Skoltech is an international graduate research-focused university that was founded by the group of world-renowned scientists in 2011. Skoltech's curriculum focuses on technology and innovation, offering Master's programs in 11 technological disciplines. Students receive rigorous theoretical and practical training, design their own research projects, participate in internships and gain entrepreneurial skills in English. The faculty is comprised of current researchers with international accreditation and achievements.

Skoltech hosted an international youth conference on electrochemistry

The 5th International School-Conference of Young Scientists “Topical Problems of Modern Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Materials Science” has ended at Skoltech. Organized by  Skoltech and Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), the event was attended by students from the host universities, as well as Samara State Technical University, St. Petersburg State University (SPBU), Ural Federal University (UrFU), and other leading Russian higher education and research institutions. This year, the School was held online and comprised a theoretical part (lecture course) and a practical part (Li-ion battery assembly and testing). On the final day, the students presented their projects to the Jury who named the best team.

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The speakers included Skoltech and MSU faculty and researchers:

  • Prof. K. Keith Stevenson: Skolkovo ecosystem. Skoltech at a glance. Materials science research at Skoltech.
  • Prof. Evgeny Antipov: Introduction to Li-ion batteries.
  • Laboratory Engineer Artem Zaikin: Safety instruction and training
  • Dr. Vladislav Gorshkov: Introduction to electrode and battery fabrication.
  • Prof. Victoria Nikitina: Electrochemistry of Li-ion batteries. // How to extract useful info from the electrochemical data.
  • Dr. Elena Abramova / Maksim Zakharkin: Setting up the electrochemical measurements.
  • Prof. Stanislav Fedotov / Dr. Ivan Trussov: Processes in battery electrodes and their characterization.
  • Prof. Artem Abakumov / Dr. Maria Kirsanova: Battery electrodes at local scale.
  • Dr. Alexandra Savina / Polina Morozova: Practical tutorial on electrochemical data treatment.

The tutors for the practical classes were Skoltech PhD students, Polina Morozova, Anatolii  Morozov, Eugene Nazarov, Ivan Moiseev, and Elena Orlova.

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In their lab classes, the students split into teams to try their hand at assembling and testing Li-ion batteries at the Energy Storage Laboratory of the Skoltech Center for Energy Science and Technology (CEST). Each team, supported by Skoltech employees, had to assemble and test its Li-ion battery prototype and present it before the Jury on the School’s final day.

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This is the fifth school hosted by CEST and MSU. Until this year, we used the in-person format and carefully selected speakers from among top-notch scientists representing the world’s leading research centers with focus on electrochemical materials science or electrochemical energy storage. This year, we have decided to use the quarantine to our advantage in order to try the online format and introduce a few other changes: we have largely limited the attendance and decided to focus on Li-ion batteries rather than embrace much broader subjects, such as modern electrochemical materials science, electrochemical research methods, energy storage, materials for electrical devices, market aspects, and so on. As there were fewer participants, everyone had a chance to work at the lab in “live” mode. The participants tried their hand at preparing electrodes, assembling and testing Li-ion batteries using various electrochemical techniques, analyzing the test results and making meaningful conclusions about the performance of electrode materials,” explains CEST Director Artem Abakumov.

As a culmination to the event, the student teams showcased their projects to Skoltech and MSU faculty and CEST researchers. Each presentation was followed by a discussion and expert advice.  At the end of the presentations, the Jury named the best team which included Alexander Kokin, Dmitry Morozov and Ilya Tertov from MSU, Sergey Porokhin from Skoltech, and Angelina Vypritskaya from SPBU, whose tutor for the project was Ivan Moiseev, a PhD student at Skoltech.

It is planned to continue using the new format which, according to Abakumov, is both possible and necessary. “Even if we go back to the initial arrangement and invite high-profile speakers as before, we are still going to continue with hands-on lab training, since the two formats complement each other perfectly,” Abakumov adds.

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Alexander Kokin, a student at the Department of Chemistry, MSU

“I am really delighted about the event, its excellent organization, and purpose. I think it will be highly useful to have schools like this in the future. The practical part was the best, and assembling a battery was great fun.”

Alexander Ryabin, a student at the Department of Chemistry, UrFU

“It has been an exciting and enriching experience. I have learned a lot about electrochemistry. Now I can go back to my supervisor and say, Remember, we had a glitch here? Now I know where it comes from.”

Anastasia Grebenshchikova, a student at the Department of Chemistry, MSU

“I have attended all the schools, so this year marks the fifth anniversary for me. This school is different in that in combines lectures and lab research which is really exciting. Although I have been studying Li-ion batteries since my first year at the university, this time I have found the missing pieces of the puzzle. I am thankful to the tutors who taught us very interesting data handling techniques that make life much easier. I should now look at data processing and analysis from a different angle. What I am particularly delighted about is a very nice atmosphere, loads of useful information, and excellent organization!”

 

The International School-Conference of Young Scientists “Topical Problems of Modern Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Materials Science” has been held annually since 2016. The event aims to provide a broad vision of current advances, key drivers, future prospects and greatest challenges in energy storage research presented by world-renowned experts in the field.

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Contact information:
Skoltech Communications
+7 (495) 280 14 81

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