A contribution by Hanna Liventseva*
*Ukrainian Association of Geologists
On May 20, 2021, as part of the ENGIE project, the Union of Geologists of Ukraine in cooperation with the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv held an Open Day at the Kyiv school №13.
Today, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv is a classical university with a clear scientific profile and a leading modern academic and educational center of Ukraine. It is the main and largest university in Ukraine.
During the period of restriction of public activities related to quarantine, the University Open Day was held in a new format: it was not the schoolgirls who came to the university rooms, but the professor who visited the school.
Olena Ivanik, Professor, Head of the Department of General and Historical Geology, Doctor of Geological Sciences, arrived at Kyiv School №13 with a presentation of the Institute of Geology Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
She shared information about the Institute of Geology Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the departments of the Institute, areas of research and success stories of graduates of the Institute.
Graduates of the Institute are specialists in a wide range of activities: geological surveying; prospecting and exploration of oil and gas fields, metallic and non-metallic minerals, groundwater; mining industry; engineering and geological research; conservation; ecological and economic analysis and ecological expertise of subsoil use; ecological monitoring of the geological environment; mineralogy and hemology; vocational and higher education, etc.
Today, 64 teachers and staff of the research part of the Institute (including experienced specialists of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and leading branch research institutes) are involved in the training of geology students, including 24 doctors of sciences, 31 candidates of sciences.
Training of geologists is provided by 7 departments:
- general and historical geology
- geology of mineral deposits
- mineralogy, geochemistry and petrography
- geophysics
- hydrogeology and engineering geology
- geoinformatics
- geology of oil and gas
Students are educated in six specialties: “geology”, “geochemistry and mineralogy”, “hydrogeology”, “geophysics”, “oil and gas geology” and “geoinformatics”.
The meeting was interactive, and the professor received many questions from schoolgirls: what subjects do you need to know well to enter the Faculty of Geology / Institute of Geology; what are the prospects for girls in the profession of geologist; where girls-geologists can be best realized; what are the international internship programs at the faculty; what level of knowledge of foreign languages is necessary for participation in international projects; what is the scale of salaries of geologists; life path and success story of the professor herself. The girls were most curious about the questions of which training and production practices are there now; how to prepare yourself for field practices and research; isn’t it physically difficult for girls to be geologists?
Olena Ivanik answered the girls’ questions in detail, both during the event and in personal communication.
The girls also received questions from the professor and answered them well: for example, what are exogenous and endogenous processes; what is weathering; what are the types of rocks; what is the Mohs scale and others.
The girls admitted becoming interested in geology during the Researchers’ Night at their school.
Hanna Liventseva, Chairman of the Board of UAG, spoke about the ENGIE project and interesting events that will take place within it. She graduated from the Geological Faculty of Kyiv State University, her Alma Mater.
Both girls and adults of the project were especially beautiful this day – May 20 in Ukraine – Vyshyvanka (embroidered shirt – traditional Ukrainian clothing) Day. All participants wore colorful national embroidered shirts and dresses and were satisfied with the event.
See you at the events organised within the ENGIE project by the Union of Geologists of Ukraine!
The University Open Day was held in compliance with all quarantine regulations.
This article has been published in the August 2021 edition of the ENGIE Magazine.
