Educational module 'Space Technologies' was the bright innovation of the International Polytechnic Summer School 2017. Recently 26 students from Singapore, China, Mexico, South Korea, Greece, Bulgaria and Russia have finished their space course, and now it is time to sum up: has Polytech achieved the stated goals?
High-level international specialists were invited to give lectures and hold seminars at SPbPU. We may say that an educational process started right at the Summer school opening ceremony: Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau François Rancy gave an introductory lecture where he told about the global role of teleradiocommunication all around the world. Within the program of the module Counselor of ITU-R Study Groups Vadim Nozdrin introduced the students with the basics of International space law and technical basics of telecommunication satellite systems design. He also told about principles of electromagnetic compatibility for space services and space technology applications. Read more …
Under the Summer school program the lectures were given by such world-renowned scientists as Alexander Ivanchik (SPbPU) and Vladimir Mostepanenko (Pulkovo Observatory). Director of the project management office, an associate professor from Samara University Ivan Tkachenko told about educational-scientific small satellites; researcher from Crimean Astrophysical Observatory Sergey Nazarov gave a lecture 'Active galaxy nuclei'. Denis Malygin (Space Telecommunication Systems Department, SPbPU) and Vladislav Tkachuk (Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skoltech) told about experiments in space. Particularly, the students learnt about CubeSats: a type of mini and midget satellites for space research. According to the module there were trips to the radio astronomical observatory 'Svetloe' and to the Pulkovo observatory.
Two students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) (the partner of SPbPU) R Singaram (Singaram) and NG Jui Khang Emerson (Emerson) told the International Office representative about the events they participated during their education. Both of them said that their friends would learn about International Polytechnic Summer School!
- The Educational Module 'Space Technologies' of International Polytechnic Summer School came to the end. It was for the first time for our school. Why did you decide to learn about space?
Singaram: Russia is well-known for Space technologies. People in your country first launched the satellite, and then your man was the first to make a journey into outer space, and you learnt aerospace in general. In Singapore we don't have space technologies as part of the curriculum. It's a good opportunity for me to learn about space. I think it would be very useful.
Emerson: In NTU I am studying Civil Engineering. In Civil Engineering you have to do buildings. So when I saw Space Technologies, it seemed very interesting for me. I know that in the world there are many considerations that the Earth is getting very uninhabitable, and people will hardly live on the Earth soon in the next thousands of years. So they will have to do distant terraforming in space which means discovering planets or satellites where it’s possible to live. For example, that's what's happening to Mars. There are people who find some suitable environment so that other people could live. And I think that we should be interested in learning about such terraforming, because we need to build buildings on the new planet or so. And it might be very different: to build on Earth or in space, because they are two different places. This was a new revelation for me, and I was just interested in learning how space technologies can help me understand the concepts better.
- What do you think how the knowledge you've got in Space Technologies Module can help you in your future career or in your future life?
Singaram: I am a volunteer in a team for an independent company from Malaysia, which is participating in Google Lunar XPRIZE challenge, so they are trying to launch a lunar rover. As I am a part of a team, I am trying to contribute some programming experience for the navigation of the lunar rover. I have not been much experienced in space, so this really gave me a lot of knowledge that the people from Malaysia have not have yet. So it has given me something necessary to contribute to the lunar rover navigation.
Emerson: For me it's an actual understanding that we - humans - are really very small in importance. When we learn about space we realize how big our Universe is, how negligable we are and there are so many things that are more important than us. And what we are doing here is just a really little contribution, but important to mankind as whole.
- What disciplines were the most interesting for you during the educational process?
Singaram: I would say the subjects connected with star observations, and then there was a subject about CubeSat building. It is a type of mini and midget satellite for space research. They are used, for example, in navigation. Everything connected with it was very interesting.
Emerson: For me it the history of Space Discovery, because what happens to space is something which is so big and so profound! For example, people from ancient times have wondered how high the sky is, whether the Earth is round or flat, and whether the Sun goes around the Earth or our planet goes around it… There were so many questions. So I was really interested in this progression in knowledge across the centuries. At first people thought that everything revolves around the Earth: the Sun, Pluto, other planets, the Moon... But the soon progress made it clear that the Earth actually revolves around the Sun, and then more and more concepts were there, and people began to know our Universe better. It's great to see through generations that people have been doing great progress in getting more knowledge of high quality. And there is so much left to learn the ropes.
- During your studying you had some trips. Where did you go?
Singaram: At first we visited the Radio- astronomical observatory 'Svetloe'. A very big radio telescope of 32 meters in diameter is situated there. With its help we can research different features of celestial objects not only in the Solar System, but in galaxy and even metagalaxy.
Emerson: Then we visited Pulkovo Observatory. We learnt that there are studied the key elements of modern astronomy: astrodynamics, dynamical astronomy, the Sun, solar-terrestrial relations and so on.
- What inspired you in St. Petersburg?
Singaram: I am fond of Hermitage. The architecture, beautiful sculptures, masterpieces of art... It's splendid!
Emerson: I was fascinated by Peterhof. This is a very historical place, and it is a great flight of imagination when you realize that there you kings and queens were, and now you may walk in these parks and gardens.
- What can you advise to the next students of International Polytechnic Summer School?
Singaram: Plan you expenses properly. The program of Summer School is very extensive, and there are lots of places in St. Petersburg to go. But there are places where you can't pay with a card, so it's better if you clarify these issues with tutors.
Emerson: Enjoy the history, the culture and the incredible atmosphere of St. Petersburg, listen to your professors and, of course, spend your time with fun!
- Singaram, Emerson, thank you very much for the interesting interview! Wish you good luck in all your projects!
Success Stories
Nowadays Russian language is in the top ten of the most widely spoken languages. In the modern world about 400 million people speak Russian, and its learning is getting more and more popular: many international students prefer to come to Russia to study Russian.
In summer 2017 about 200 young people from more than 10 countries came to International Polytechnic Summer School to learn Russian language and culture. Some of them wanted to get some common knowledge; others were interested in business communication. Besides almost all of them joined language clubs, where international students could communicate with native speakers, which helped everyone boost his or her skills.
The reasons why students from foreign countries decided to come to Russia had much in common, but also there were some differences. It is notable that most of them chose Summer School of SPbPU according to their friends and teachers testimonials, and also according to information on the website of the university. Read more …
'I found information amount International Polytechnic Summer School from my teachers of my University in Belgium. I have already studied Russian language for five years, and here in St. Petersburg I can have a good practice of my Russian, for example, to improve my grammar. Also I wanted to see St. Petersburg, to walk around its streets, to visit different interesting places. I love Russian classes, and also Business culture class. It was interesting, because there we could learn something about entrepreneurship in Russia. I am sure that I can use this knowledge in my future career', - says Hans Geeroms (Ghent University, Belgium).
'I have always been curious about Russian higher education. Information about International Polytechnic Summer School I found in the Internet: it was number one in the search system, and I was absolutely satisfied with its description. I like Russian language, it is very melodic for me, that is why I came here. In Poland I am studying Power Engineering, and a huge part of Polish energy industry is connected with Russia. So I am sure that in future I’ll use my Russian language knowledge effectively. I preferred educational module Exploring the Russian Heritage, - tells Sebastian Biakek (University of Silesia, Poland).
'It was easier for me to start learning Russian, because my parents are Russians. Here I just wanted to strengthen my reading and writing skills. I have done some Internet research, and I found Summer School in Russia. I think that English knowledge is not enough in the modern world, so I learn another foreign language, because I believe it will help me to make my future career. The life requires to know the second foreign language, let’s be realistic!' - says Tamara Malakhov (Southern Adventist University, the USA).
Not only students come to study to International Polytechnic Summer School: for instance, Ricardo Munoz came from Spain, where he has been working as a translator for many years.
'I have already studied Russian many years ago, and recently like a half a year ago I took a course again and I wanted to improve and to boost my Russian, and at the same time to visit St. Petersburg, so I decided to join International Polytechnic Summer School. I currently work as a translator, I mostly translate from English into Spanish, and sometimes I also have to find some information in other languages. So I think it would be quite useful for me in doing my current job. Here I am focused on a program ‘Speak Russian as a Professional’, but also I had a week of General Russian. I like them both, and I think that they are equally useful for me. ‘Speak Russian as a Professional’ provides me with specific knowledge, with specific terminology and expressions from professional speech, but I think that General Russian course is just as important as Professional Russian course, because if a person wants to speak properly in different fields, he or she has to know it', - supposes Ricardo.