Innovations at Vuzpromexpo-2017: SPbU
Moscow, the 5th national exhibition “Vuzpromexpo-2017” has ended. St Petersburg University presented its innovations that arouse interest among the Russia’s leading companies. Moreover, SPbU, Ministries, and Agencies have discussed the opportunities for collaboration in research.
The exhibition, for the 5 years in a row, has featured more than 7,000 innovations developed by Russian scientists and industries. The exhibitions have been visited by over 20,000 guests.
“For the fifth time in a row, we are gathering here to see what science and business have achieved, to discuss the challenges we face and how we can foster collaboration between science and business. It was the Ministry of Education and Science that initiated this exhibition, as science is a perpetuum mobile of innovations, economic growth, and life quality”, — said Valentina Pereverzeva.
SPbU presented a unique photoactive coating for walls that prevents bacteria from spreading, and electromagnetic probing software and hardware complexes that can help us search for carbohydrates, diamonds, and gold on earth, predict earthquakes, and carry out research in ecology to name but a few.
The fifth generation of the electromagnetic probing software and hardware complexes are specially designed for geologists and geophysicists to help them search for carbohydrates, diamonds, and gold on earth, predict earthquakes, examine contaminated soils and groundwater.
The viewers could also see state-of-the-art soft neuroprostheses for restoring locomotion functions in humans and animals, new thin film materials, and polymer and ceramic composite materials, that were synthesized at SPbU’s Research Park. Besides, the exhibition presented a new bachelor’s programme in Engineering Physics based on the 17-year-old collaboration between SPbU and Tavrida Electric.
The head of the laboratory for neuroprotheses of the Institute of Translational Biomedicine at SPbU Professor Pavel Muisenko presents “spatial-temporal neuromodulation”, a new approach towards neuroprotheses for restoring locomotion in humans, soft spinal cord stimulation implants to minimise their failure.
The University was actively engaged in the business programme. At the round table “Current issues of university-business cooperation in Russia”, SPbU Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Extracurricular Affairs, and Methodological Support Ekaterina Babeluk shared our experience in university-employer collaboration.
Anton Maevskii and his colleagues, who won the “SPbU’s Start-Up 2017”, developed a multifunctional self-cleaning coating for walls. The secret is photoactive particles that, under the influence of light, prevent bacteria from spreading and reduce gas contamination. The anti-bacterial effect lasts 5-7 years.
“We worked out a scheme for university-employer collaboration, even in formulating the competences the students are going to gain pursuing our educational programmes, — said Ekaterina Babeluk. — The companies tell us what competences they see vital for our graduates. If our colleagues see our partnership as a long-term perspective, their intellectual contribution in enormous”.
SPbU Vice-Rector for Research Sergei Aplonov negotiated with the public authorities and companies to discuss the opportunities for collaboration in implementing research projects with Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Defense, government of Khanti-Mansiisk region, and Gazprom.
SPbU has taken part in the exhibition for the fifth year. The exhibition primarily focuses on all areas in industry: from engineering to nanotechnologies, from medicine to agriculture, and boosts the development of Russian universities and manufacturing companies. It is concerned with how we can use potential of the universities in industry and boost innovations in Russia.