Starting from the new academic year, Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU) is launching a network master's degree program. A joint project of Novosibirsk University and St. Petersburg State University will allow to train qualified specialists for projects of the "megascience" class. This is the first master's degree program launched within the framework of the Interuniversity Consortium for Cooperation with the SKIF CCU.
According to Ivan Bataev, Head of the Research Laboratory of Physico-Chemical Technologies and Functional Materials, Professor of the Department of Materials Science in Mechanical Engineering at NSTU-NETI, the master's program "Materials Research using Synchrotron, Neutron and Electronic Methods" at Novosibirsk University focuses on methods for studying the condensed state of matter using ionizing radiation. It is primarily focused on training personnel for the SKIF CCU, which is expected to be launched this year.
Starting from the new academic year, scientists from St. Petersburg State University will teach disciplines on neutron research methods to Novosibirsk students as part of a network interaction.
"We are training specialists who will work on megascience—class installations, primarily on synchrotron and neutron radiation sources. But if things are going well with the synchrotron in Novosibirsk, then there are no research neutron reactors beyond the Urals yet, therefore, the relevant competencies are lacking," the scientist said.
Cooperation with St. Petersburg State University, which has accumulated extensive experience in training specialists involved in the design of neutron reactors and work at these facilities, will help solve the problem. Starting from the new academic year, the NSTU-NETI will launch a master's program, in which two courses related to neutron radiation will be supervised by university scientists from the Northern Capital. This will allow graduates of the program to be in demand at research neutron reactors, including the research beam reactor in Gatchina.
"In the new academic year, 2026/2027, a new master's degree program will be opened at St. Petersburg State University, which will be joined by scientists from NSTU-NETI. We will share with the students our knowledge in the field of synchrotron methods of materials research," said Ivan Bataev.
The program is being implemented at NSTU-NETI in the field of Materials Science and Technology on 04/22/2011, the profile "Materials research using synchrotron, neutron and electronic methods" on the basis of the Faculty of Mechanics and Technology (MTF).
The admission mechanics for NSTU-NETI applicants are standard: acceptance of documents starts on June 20, and entrance tests will be held from July 16 to August 21. In total, 20 state-funded and 10 contract places are provided in the direction. For admission, it is necessary to pass the exam "Materials Science in Mechanical Engineering".
Starting from the new academic year, NSTU-NETI will also launch the updated programs "Nanoengineering" and "Chemical Technologies", which were previously selected as part of the national project "New Materials and Chemistry".