Category: English

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia

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At an international conference dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the U.M. Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology at the Kazakh National Research Technical University (KazNITU), RUDN University Institute of Ecology professor Alexander Petrovich Khaustov was awarded the K.I. Satpayev Medal for his contribution to the development of science and education.

Relations between RUDN University and KazNITU have a long history. For a long time, the universities implemented a joint educational program within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Alexander Khaustov participated in the mobility program for leading scientists, serving as an invited international lecturer at KazNITU. In 2014–2015, he led a major trilateral research project to develop an expert system for the environmental remediation of oil-contaminated geological environments, which included partners from the U. M. Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology. Furthermore, since 2015, six joint PhD students have successfully defended their dissertations, with Alexander Khaustov as their international advisor. Since 2022, joint scientific seminars on modern environmental hydrogeology have been regularly held under the guidance of a RUDN University professor under the auspices of the International Association of Hydrogeologists.

We spoke with Alexander Petrovich to learn what the award means to him, what prospects for future collaboration the universities have, and what the professor learned from KazNITU students during their joint PhD dissertation work.

The Satpayev Medal is one of the highest awards from Kazakhstan's leading technical university. What, in your opinion, was the key factor in the decision to award you the medal?

It's difficult to single out just one aspect. The format of our collaboration has varied over the years—from lectures to joint research projects to training master's and PhD students. In recent years, we've collaborated extensively with KazNITU, organizing joint scientific seminars on hydrogeological topics. RUDN University is a member of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, and the Institute of Ecology pays close attention to this work. I actively participate as an invited specialist in PhD dissertation defense committees. It's a great honor for me to be awarded the KazNITU medal. I hope that our collaboration with fellow hydrogeologists, oil industry specialists, and geoecologists will expand and take the training of in-demand specialists to a new level, ensuring international recognition for our graduates.

Alexander Petrovich, your collaboration with KazNITU has lasted for over 10 years. Which of these joint projects do you consider the most significant and why? Perhaps it's the tripartite expert system for the remediation of oil-contaminated environments?

The expert system for remediating geological pollution is, indeed, perhaps the most ambitious project. In fact, it was one of the first attempts to use artificial intelligence to address environmental safety issues. The expert system is capable of proposing optimal solutions based on multiple criteria, processing numerous possible scenarios for the pollution situation and environmental protection technology options. It's difficult for a human to grasp such a volume of information, which is why such an "advisor" is needed. Another unique feature of the project was the collaboration between research teams from three countries, enabling them to develop unified approaches to modeling.

During your last visit to Kazakhstan, you discussed prospects for collaboration with KazNITU within the framework of the UI GreenMetric partnership. What specifically can RUDN and KazNITU do together to improve the environmental sustainability of universities, and what practical steps are planned?

It's always interesting for two universities to discuss each other's experiences and development prospects, including opportunities for greening and implementing joint projects. First and foremost, the partnership in the UI GreenMetric ranking emphasizes fostering environmental awareness. During our visit to KazNTU, my colleagues and I saw a number of interesting solutions—for example, a museum of old technology—and learned about exciting research projects. Regarding joint practical steps, I believe joint programs to introduce cutting-edge research in environmental safety technologies and environmental monitoring would be very interesting. There are numerous prospects for collaboration, such as research into the transformation of microplastics in natural environments. Analytical studies of dissolved forms of this common pollutant have already begun. Sergey Goryainov, a leading analyst at RUDN University and a PhD candidate in chemistry, with whom we began this important research more than 10 years ago, has joined the study. I believe both universities have excellent potential and prospects for collaboration in many areas—from hydrogeology and oil industry to environmental protection and green chemistry.

Over the many years of collaboration, you've likely witnessed the evolution of the Kazakh scientific school. How have approaches, research topics, and the level of students and colleagues at KazNTU changed over this time?

In my opinion, KazNITU is a very modern, dynamically developing university. Research topics are predominantly practice-oriented. Much attention is paid to the demand for specialists and ensuring their level of training meets the actual requirements of employers. The extensive involvement of senior students in analytical research using modern equipment is striking. For example, the production of environmentally friendly building materials from industrial and thermal energy waste.

Six KazNITU PhD students you supervised successfully defended their theses. What have you, as their supervisor, learned from your Kazakh students? Do you currently have any joint projects or collaboration ideas with them?

Perhaps the most important thing we can glean from our students is optimism and a desire to explore new things. Yes, there are certainly promising areas we continue to explore. Specifically, I'm currently working on a PhD dissertation jointly with a doctoral student from the Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology and RUDN University on microplastic pollution of the underground hydrosphere. This topic isn't just trendy, but also has real practical relevance. Doctoral student Kalamkas Koshpanova presented a brilliant paper at our recent conference, "For Sustainable Development of Civilization: Cooperation, Science, Education, and Technology. The CIS Countries' Path to the 17 SDGs: An Integrated Approach." I'm confident that this very interesting paper will be completed and successfully defended, and similar research will be conducted on the Russian side—we've been developing this topic for almost 10 years now.

There are numerous ideas for developing cooperation. These include various applications of mineral waters, including "non-traditional" ones: for the production of skin rejuvenation cosmetics, makeup removal with special mineral water-based liquids, or the use of underground heat for municipal household needs. The key here is a more serious approach to water resources, with greater attention and support for projects to assess and protect them. Kazakhstan is well aware of the importance of this issue and is committed to developing state-level support for hydrogeological research.

About KazNITU

K. I. Satpayev Kazakh National Research University is a leading technical university in Kazakhstan. It occupies leading positions in international university rankings (QS 331; QS 3 Asian University Rankings – Central Asia; QS 50-100 by subject: Engineering-Petroleum). The university places significant emphasis on sustainable development.

The KazNITU Medal is awarded to scientists and specialists who have made significant contributions to the development of science and education. The award is named after Kanysh Imantaevich Satpayev, a distinguished Soviet geologist, scientific organizer, and public figure, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, professor, and academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR and the USSR Academy of Sciences.

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