Educational Programs Ready to Launch at Ural-Carbon Landfill

15:17, November 3, 2021

The site began its work in the Kourovka Observatory

The carbon polygon launched today in the region will include not only the scientific component, but also become an educational center. Evgeny Kuyvashev, the governor of Sverdlovsk region, told about it.

"The main thing is, of course, highly professional personnel - specialists from the Ural Federal University, institutes of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and other scientific and educational centers. The support of the business community will serve to strengthen the material and technical base for solving these tasks. It is important that the project will include not only scientific and production components, but also educational and outreach components. Our region will certainly put all efforts for a successful start of the project," Evgeny Kuyvashev commented.

Based on the polygon, besides carbon neutrality study, the educational program will be launched, which will involve more than 400 core students, professors, associate professors and graduate students of the university. A special course for future biologists has already been prepared, and training programs in climatology, ecology, and biotechnology are being adapted to the specifics.

"The carbon polygon created at the initiative of UrFU has become part of the Ural Scientific Center, and industrial partners, such as TMK and Sinara Group, have already joined in its implementation. The results of the research will be in demand in the Urban Environment and Industrial Ecology projects. It is symbolic that the polygon begins its work with the Ural-Carbon School-Seminar," said Dmitry Pumpyanskiy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ural Federal University.

According to Pumpyanskiy, the site provides conditions not only for research activities, but also for the educational process, which will allow the development of training programs and modules, as well as interdisciplinary courses in the field of climate regulation and carbon topics.

"Scientists at UrFU are internationally recognized experts in climate issues, and the university has a relevant laboratory. We have already created and are reviewing a program of additional education on the carbon economy, which everyone will be able to join, including specialized employees of the Urals enterprises," said Victor Koksharov, Rector of UrFU.

It is worth noting that at the request of companies in the Sverdlovsk region, UrFU specialists are also growing plants for carbon farms in the botanical gardens of Ekaterinburg. Areas available in the region will be planted with high-yield plants to increase the rate of carbon dioxide sequestration. Scientists have also envisaged the further utilization of such plants, they can be used as biofuel, as well as feed for animals.