SPbGASU students win awards at UNECO 2021 competition

On November 17–18, the final stage of the 19th Youth Competition ‘UNECO 2021’ dedicated to issues of cultural heritage, ecology and life safety was held in Moscow. Students of Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering were awarded diplomas and medals of the winners.

✔ The competition is open to high-school and university students aged 14 to 25 who are engaged in scientific and research activities. The ‘Integration’ national system invites participants to create a project based on their ideas, technology proposals or research findings, which will be evaluated by a jury of experts. The competition includes two rounds: the first one is held remotely, while the final is conducted in a face-to-face format. The aim of the competition is to draw young people’s attention to environmental safety as one of the main components of national security, to citizens’ health and wellbeing.

SPbGASU was represented by two teams. The first team was composed of Varvara Martynova and Daria Moiseenko, fourth-year students majoring in Technosphere Safety, under the supervision of senior lecturer Nadezhda Subbotina. The second team included fourth-year student Anastasiya Nikolaeva and her supervisor, associate professor of the Department of Technosphere Safety Aleksandr Glukhanov.

Participants presented and defended their research projects related to life safety. Varvara Martynova, Darya Moiseenko and Anastasiya Nikolaeva won first-degree diplomas and medals “For the best student research paper". Nadezhda Subbotina and Aleksandr Glukhanov were awarded diplomas for the supervision of prize-winners.

For Varvara Martynova, the competition was a great opportunity to inform the public on the recently launched Smart Labour training facility and the need to update the approach to occupational safety training.

"Our research paper is titled ‘Development of an interactive environment for training safe welding methods and techniques at a construction site". Using the 'Welding works' module as an example, we looked at the process of designing a new learning environment. Personally, I really enjoyed taking part in the competition. It made me believe that everything is being done for a reason", said Varvara Martynova.

Anastasiya Nikolaeva's research paper addressed the issues of fire safety. "It is based on software modelling of emergency evacuations from an apartment complex under various fire scenarios. I have a positive impression of the competition, though I was a little worried about presenting my paper to the experts. I recommend that all students take part in such events, as this gives a chance to prove themselves and fulfil their ideas,” she noted.

"Participating in such competitions is very motivating and inspiring for the students. They see that their hard work is not for nothing – there is a response, there are awards at competitions at the national level. There is no doubt that taking part in such events is useful, especially if they are related to students' future professional activities. Firstly, it is an experience of public speaking and defending their papers, secondly, it helps them immerse into the scientific atmosphere and broadens their professional horizons," commented Nadezhda Subbotina.
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"We all are very grateful to the university administration for the opportunity to take part in this event. I would like to express special thanks to Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Svetlana Golovina for her support and assistance," said Aleksandr Glukhanov.

Text: Tatyana Petrova
Photos: 1 – courtesy of the competition organisers; 2 – Nadezhda Subbotina; 3, 4, 5 – provided by the participants

✔ Find out more about the Department of Technosphere Safety at SPbGASU