On 13–14 June, SPbGASU hosted the III International Conference “Arctic Transport Accessibility: Networks and Systems”. According to the deputy chairman of the organizing committee, professor at the SPbGASU Department of Land Transport and Technological Machines Aleksandr Pushkarev, the geography of the event was extensive: researchers from Minsk, Arkhangelsk, St Petersburg, Moscow, Tula, Kaliningrad, Khabarovsk, Naberezhnye Chelny, Kazan, Voronezh participated.

The plenary session began with a minute of silence in memory of Artur Nikolaevich Chilingarov, Soviet and Russian oceanologist, Arctic and Antarctic explorer. “The life of an outstanding scientist who stood at the origins of Arctic science was an example of selfless work for the benefit of Russia,” said Aleksandr Pushkarev.

The participants of the plenary session were welcomed by the SPbGASU Vice-Rector for Research Evgeny Korolev. According to him, SPbGASU attaches great importance to Arctic research. The architecture of buildings, building structures and materials, utility networks and other issues constitute one comprehensive task to ensure a comfortable life for people and the functioning of the Arctic economy.

Dean of the SPbGASU Faculty of Automobile and Road Building Andrey Zazykin drew attention to the problems of the Arctic region. The dean believes these problems include dilapidated housing and a lack of personnel, which impedes the development of transport. To contribute to their solution, our university will improve as a platform for holding this conference.

Chairman of the Leningrad Region Committee on Transport Mikhail Prisyazhnyuk emphasized the role of higher education in making informed management decisions. Mikhail Sergeevich also thanked SPbGASU for presenting books on construction, architecture, transport and other areas to new regions.

Vice-Rector for General Affairs and Digitalization of Tula State University Vladimir Grigoriev, in his welcoming speech, called on universities to unite in conducting Arctic research.

“If you fall in love with the North, you will never stop loving it,” Pavel Pegin, Head of the Department of “Engineering structures, buildings and constructions” of the Emperor Alexander I St Petersburg State Transport University, quoted the words of the song, expressing in his greeting the universal intention to do everything for the development and prosperity of the Arctic regions.

Elena Kurakina, Head of the SPbGASU Department of Land Transport and Technological Machines, emphasized that the conference was attended by representatives of scientific schools, specialists who conduct scientific research and have experience in the practical use of their results in the Arctic zone. The development of transport infrastructure, new technologies, equipment, ensuring the required level of machine reliability when operating in Arctic conditions, as well as training, bringing the education system in line with personnel needs are important components that ensure the region’s transition to sustainable development, which is one of the top priorities in the Russian state policy on the Arctic.

Director of the SPbGASU Institute for Traffic Safety Sergey Evtyukov is confident that the development of the Arctic is impossible without the promotion of road transport, and this issue includes fuel, ecology, safety and other tasks.

The topic of Mikhail Prisyazhnyuk’s report was the transport reform of the Leningrad region as a tool in solving the problems of transport support for the Arctic regions. The Leningrad region is the most important transport hub of the country, connecting the North-West with the central and southern regions of Russia. The speaker believes that the experience accumulated by Leningrad region specialists in the field of transport will be useful for further research in the Arctic.

The Head of the Department of Tractors of the Belarusian National Technical University, Vladimir Boykov, reported in a remote format on the environmental concept of creating running systems for mobile machines. The goal of the research by Belarusian colleagues is the possibility of regulating the contact patch of a tire under specific operating conditions with an assessment of the impact on its output characteristics and stress-strain state.

The concept of a unified platform for monitoring transport infrastructure in the Arctic zone of Russia was presented by Pavel Pegin, who prepared a report in co-authorship with PGUPS master’s student Alina Pavlovets. The introduction of modern monitoring and dispatching tools, including remote monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles, will ensure the safety of transport facilities in the region, rapid response to emergency situations, incidents and malfunctions, effective and rapid socio-economic development.

Representatives of the St Petersburg University of State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia: Chief Bogdan Gavkalyuk, Professor at the Department of Fire, Rescue Equipment and Automotive Engineering Vladimir Lozhkin, Professor at the Department of Physical and Chemical Fundamentals of Combustion and Extinguishing Processes Olga Lozhkina and Adjunct Ivan Satsuk prepared a report “Robotic Diagnostics of engines of fire trucks in the low temperatures of the North".

The conference program included three sections and a round table of young scientists.

At the “Increasing the accessibility of the Arctic regions” section, 19 reports were presented with the results of research in the field of ensuring the effective and safe functioning of transport infrastructure.

At the “Innovative technologies and equipment” section, 18 reports were presented on ensuring the reliability and durability of machines in the extreme conditions of the North. Among the reports were the results of work carried out as part of dissertation research for the academic degrees of candidates and doctors of science.

At the “Training personnel for the Arctic” section, reports were made by young specialists - bachelor's, master's and PhD students who are developing topics related to the Arctic as part of the educational process. According to the Head of the SPbGASU Department of Transport Maintenance, the section chairman Igor Chernyaev, there were about 20 multidirectional reports covering a wide range of issues related to materials, structures and technologies for use in the Arctic zone. Students from the departments of the Faculty of Automobile and Road Building, the Department of Metal and Timber Constructions and the Department of Geotechnics presented their developments. One of the results of the section’s work was new contacts and agreements to continue working together beyond the conference.

According to Aleksey Marusin, Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists, Associate Professor at the SPbGASU Department of Transport Maintenance, about 50 people took part in the round table of young scientists. It was dedicated to the development of science at our university and the preparation of applications for grant competitions. Deputy Chairman of RTYS, curator of the student scientific society, Associate Professor at the Department of Construction Economics and Housing and Utility Infrastructure Timur Ablyazov made a report on the commercialization of scientific developments.