its heroes."

As a reminder, "Lessons of Courage" are regularly held at the State University of Management. The students have already met with Ivan Bondyukov, a member of the SVO, a UAV and parachute training instructor; Maxim Shmelev, a volunteer from the "Veterans" reconnaissance and assault brigade; Mikhail Surikov, a war correspondent; and Sergei Karelin, a special forces veteran and coordinator of the SVO Veterans Association.

Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: March 27, 2026.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.