Category: Moscow

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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The Sistema Charitable Foundation has announced the finalists of its scholarship competition for students of higher education institutions. The finalists include 226 students from 102 higher education institutions across 51 regions of Russia, including the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. They are the authors of technology-based projects aimed at solving real-world problems from employers overseeing the project's key areas. The scholarship recipients will be selected following open presentations beginning in late January.

The key goal of the Sistema scholarship program is to support talented students who offer practical solutions for high-tech industries. This season, for the first time, the project was offered in two separate tracks—one for students from vocational schools and one for students from higher education institutions. A total of 20,382 students from all regions of Russia participated in the program.

The finalists of the competition for students of higher education institutions were selected in nine thematic categories: "Technologies for a Comfortable Life," "Technologies in Architecture and Construction," "Health Preservation and Longevity Technologies," "Chemical Technologies and Biotechnology," "Technologies in the Agricultural and Forestry Industry," "Technologies in the Space Industry," "Technologies in Energy and Electrical Engineering," "Technologies in Microelectronics," and "Technologies in Creative Industries and Folk Crafts." St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was among the top universities in terms of the number of finalists.

Each nomination found an industrial partner in the form of an employer—a leader in the relevant industry. These included MTS, Etalon Group, National Gas Company, AFK Sistema's Hydrogen Energy Center, Natura Siberica, and many others. Representatives of these partner companies served as experts during the remote evaluation stage, selecting the finalists.

The key feature of the scholarship competition is the initial alignment of participants' projects with the needs of the real economy. The remote assessment was conducted by industry experts from partner companies, who will then present the students' work at the finals. "This is an excellent opportunity for the students to interact with future technology customers, receive in-depth feedback, and for the most successful, continue the dialogue through an internship," explains Alevtina Ksenofontova, Head of Career Guidance and Mentoring at the Sistema Charitable Foundation.

The finalists will soon present their projects to experts from industry leaders in open presentations, after which the winners will be announced. The names of the scholarship recipients will be announced by February 10, 2026. In addition to financial support, the authors of the best projects will have the opportunity to complete an internship or receive a job offer at a partner company.

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.

Leoandris Martínez Serrano came to St. Petersburg from sunny Cuba to study. He's now a graduate student at the Polytechnic University. We talked about his choice of Russia, amusing linguistic oddities, the rigorous academic discipline, and how to find common ground with northern culture.

Hello, Leoandris! Please tell us about yourself and how you ended up in Russia.

Hello! I'm Leoandris Martínez Serrano from Cuba. After completing my master's degree in Cuba, I decided to continue my education abroad and am now a graduate student at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

— Why did you choose Russia and the Polytechnic University to continue your education?

"Firstly, because of the historical friendship between our countries—it created a sense of security. Secondly, I was specifically looking for a strong engineering school with a global reputation. The St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is exactly that. I really wanted to get to know this legendary academic environment from the inside, and I must say, the curriculum fully met my expectations."

— What challenges did international students face in their first few months? And what advice would you give to newcomers?

"The most important piece of advice is to not lock yourself in the dorm and textbooks. Immerse yourself in the language through TV series, music, and socializing. And be sure to find time for exercise—it helps you recharge and learn more effectively. And the challenges? They were often funny! Once, at the store, my friend and I asked for "one gram of salad" instead of a kilogram. The saleswoman laughed so hard she couldn't speak! And at the bank, because of the language barrier, I spent a long time sincerely answering completely wrong questions. It was awkward, but it was a valuable experience of real, live adaptation."

— What is the most useful academic habit you have acquired here?

The Russian education system taught me discipline and proactivity. I created a strict schedule, trained myself to study regularly, read a lot of scientific literature in Russian, and, most importantly, I stopped being afraid to ask questions if I don't understand something. They also really develop the skill of solving non-standard problems—it's like mental gymnastics, teaching you to look at problems from different angles.

— Is studying at a Russian university difficult?

"It's a profound opportunity to delve deeply into my research interests. Sometimes so deeply that I sacrifice sleep—that's my biggest challenge right now, establishing a routine. But we have tremendous support: the professors at the Polytechnic University are excellent specialists and always open to dialogue. I've also made wonderful friends here, with whom we study together, developing strategies for better mastering both the language and complex subjects."

— Tell me about your research work.

My research area is automation and control in the electric power industry. More specifically, I develop new mathematical methods and algorithms for controlling powerful technical systems, such as national power grids. Implementing these methods will improve the reliability, stability, and quality of electricity in large power systems. This is an important step toward creating "smart grids" that effectively integrate renewable energy sources and are resilient to disruptions. Thus, I work at the intersection of automatic control theory, applied mathematics, and energy science, striving to make the electricity supply more stable and secure.

— What struck you most about Russian culture after Cuba?

— Contrasts. In Cuba, because of the warm climate, life happens outdoors, and people are immediately very open. In Russia, especially in St. Petersburg, people take longer to get to know people, but friendships formed "in the long twilight" become very strong. I've learned to appreciate the local punctuality and the inner resilience, the fortitude that helps people overcome difficulties. It's very inspiring.

— What are your plans for the future?

— To defend my doctoral dissertation here at the Polytechnic University and stay on as a teacher. I want to continue immersing myself in the Russian language and culture. And I sincerely hope that Russia will continue to be as welcoming to international students, especially those from Latin America.

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.

The Polytechnic University project "Methodology for Assessing Hydrogen Embrittlement of Pipe Steels" won the All-Russian scientific and technical competition "Hydrogen Technoleaders" in the "Hydrogen Energy" category.

Hydrogen is being called the fuel of the future. Hydrogen energy projects have already been launched in Russia, focusing on the development of electrolysis technologies, solar energy, and the construction of production stations and transportation infrastructure, including for pressurized gaseous hydrogen.

One of the risks of hydrogen energy infrastructure projects is materials. The use of widely used steels requires confirmation of their resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, while the use of non-metallic materials and coatings requires studies of hydrogen density and permeability.

For the fifth year, the team from the New Technologies and Materials Scientific and Technological Complex at SPbPU (A. S. Tsvetkov, S. E. Dagaev, A. I. Kolotiy, A. D. Evdokimov, O. V. Molina), together with industrial partners from the metallurgical and oil and gas sectors, has been developing test methods and conducting research on steels and coating materials directly in a high-pressure hydrogen-containing gas environment, as well as with their preliminary saturation with hydrogen.

Pipeline transport is being considered for transporting hydrogen and/or methane-hydrogen mixtures. Given the range of pipes used, steel grades, and operating conditions, continued research is essential for the future of hydrogen energy. A prototype of a new research facility for assessing crack resistance was presented at the competition, along with the results of previous work conducted using unique methods on developed test rigs. "Winning the competition is recognition of our work and confirmation that the chosen approach is in demand and truly important for the future of hydrogen energy," said Anton Tsvetkov, project manager for the New Technologies and Materials Scientific and Technical Complex at Polytechnic University.

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.