Orenburg state university

Public Lectures on Weekend

On the 13^th of February public lectures for citizens and visitors took place in OSU for the third time. Record number of people — about 800 was registered preliminary for the meeting with scientists.

Friendly university volunteers welcomed visitors in the lobby of one of the most recognizable buildings of the city — OSU Research Library. People were in good spirits. Fine frosty weather and expectation of unusual event giving opportunity to deal with special world of scientific discoveries contributed to it.

Many pupils from the regional center as well as adults (economists, teachers, doctors, engineers, businessmen and pensioners) came traditionally for the public lecturers. Senior pupils from Akbulak, Ilek, Belyaevka schools came to the University.

Six lectures on different subjects have been planned: history of Orenburg, revolution of 1917 in Russia, alternative energy, psychology, information technologies, cosmology and astronomy.

University administration welcomed people before the lecturers.

— Science is created in offices, fields, auditoriums. And if art is available to everyone, then scientific researches — only to those who are engaged — OSU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Svetlana Pankova told. — More than 1 000 scientists have degrees of Candidates and Doctors of Sciences in OSU. And few years ago we decided that it is necessary to share results of research with all interested. I wish you new discoveries and knowledge. While a person has aspiration to new he will be young for always!

OSU Vice-Rector for Research Sergey Letuta noted important educational function of public lecturers.

— Leading scientists, young researchers will try to announce own point of view on some questions, — Sergey noted. — Interpretation of the events, processes can be various and unfortunately pseudoscientific too — we can't allow it.

Elena Lutsay, Head of Department for Science and University Coordination (Ministry of Education in Orenburg Region) came on the lecture "Life after Gasoline". Elena told the reason she had chosen this subject: basic medical education and questions of biophysics and biochemistry are close to her. And it was interesting to receive an answer to question: whether is there life after gasoline?

— I am under big impression after the lecture, — she told. — Such format of communication with people as public lectures is very important. I want to thank OSU Head Zhanna Ermakova and Vice-Rector for Research Sergey Letuta which continue and increase the best traditions of Russian education.

Maksim Osipov — attendee of Orenburg Presidential Cadet School was the youngest listener at the lecture about alternative fuel. His mother Valeria told that Maksim began to study chemistry from the fifth class according to individual program, not waiting when this subject will to be taught in his class. The lecturer, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor Mikhail Filatov marked the young boy:

— I was surprised that such young pupil deals with environmental problems and automobile transport, tries to conduct researches. I hope that my lecture will help him to advance in these questions.

The lecture "Laws Determining a Life of the Universe" by Candidate of Physics and Mathematical Sciences Vyacheslav Gunkov and Leading Engineer of OSU General Physics Department — Valeriy Makarov had the most numerous audience. Terms of dark energy and dark matter entangled by mysticism gained scientific meaning thanks to the physics. The popular story about the most difficult physical phenomena was accompanied by experiments and amusing slides.

The line of interested people was formed near the department to ask questions after the lecture. Young people were fascinated in the future of Earth. For example, what will be if a black hole appears near our planet or Andromeda's galaxy moving towards our galaxy, at last, will arrive? Going by public interest, the list of references which was presented by the lecturers will be in demand.

At the same time relaxing music and slides with pacifying landscapes satisfied eyes at the lecture on psychology. Candidate of Psychological Sciences Nasima Biktina showed exercises on express techniques of stress overcoming: "levitation of hands", "breath by ball", "mirror for hero" and many others. The lecture "Psychological Support in Crisis and Stress Situations" gathered the large number of adults and old people. Before the action they said that came here with definite purposes: someone wanted to hear advice how to survive difficult period of retirement, others — how to overcome the old stress caused by loss of the loved one.

The lecture of Dmitry Safonov — Doctor of Historical Sciences "Revolution of 1917: Old and New Approaches" awaked the great attention. Pupils were sure that it will help them to pass the Unified State Examination, and adults wanted to hear not politicized interpretation of the historical events. The lecturer told about the main issue points of revolution history which demand scientific analysis.

Advanced users and computer novices were interested in the lecture "Work with Cloud: What, Where, How". The Head of Computer Safety and Software Support of IT Systems Department — Irina Vlatskaya told about technology of virtualization and file storages, types of cloud computing, choice of service, registration and organization of cloud operation.

The different in age public — from children to pensioners was going to learn phenomena of Orenburg. Candidate of Geographical Sciences Evgeniy Semenov proved with arguments that Orenburg is the special city.

And Orenburg State University — is special higher education institution which gives to everyone an opportunity to met scholars in the day of Russian Science. The citizens were slowly leaving OSU Research Library with the good mood that day.