Ural Federal University: UrFU ChemPharm Center Is an Excellent Example of Higher Education Institutions and Academic Science Cooperation
President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev highly appreciated the research and developments of scientists of the Ural Federal University. He visited the UrFU Innovation Center of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, where he met with the heads of the university’s youth research laboratories.
“Everyone has to do well in the business for which they are intended. And it is gratifying that the university is doing an excellent job of educating its staff. And the Innovation Center of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology is not just an example of positive cooperation between the university and the academy of sciences, but maybe even the best example. We see famous academics working with your center. It should be like that everywhere,” said Sergeev.
During his visit, Aleksandr Sergeev met with the heads of the youth research laboratories of Ural Federal University and the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Young scientists shared their successes and learned about the prospects of science policy in Russia. For example, Dmitry Medvedev, Head of the Scientific Laboratory for Hydrogen Energy at UrFU, drew attention to the status of Russian-language scientific journals: in order to participate in many grant contests, it is necessary to publish articles in foreign journals. Aleksandr Sergeev supported the scientist’s point and proposed to make a suggestion to create a condition for mandatory publication in Russian-language journals when applying for a grant.
As a reminder, in 2021 two youth laboratories were created at UrFU for the purposes of the Ural Interregional Research and Scientific Center: hydrogen power engineering and advanced technologies for complex processing of mineral and technogenic raw materials of non-ferrous and ferrous metals. The university also has youth laboratories for astrochemistry and electrochemical devices and materials. The Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has two Laboratories: High-Temperature Electrochemistry of Actinides and Rare Earth Metals, and Additive Technologies.
Youth laboratories are being developed at Russian universities and academic institutions due to the Science and Universities national project. The key feature of these laboratories is that the total proportion of young researchers in the team is at least 60%. For example, the Hydrogen Energy Laboratory at Ural Federal University already employs 10 young researchers, both undergraduate and graduate students, who are just beginning their scientific journey.