Science Fair at Lviv Polytechnic is a great opportunity for future students who are considering the possibility of entering the University, as well as for their parents to get to know the Institutes and educational programs. Visitors had the opportunity to conduct chemical experiments, play with drones and see the smart home control system.
«We were most impressed by the trains, as well as Starlinks and drones», said Viktoriia Oliynyk and Inna Kolka, students of Stryi School No. 1.
The Institute of Telecommunications, Radioelectronics and Electronic Engineering presented a model of a laser security system. Serhii Melnykov, the Department of Electronic Engineering, explained how it works: «There is a laser, there is a receiver, in any place where the beam is blocked, the beam is reflected in the mirrors, enters the receiver, accordingly, immediately triggers a signal that there is an obstacle somewhere».
ITRE Department also showed the entrants a microscope for electronics, which is used to look at small boards or microcircuits and a solar cell that powers the circuit. The element contains organic LEDs, which the Institute manufactures itself. In addition, he said that they are working and researching the OLED system (which is used to create displays. – Author’s note). OLED displays use a special type of LEDs that emit more light and do not require a separate backlight system. As a result, the dark areas of the screen become more pronounced and deeper, and the light areas become more saturated and brighter against them. Chemists use them to synthesize new materials that are later used in research and electronics.
Science Fair do not limit guests to theoretical knowledge, on the contrary, they allow everyone to try their hand at various professional fields. Thus, the Department of Technology of Biologically Active Substances, Pharmacy and Biotechnology presented molecular gastronomy, which was in great demand among entrants, namely yogurts grown on Tibetan fungus. According to a second-year student Arsenii Kaleynikov, the Tibetan fungus is a symbiosis of organisms, various bacteria and cracks. Visitors could also try a hand cream made from aloe vera which is growing at the Department, and a scrub as well as smell the scent of water made from fragrant thyme.
At the celebration, there was a lot of information about various opportunities for training and professional development, so that each potential entrant could find something that suits his interests. For example, those interested in drones could visit the tent of the Institute of Geodesy, which presented unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane and helicopter type, which the Institute has been working on for a long time. An aircraft-type drone, developed jointly with the Kyiv Polytechnic University, which has even been to Antarctica, was also presented. Visitors also had the opportunity to see equipment for construction: levels, tacheometers, 3D scanners, etc.
Ivan Brusak, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geodesy, informed that at the Science Fair his colleagues presented a mobile laser scanner that is also used for smart cities. Part of this device is being developed at Lviv Polytechnic. This is a rather expensive technique, but it makes it possible to rebuild Ukraine as quickly as possible.
The representatives of the Institutes gladly told the visitors about the advantages of studying here, and answered the questions of interested schoolchildren and their parents.
After visiting the tent of the Institute of Jurisprudence, Psychology and Innovative Education, you could try to make a facial composite, identify fingerprints (fingerprinting) and pass a polygraph test.
Yurii, a first-year master’s student, explained in detail how everything works:
«There is a special program for a photo robot that produces thousands of variants of faces. As for fingerprints, we put a print on paper, and with the help of a special magnetic powder, it becomes visible».
Science Fair is an important part of the admissions campaign to Lviv Polytechnic. Therefore, every year academics and students make a lot of effort to diversify the program so that school graduates find it interesting and useful.
Photos by Anastasiia Bila and Roman Sakal, 2nd-year students of the JMC Department, IJPS
