Alumni reviews

From the very beginning, I decided to study at the faculty of Petroleum Engineering.

And as you know, Samara Polytech has one of the most powerful faculties in Russia. So I didn't consider any other options.

There are a lot of oil and gas enterprises in Samara and I thought that after graduation I would be able to get a job without having any work experience. It was the key factor.

In fact, I didn't even have time to make any plans, I tried to send just a couple of resumes.

Some moths before my graduation I was called for an interview by «SAMARA NIPI NEFT» (SAMARA RESEARCH AND DESIGN INSTITUTE OF OIL PRODUCTION).

It was not just an interview. I was told that they were interested in finding out the knowledge level of students studying at Samara Polytech then.

I came, I did not expect anything. To my surprise, having been interviewed I was given a position in the company.

So by the time I got my Bachelor degree I’d had some work experience.

After my graduation I worked for «SAMARA NIPI NEFT» for one year and a half.

And then I was offered a position in the engineering center of Moscow Institute of physics and technology, where I’m still working.

Now I’m work at the intersection of many sciences, so every day I can learn something new. I think I will never get bored of my work.

However, despite the fact that I studied at the Department Pipeline Transportation, we were given quite extensive knowledge in all fields of oil and gas industry.

And now I realize that no matter what problem I face, I will never be confused and I will understand the matter.

It was rather easy to study during the first two years, but in my third and fourth year it become much more difficult as special professional courses came up.

But this fact made studying more interesting.

In fact, my vivid memories are relatednot to moments but to people. Every time I bring to memory the teachers or my groupmates, a smile appears on my face.

All subjects were important. All of them are useful and I use the knowledge that I got in my work.

The best teacher for me was LeonidZemlerub, who read lectures in the professional field.

The lectures were very interestingand unusual. No one felt bored. All students participated in the class work.

Of course, I’ve found a lot of friends among my groupmates.

I would like to wish our Department to be always modern. I would like to visit my Department in ten years and see familiar happy, cheerful and full of energy faces.

I would like to wish Samara Polytech to keep up with the times.

After that, I studied the post-graduate courses for three years and defended my thesis.

I decided to study at Samara Polytech due to my family tradition.

My father and two my elder brothers are oil engineers. They graduated from Samara State Technical University.

All of them are engaged in different areas of oil industry.

But we all graduated from this UNIVERSITY. We all have a good memory of it.

In general, I followed my father’s footsteps by tradition.

I started working at my thesis under the supervision of Valeria Alhovskaya.

In this regard I had common interests with «SAMARA NIPI NEFT» (SAMARA RESEARCH AND DESIGN INSTITUTE OF OIL PRODUCTION) and I went there to do my practical work.

In general, I was busy with some scientific issues that were interesting both for SAMARA NIPI NEFT and me.

After graduation, he started working and making my professional career in SAMARA NIPI NEFT.

To be exact, I took the position of an engineer.

Then my professional career developed and I became a Lead Engineer.

Then I became a chief engineer of the project and managed some projects and small groups of people.

And actually then, after organizing the new Department for supporting the development of the Orenburgneft field.

I took the position of Deputy Head of the Department.

I managed to organize the production processes.

I like variety and movement. Something happens all the time. The working process is very interesting.

There is a need to organize something new and find new solutions.

For problems that arise in the oil and gas industry.

As our company is very large.

We face all the challenges existing at the world level.

This includes the depletion of traditional reserves and the development of hard-to-recover reserves.

Being in my current position, I have to face such problems, participate in finding their solutions and develop as a professional.

In general, it is very interesting and variable.

My scientific supervisor Valeria Alkhovskaya gave me much knowledge.

Of understanding the processes that occur in the oil reservoir.

The main thing is that she taught the right approach to solving problems because there are a lot of them.

You need to take the methodically correct approach to finding their solutions in order to achieve the desired result.

I wish Samara Polytech to develop… to develop exactly in the field of Geology, to look at the advanced current experience and attract young and ambitious teachers.

I have a strong desire to reestablish the Dissertation Council that we had at the Department of Oil and Gas Field Development and Operation.

I would advise everyone to be clear about what you want and concentrate your efforts for getting success.

Because you should devote yourself to the cause that you are interested in for achieving the results.

I graduated from this university in 1971 and since that time I’v been working in the oil industry.

For those who are not quite on the right track, I can say that the oil industry is the basis for the development of the Russian Federation.

More than fifty percent of the Russian budget is formed by the income coming from this industry. At the same time, no more than 7 percent of the population work in this field. Therefore, if you want to take part in the formation of the basis of the industry of your native country, then it is time to enter Samara Polytech.

I did’t think about studying in Samara Polytech as I always wanted to be a sailor. I entered the Nakhimov Maritime school. And then it turned out that I had to wear glasses and I started doing science.

After graduating from Samara Polytech I got real romantic experience as I have been everywhere -from the Arctic ocean to Africa, from Sakhalin to Kolguev island.

After graduating from the university, I worked for 20 years at a research Institute, and then for quite a long time I had a private business. Among other things I organized several enterprises for the production of chemical reagents and plugging materials.

I had to work in the field of organizing the engineering business in such companies as YUKOS, LUKOIL and Rosneft.

I organized the Yukos engineering center and the design and engineering center for drilling Rosneft wells.

I have been working at Samara Polytech for over ten years.

In my opinion, Samara Polytech is the right place to study for those young people who want to get a decent education and be able to develop their personal career.

In general, I thought that everything would be long and difficult, but it was easy.

I'm working in Uganda now. I work as a manager in a place where oil is stored in tanks. Then we send it to customers.

What didn't I like?

Well, the first thing is the weather. Six months of cold… it is not very good for a person who is used to temperatures not lower than 20 degrees.

Can you imagine? Notlowerthan 20! Andhere… -10, -20.

To my mind thesecond thing is the food. Well, your Russian food is not for us. There is not much fruit.

In Russia, there are a lot of great advantages. The city is historical, the Volga… I’ve watched a documentary about the Volga. Now I can tell about the Volga. Can you imagine? Snow!

I don't like cold, but I want to see snow.

The city is developed. The architecture is diverse. For the first time I travelled by metro inSamara. I couldn't imagine traveling underground the city. Roads... Good system of roads... I know that Russians would say that they have no roads. But I know what I'm saying … The streets are wide. There are pedestrian areas. Ingeneral…safetyonroads. Thereareworld-classshoppingcentersinthecity.

I would advise applicants to open their mindand learn more about Russia in order to get into Russian society. If I had chosen Russia by what I had seen on YouTube about Russia, I would not have come.

If you open your mind and learn more about Russia, it will be much easier…

You won't feel what I felt. People come here to get a good quality education and new ideas.

Actually, while choosing a higher educational institution to study I was looking at their historical background.

In our region, at that time I was choosing between Samara Polytech and Samara Aerospace.

I chose the oil specialty, because at that time it was one of the most developed branches of production in our country.

And perhaps, in those years, taking into account oil prices, probably, it was the «locomotive» of the economy.

Actually, I decided to study at the faculty of Petroleum Engineering and chose Samara Polytech.

After graduation, I got interested in oil facilities, then I showed deep interest in science and geology. Now I am involved geophysics.

After graduation, I worked as a worker in the North for about a year.

And then I came to «Samaraneftegaz» to work as an industrial worker and dealt with oil facilities.

I was a technologist, a lead technologist and then got interested in Geology.

I was a lead geologist and then started working in the management staff. I’m still working here.

Human memory is generally an interesting thing; it tries to remember the positive moments. Well, actually it was hard to study during my first year at the university.

At that time my life changed a lot.

Well, in general, I had to get used to these changes.

And it was rather difficult.

And from my second year of study everything went on well enough.

In fact, I liked the subjects that were taught in my second year of study.

I got more interested in technology and we just had such subjects as resistance of materials and theoretical mechanics. Everything was great.

Well, in general I have only positive impressions from my study. To my mind, a lot of graduates would like to go back to those times.

It was great!

I liked special subjects more and more.

The lectures on gathering and preparation of oil, gas and water were very good.

The teacher was interesting and the lectures were not boring.

Lectures on the technology of oil production were very interesting too… with an innovative approach.

We were provided with video materials, so we could have an idea of real production process.

I would advise students to study more as the knowledge you get at the university will be useful in the future.

If you hear that when you come to work, you will be retrained, it is not so.

You will get new practical knowledge, but the knowledge that you get during your study at the university will be useful anyway.

You will have a better idea of your work.

Well, I wish applicants to choose the right way and enter Samara Polytech. You won’t regret it.

I do not remember how I chose Samara Polytech to study at. Probably there were a lot of reasons.

First of all, it was prestigious and secondly, I had ambitions. The third important thing was the influence of my parents.

When I graduated I had a lot of dreams and aspirations. I wanted everything at once. Every graduate feels the same.

I got a job just after the graduation. About study… I can say that I sometimes I had hard moments. Some subjects were easier some of them were harder. I general, the teachers of Samara Polytech treated us with understanding. They inspired us, explained everything and supported.

I remember the exam on compressor stations held by Gulsin Orlov. I am grateful to him for my understanding that only by putting efforts you can achieve goals.

I remember special subjects most of all. Such subjects as diagnostics, operation of petroleum-storage depots and welding.

There is a joke that when you come to work you should forget everything taught at the university. Yes, really theoretical knowledge and practice are quite different things.

I was a bit shocked on my first day at work when I was given the tasks. After first impressions I calmed down and quite suddenly I realized that I remembered everything taught at the university during my six years of study and could use this knowledge.

And that's when I realized that the most important criteria for a good employee are theoretical knowledge plus practical skills. This is the right way to professional growth I would like to wish Samara Polytech to provide more opportunities for getting practical skills. I mean more intensive and, perhaps, long-term practice.

I would like wish students to take their time. As when I was a student a lot of my fellow students wanted to start to work as soon as possible.

Of course combining work and study affects the quality of training. Years of study are so good! There is a season to everything!

Well, the most vivid memories are sleepless nights before exams.

If I am not mistaken, there was a four-day gap between exams. It was very hard to sleep little, not to eat and get ready for the exams.

In such moments we felt the group cohesion, and the cohesion of all people who studied.

We stood for each other, prepared answers to questions and helped each other. After passing the exams we always went somewhere to celebrate. I have these good memories of our cohesion, friendship, warm relations and mutual help.

About myself I can say that I am a fanatic of my work. I work with equipment. Every time different equipment is delivered: from tanks to drilling rigs. I like it. Working with some new equipment expands my knowledge and my field of activity and I like it most of all.

I don’t like working the same kind of documents and prefer personal growth.

From the time I entered this university till now Samara Polytech has been quite a large University of the Volga region.

In particular, the Department of Pipeline Transportation is one of the seven departments existing in our country.

It is one of the leading departments in the field of pipeline transportation.

I got a job in my specialty and I’ve been working in it till now.

This is a dynamically developing branch of design.

This is an interesting branch of design that provides all construction stages- from the preparation for construction to the construction itself.

It covers the stages of operation of these complex technical objects.

Of course, education played an important part in my life , because I got a job in the specialty and I’m currently working in it.

We use all the skills got in the course of training at the faculty.

In particular I use them every day when developing technical solutions that we use in our work.

The study was interesting because there were non-standard works.

There were strict teachers who wanted us to meet their requirements. The teachers taught us everything that we had to know.

Now I have no regrets. I remember that some teaching material seemed to be useless for our future professional work.

But I can say, in the future, when you start your professional career, all school and university subjects will be useful to you.

By refining yourself you can meet the challenges.

My favorite teachers are Vladimir Konstantinovich, the head of the Department and Leonid Evseevich, the teacher of operation of oil depots in the specialty I work.

This is the design of tank farms and tank facilities.

Well, I would like to mention my scientific supervisor Rangenel Bagdasarov who stimulated my professional development.

He was a very bright and very intelligent person who served as an example and still probably remains an example for my movement forward and self-development.

The most vivid moments of my student life are related to my living in the student dormitory.

I am not a local, so I lived in the dormitory…and a lot of curious moments happened at that time are related to my accommodation place.

These were the people that we met. They were not locals either and this fact brought us closer.

If you decide to enter Samara Polytech, do not expect it to be easy and please make use of your study every day.

Participate in all the events. And the main thing… Develop your skillsand mind.

The ability to think is very important and very much appreciated nowadays everywhere.

Probably when I was in my third year, I started thinking a lot about my future. We did projects, wrote research papers and made reports at conferences. And I was a third-year student when I participated in the conference organized by Gazpromtransgaz Samara. Well, then I realized that I would like to work in that company and it was my goal.

In my third year there was that conference and when I was in my forth year of study I got a position in Gazprom. For some time I studied and worked and after getting my Bachelor Degree I continued working in Gazprom. I graduated in June and in October I had a promotion.

Now I work as an engineer in the laboratory of parametric diagnostics. We diagnose gas pumping units, go to workshops and write various scientific projects.

What I like… Clearly, this is a career prospect, this is the social support from our company. The company is great and the possibilities are great. I am grateful for it to Samara Polytech and to my employer.

The most vivid memories are related to my third year of study. Profile subjects, closer contacts with the Department… Leonid Zemlerub… is a great teacher and I like him so much for there is much to be grateful for. I should mention Vladimir Tyan.

When I plunged into the specifics everything became more interesting. From general subjects I would mention higher mathematics that sunk into the mind.

A lot of my groupmates have found a job in the specialty. We communicate with each other. Once a year we meet. Someone is in Surgut, someone is in the North, someone works in the next office. Therefore, we keep in touch with many people.

I have specific interactions with Samara Polytech now. I got my Bachelor Degree here. Then I studied master at Gubkin University of Oil and Gas. And now I have come back to Samara Polytech to study the post-graduate program.

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A lot of things have changed. I often see information about Polytech on social networking websites and see the involvement in various activities. Maybe I didn't pay attention to it during the time when I was a student. I come across the information about Polytech very often.

I can wish the University to develop and never stop at the achieved results to remain young, modern and versatile. It's really cool when the University can be your second home. Various activities, studies, science, and social work... This is cool… Samara Polytech definitely provides them.

Probably, from my experience, I would advise students to take the advantage of the fact that they are students. It’s the time of joy. It’s the time to plunge into your field of activity and get knowledge in order to develop in it.

I'm a very active person. I like both work and extracurricular activities at work. I love sports, outdoor activities, snowboarding and aborting. Studying takes a lot of my time now. Post-graduate program is no- laughing- matter.

In fact, at that time it was not my choice. I am the next generation of oil engineers in my family. So my parents decided for me. At that time it was a promising specialty and they just brought me and said that I would study here.

Since I was a citizen of Kazakhstan at the time of study, after graduation I went to my home country and got a jobof a mining operator in the oil company. I worked with foreigners.

In 2009 I wanted to change my citizenship and move to the Russian Federation. So I had to change my job.My fellow students helped me. I got a job in the North, in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.

For some time I worked in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in the town of Novorossiysk. After that I got a job in NovyUrengoy in Gazprom company. I had worked there up to 2016 asa leading drilling technologist. Then I was invited to Samara to work as a chief specialist. I’m still working there.

I have more impressions than bright memories. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances all over Russia, you can even say around the world. There were no foreigners in our group, but there were people from all over Russia, even from Sakhalin. So have a lot of friends, due to internet we can keep in touch. In any place I go to on business trip I have friends to meet.

Everything taught at the university is useful. I remember hither mathematics as I tried to pass this exam six times. Finally I was given a satisfactory mark by my teacher Raykov. He told that he would have given me good if I had passed the exam on the first try. About a year ago I met him in the metro, he recognized me and recalled my group-NTF 2004.

I would advise applicants to choose carefully the specialty in order not to waste five years of training in vain. I have a friend who spent two years studying the specialty that he was not interested in. Later he transferred to extra-mural mode of study at the Faculty of Petroleum Engineering. After graduation you should not be afraid to go somewhere far away, because the work of an oil engineer is very diverse. You may work throughout the country. I have been everywhere where the oil is. I haven’t been to Sakhalin yet. I’m planning to go there in the future.

The choice fell on Samara Polytech because in 1979 my father graduated from this university… but the other department.He studied Oil and Gas Field Development and Operation.

This was a very popular profession at that time, new and advanced. At those times there was a boom in the oil and gas industry in the USSR and I followed in the footsteps of my father.

I was from Surgut so after graduation I was planning to come back to my native land to the so called oil and gas heart of Russia.

There I assumed that I would get a job in Gazprom, since I had three periods of practice in this company during my studying at the University.

I hoped to get a job there. So I became an employee in this company. I’m still working in this company trying to develop myself. I’ve got my Master Degree recently.

After I got a job, I realized that in the company I had a status of a young specialist thatwas given to all graduates employed by the company.

Having this status you have certain obligations and certain bonuses that the company gives you. It's like a professional contest. Participation in conferences is obligatory.

I realized that for getting a career growth I had to show myself becausethere were a lot of young people in the company and I had to stand out among them.

And I tried to show myself as much as possible in science. I did my best at work. I had good mentors who shared their experience and helped me grow as a specialist.

In fact, I believe that studying is one of the most exciting periods of life. In your first year you don’t really know what is in store for you.

During a year and a half you study only general engineering subjects. Then you get deeper knowledge of your future work.

You begin to learn all these basics, and acquire fundamental knowledge. And it's very interesting and very cool.

I was lucky to study in a very good and close-knit group. We helped each other and gave a support.

This is very cool and I always remember my student life with a smile on my face.

One of the most vivid memories is about the student spring festival, where my friend and I participated when we were first-year students.

We showed ourselves as dancers. We had no dancing skills but became the members of the dancing group. We represented our faculty of Petroleum Engineering.

I went in for sports. During my study I was in the team of Samara State Technical University in cross-country skiing.

We had a very cool team of skiersand the coach. In general, due to sports my student life became brighter.

All subjects are important. Some of the subjects aremore useful, the others are less useful for future production work. But since my activity is directly related to the transportation of gas, special subjects gave me mush professional knowledge ongas-pumping units, the operation of the main gas pipelines and gas distribution stations.

To have a full understanding all the subjects related to the transportation of oil were very important. We should know everything not only about gas but about oil as well.

Of course, I keep in touch with my fellow students. They work in oil and gas industry in different parts of the country. Some of them work very far so we communicate less often.

But the use of the Internet helps a lot. We write to each other, communicate,share achievements and climb career ladder. We keep in touch in this regard.

I would advise applicants and students to try to get into their future profession.

I’m talking about knowledge. Try to get as much knowledge as possible during your studying, because when you start to work you will have to find this knowledge yourself.

You will have to learn everything yourself. Some students don’t understand that teachers give them this most valuable information and they should get benefit from it.

This is very important and you should think about it.

Why did I choose Samara Polytech? Because I did not consider any other options. I don’t see any other alternatives in Samara, the Samara region and in the Volga region, that could give such an education.

I made his choice because when having some practical experience in the oil sector I wanted to get academic knowledge.

In our industry, it is very important to get an advanced academic education, because it directly affects your value on the labor market. This is the main motivator. There are a lot of interesting and cool activities that develop you in all aspects of your life.

In 2011 I came to work in the oil industry as a telemetry engineer in a competitive organization. For a while I worked as a drilling engineer. Then I was invited to work as a technical support engineer, and that was when I realized that the practical skills I had were not enough. I needed academic knowledge in order to conduct staff training, do some deeper analytical work in my position.

I entered Samara Polytech for a Master's degree. At that time I had a fairly significant career growth. After the position of a technical support engineer I got the position of acting Deputy Director of telemetry, and then I got a new employer. This position I got thanks to my education and potentialobtained in Samara Polytech.

While studying at Samara Polytech I met a large number of interesting people. They were both students and teachers. They were of different age. A teacher could be younger than a student. Everyone had his own knowledge, experience and hobbies. Everyone was interesting in his own way.

A special person for all of us is Vera Zhivaeva. She is a wonderful person who inspires me. If you come to the faculty of Petroleum Engineering, the department of Drilling of Oil and Gas Wells you will definitely meet her.

Believe me, if you are interested in science and meet her some changes take place in your mind. You forget that you are just an ordinary engineer you start thinking as a scientist. The team that she has consists of great professionals who are always ready to help both in work and in training. I am very proud that I know her and that we are working at my PhD thesis together.

I would like to say that I chose the profession of an oil engineer because I am a hereditary oil engineer.

My parents worked in the oil industry all their life, so I knew where I wanted to study. Moreover, Samara State Technical University has always been one of the leading universities, flagship universities in Russia.

What can I say the profession? The profession of a driller is a very complex profession, but it is multifaceted. This is a builder, and a builder with a special specificity.

Ordinary builders see what they are creating. The profession of a driller is different because all practical works are hidden and require a voluminous representation, voluminous vision and knowledge of many fields.

Namely, this is the knowledge of drilling technologies, fastening technologies, knowledge of drilling fluids, and knowledge of cementing and deep-well disposal.

That is all geology that implies a deep knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, resistance of materials and manyother subjects.

Information technology is an important factor, because the construction of modern wells is impossible without using powerful and modern computing software.

Therefore, the profession of a driller is a complex, responsible and important specialty.

Therefore, those who are going to study this specialty should keep in mind that this profession requires a lot of efforts.

Work in the field, work in difficult conditions…A lot of accidents occur while constructing wells. This is the inevitable companion of this technological process.

Therefore, you must understand what path you are taking. This path requires a lot of willpower, effort and willingness to deal with many difficulties that arise.

But there is also a return. You get a lifetime powerful potential that will help you in any situation.

No matter what you do and no matter how your life may change. In other words the foundation that is laid at Samara Polytechis a powerful foundation.

And it will be the foundation of your entire life. You must be sure of this completely, because it is confirmed by many years of practice of different generations.

Since my graduation I have been working in the West Siberian Branch the drilling company Eurasia (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District).

At the moment I work as a drilling foreman. I am directly at the production site, on a multi-well pad.

I chose Samara State Technical University for many reasons. I’m going to highlight the most important ones.

Firstly, Samara Polytech is one of the best technical universities in the Samara Region. Many people come here to get a good education in a good specialty and be in demand in the labor market.

The second reason may seem to be childish. In the 9th grade, everyone tried to guide me and suggested developing in a certain field of knowledge. I felt an inclination for technical sciences, mathematics and physics. I focused on this and participated in subject Olympiads. After passing the exams with good results, I was admitted to the university in the technical specialty. After graduation, I went to work in the drilling company Eurasia, where I’m still working as a drilling foreman.

Everything was going well. I started working as an assistant-driller of delineation drilling. This king of work is a hard physical activity. To my mind, everyone should go through it, because to become a good specialist one should start at the bottom of the ladder.

Having worked as an assistant-driller for a year, I was offered a position of a drilling engineer. Accordingly, this was a new level, new production documentation, control and responsibility for people. I worked in this position for three years. As our company was restructured I was given a new position. Now I have been working as a drilling foreman for 1.5 years. In this position, I am responsible for the technology of well construction and take responsible decisions related to people. So I am in charge of technology and responsible for the safety rules at the field.

My studies went on well without any problems because all the teachers were openhearted. It was easy to deal with them and to respond to them in return. We had to do everything they wanted us to do and do some additional reading and studying as in any other university.

There were many impressions during all these five years regarding my study, rest, events and competitions. I can bring up different situations, but I will not go so deep… I would like to say briefly that five years of student life are very bright moments and you should use them to the full, if time gives you such an opportunity.

Any object can be useful in your life. I began to realize it little by little only when I started working in production. I graduated from the Department five years ago, I remember many subjects. These are accidents and complications when drilling wells, well completion and drilling technology, drilling fluids, i.e. many professional courses. All of them are good, worthy and many of them are useful to me. I am grateful to my teachers.

I would advise Samara Polytech graduates not to be afraid if they are offered to work at the production site, for example, or to continue their studies. They should not refuse. Life is very long and we do not know what may come useful and when. The most important thing is to study and work hard, because water does not flow under a lying stone.

I come across many students at the production site, i.e. students from the Department of Drilling do practical training in our company. I have seen a lot of them. They undergo practical training on the drilling site and live with us. I can confidently say that their level of knowledge is very high and it is improving from year to year, because the technologies and methods of training keep developing. I wish you happiness and want you to study hard!

They say that the theater begins with the cloakroom, so the student life starts from the admission. In my opinion, to be an applicant and come to the university just to participate in events and to be a real student are quite different things. When you look at everything not from the outside but from the inside,many exciting things occur.

If I compare my university with the universities where my classmates studied, I would say that we had more fun. The most vivid impression of my student life is the student spring festival. Because here at Samara Polytech such festivals are cool. Student theater of pop miniatures is not only a fun but a very good school of life as well. It actually gets you ready for real life and real work. Because … when a person graduates from the university, he thinks that he will work in the specialty exactly in the way he was taught. In reality,when a person comes to life he faces a lot of problems he is not ready for. If a student participates in the student spring festivals,he is ready to manage non-standard situations and has the skills to adapt to them. So regardless the fact how a person succeeds in studying the major disciplines,he gets better adaptability and survival skills.

Perhaps it sounds strange but to my mind, this is one of the most important things in our university.

I studied at the Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, the Department of Machinery and Equipment for Oil and Gas Industry. This department does not exist any more. As a post-graduate student I studied the development and operation of oil and gas fields. I believe that this is one of the best specialties. It is comprehensive and allows you to work in all branches of the oil and gas industry.

Having graduated from the University, I worked for various companies in various locations, including international corporations such as Weatherford.

I am currently engaged in design. I have been engaged in it for most of my working experience. And now I am the General Director of Samara Research Institute of Technology and Safety of Petrochemical Industries. This is one of the oldest enterprises in Russiaengaged in the development of methodology for the operation of oil and gas industry. We have developed quite a large number of safety techniques. The education that I got at Samara Polytech helps me to meet modern requirements.

I am engaged in heavy crude oil. I am the Head of High-Viscosity Oil Development Department. I entered Samara Polytech in 2003. In fact, there was no choice and no idea about the future career either. I just knew some people working in the oil industry who advised me to enter Samara Polytech.

Thanks to my scientific supervisor, Valeria Alexandrovna Olkhovskaya, I completed an interesting graduation thesis that I was awarded a medal from the Ministry of Education and Science for. I knew where to work after graduation. However, after receiving the diploma, we slightly disagreed with the company’s management about the possibility of taking the position that I wanted. Lyudmila Nikolaevna Khromykh, an employee of the Department that deals with the employment of students, suggested me to get a job in Saneko, a small oil company in the Samara Region. Therefore, I was employed and got a good production experience there. Then I moved to “SAMARA NIPI NEFT”. I was a lead engineer, chief specialist trying to become more skillful in design, development and science.

After that, I held the position of a chief engineer of the project for the southern group of Samaraneftegaz fields, then I became the Deputy Director of the Development Department, and later I got the position of a Deputy Head of the Development Department for the Samara Region. Recently, I have been asked to head a new High-Viscosity Oil Development Department.

Generally speaking I have many good and very loyal friends from the university. We have been on friendly terms for 12 years. They are very interesting people. With some of them we participated in a student debut in our first year, with the others we made reports at conferences and started working in production. I meet them and support the warm friendly relations that we had during studying. This fact is very important for me.

The University is a school that teaches you to find non-standard approaches to solving problems, to make efforts to achieve goals. In general, I would like to wish Samara Polytech to focus on science in order to develop students’ scientific activities, as students should study not only fundamental sciences but make scientific researches. When students start working, they should have not only good knowledge, they should realize clearly the specifics and prospects of their work as well. To my mind, Samara Polytech has all the chances to become a fundamental basis for the development of science in our region, including oil production and refining. I would like to wish students not to be afraid to participate in conferences and be interested in science, because it may help them to get better career prospects.

After graduating from Samara state technical University, she worked for some time as an engineer, and later as an assistant at the Department of Geology and exploitation of oil and gas fields. she graduated from graduate school, defended her PhD thesis, and moved to the position of associate Professor. She worked for several years in the production structure (at the oil and gas service company), then returned to teaching and scientific management of post - graduate students-young graduates of the University, four of whom defended their PhD theses.

In my current position, I am attracted by the opportunity to realize the scientific potential and extend the period of creative activity, as well as work with young colleagues and students who will soon have to solve complex production and research tasks on their own.

I remember many teachers with gratitude and warmth, but especially my research supervisor, Professor K. B. Ashirov. I have already had to share memories of him, here are some impressions: «was incredibly optimistic. Any, even negative result was able to present from an unexpected side and use effectively. After talking with him, it seemed that there was no reason for despondency at all.

He welcomed independence, initiative and the ability to think outside the box. He never imposed his point of view, recognized the right of young people to make mistakes, but always came to the rescue when it was necessary to correct this mistake.

Students rarely perceived him as a famous scientist, Professor, head of the Department. Rather, as a tireless storyteller, a cheerful representative of the older generation, which is not afraid to turn to any question. Usually one lesson was enough to feel how much he was encyclopediically educated, has information from different fields of knowledge, is ready to freely refer to literary sources, give examples from his own rich experience. But he never overwhelmed the audience with authority, was condescending to poorly prepared students, often found the answers amusing and did not get annoyed.

He had a unique ability to generate a variety of ideas and immediately involve graduate students in their development, delving into the essence of unexpected problems and successfully bringing the thesis to the defense. He was willing to share ideas even with first-year students, believing that science is exciting and extremely interesting at any age.»

Of course, the University has changed, and very significantly. It could not have been otherwise, because more than thirty very difficult years have passed. Previously, we did not ask the question, which is more relevant-to teach or provide educational services? To give knowledge or to shape competence? Develop creativity or focus on transforming it into a market-based format? The educational system is changing – the University is changing. Whether these changes are for the better, time will tell.

I would like to wish Samara Polytech to remain a support for the domestic industry, to be proud of its traditions, graduates and achievements, and to students-to manage their time competently!