At the age of 69, Olga Goncharenko, Chair of the Department of Petrology and Applied Geology, Doctor of Geology and Mineralogy, Professor, suddenly passed away.
She was born on August 7, 1954 in Saratov. In 1971, she graduated from School No. 64 and entered the Faculty of Geology, Saratov State University. The choice of the university was determined by the democratic traditions of Saratov State University and the romance of the future specialty – geologist. In 1976, Olga Goncharenko graduated from the Faculty of Geology, Saratov State University, as a specialist in geology surveying and prospecting for mineral deposits (geochemistry).
She began her career as an engineer at the Research Institute of Geology, SSU, in 1976, in 1979 she became a senior engineer, then researcher (1980) and senior researcher (1986), and in 1989-1990 she was the scientific secretary of the Research Institute of Geology. Working at the Scientific Research Institute of Geology, Olga Goncharenko had the opportunity to train in various scientific laboratories of Moscow State University, the Lviv Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals, as well as the Novosibirsk Scientific Research Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
She participated in various meetings in Tashkent, Novosibirsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kalusha, Lviv, Minsk, Rostov-on-Don, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Sakhalin, and others. Due to active participation in scientific forums, Olga Goncharenko formed her scientific interests and got acquainted with other scientists, including Professor Oleg Petrichenko of the Lviv Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals and became his postgraduate. From 1982 to 1986, she took a postgraduate correspondence course. In 1986, she successfully presented her PhD thesis in geochemistry, geochemical methods of mineral prospecting.
Since 1990, Olga Goncharenko worked at the Department of Petrography and Mineralogy, SSU, as an associate professor. During her doctoral studies from 2000 to 2004, she prepared and successfully presented her doctoral dissertation at the Ordzhonikidze Moscow Geological Exploration University, specialising in geology, prospecting and, exploration of solid minerals, minerageny.
Olga Goncharenko’s research was connected with mineralogical and geochemical directions in geology. Thus, she participated in research on the geochemistry of halogenation (the Caspian Basin), hydrothermal mineral formation (the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka Peninsula), as well as studied the terrigenous-mineralogical composition of Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous deposits of the southeastern part of the Russian Plate. In addition, she started studying reservoir properties of rocks promising for hydrocarbon raw materials.
Despite the fact she has more than 100 research papers to her credit, the researcher considered the achievements of her postgraduates and undergraduates to be the most interesting result of her work. Until the last day, Olga Goncharenko was actively engaged in research and teaching, therefore, she was respected by her colleagues and loved by her students.
Olga Goncharenko was a bright and extraordinary person. Everyone who knew her was fascinated by her charm, feminine beauty, and interest in others’ problems. It is no coincidence that, being one of the most demanding teachers, she was loved by her students and colleagues. For a few years, Olga Goncharenko worked enthusiastically in the education-to-methodology commission of the Academic Council, SSU, having done a lot to improve regulatory documents and, in general, for the educational process at the university.
The university staff expresses its condolences to her relatives and friends. Olga Goncharenko's current and former students, colleagues and friends will forever remember as a scientist, a wonderful teacher, mentor, and friend.
The memorial service will be held on January 9, 2024 at 2 p.m. at 155 Moskovskaya St., Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
