On January 19, Saratov State University students went on a trip on the Fantastic Express Train and presented their projects to potential employers. According to the contest results, several teams and students became its prize-winners. In total, 250 students from Saratov universities took part in the trip.
At the railway station, the students were greeted by Deputy Head of the Volga Railway Rinat Bakhteyev. He spoke about the traditional trip that takes place on the eve of Student Day. ‘Our unique project was designed specifically for talented and promising young people. And, if in 2018 it was more entertaining, then, it turned into a platform for promoting interesting projects, developing professional competencies, improving communication skills, and career guidance. The most important thing is that you can show yourself and make the right choice.’
The ceremony before the train departure was attended by Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Saratov Region Dennis Davydov, a deputy of the Saratov Regional Duma Julia Litnevskaya, and representatives of various enterprises.
The teams presented business cards, talking about their universities. SSU presented the Light band. After the presentations, everyone took their seats in the carriages of the Fantastic Express Train. The train followed the ring route Saratov-1 – Saratov-2 – Knyazevka – Bagayevka – Saratov-2 – Saratov-1. During the trip, eight SSU teams and five activists of the Council of Undergraduates and Postgraduates talked about their projects.
The diploma of the winner in the competition of JSC Russian Railways was awarded to the team of the Institute of Chemistry, SSU, with the project Replacement of ethyl during tests in chemical and technical laboratories (head – Associate Professor of the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry Maxim Smotrov). The winners were the authors of two more chemistry projects – Express method for determining the content of pollutants in soils on the example of petroleum products and heavy metals (head – Chair of the Department of Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Ecology Tatyana Rusanova) and Finding solution to freezing bulk cargoes at subzero temperatures (head – Professor of the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry Dmitrii Cherkasov).
The project of the I Am in Science municipal forum by a student of the Institute of Philology and Journalism Polina Popova took 2nd place. Four projects of Saratov State University activists were awarded with participant diplomas – these are the developments of a student of the Institute of Philology and Journalism Arzu Babayeva, a student of the Institute of Chemistry Alexander Zhumagaliyev, a student of the Faculty of Law Sabina Toropova, and a student of the Institute of History and International Relations Anastasia Tsyupka.
‘This is a good tool for doing research in the future. This is an interesting experience of interaction with practicing companies not only for students, but also for professors and project managers,’ the head of one of the winning projects Lilia Aranovich said. She thanked the organisers of the event and Saratov State University.
In the break between the project presentations and the awarding ceremony, the students visited a job fair organised on the train, which was attended by JSC Russian Railways, Ruble Boom, RUBEZH, as well as other companies and enterprises in the region.
