Anastasiia Zbroy, a second-year student at Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas (IFNTUOG), believes that her decision to choose the Renewable Energy Engineering bachelor’s program and pursue higher education in Ukraine despite the war was drastically influenced by the full-scale invasion and Russia’s targeted shelling of Ukrainian energy facilities.
Anastasiia, the only female second-year student in the program, has never regretted her decision. Besides the war, there were three things that influenced her final choice of profession: modern laboratories and the opportunity to acquire practical skills for work, Professors, who work in the field, and many hours of practice. Anastasiia’s desire and perseverance to master STEM can be seen in her top academic performance among her fellow students.
By her example, Anastasiia motivates other girls to choose technical education. By meeting with teenage girls from her home school to acquaint them with her university program , she makes a conscious effort to share the knowledge she has gained about renewable energy and convince teenagers not to be afraid to choose scientific and technical fields.
“I am attracted to the prospect of career development in the energy sector. And since the Renewable Energy Engineering program I have chosen involves on-the-job training (dual education), I plan to start my professional career while still a student. This way I will gain valuable practical experience and have the advantage in finding a job after graduation,” says Anastasiia Zbroy.
She adds that she partially owes her choice to her older brother Kostiantyn, who is in his 4th year of the same university program.
The Renewable Energy Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Program at Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas was made possible with grant support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Energy Security Project (ESP). This program provides practical education to meet the sector’s demand for qualified renewable energy specialists. USAID’s support for the program during the first two years of its launch (2020-2021) helped supply classrooms and laboratories with modern equipment for practical training.
The opportunity to attract the best Ukrainian and foreign professors gave impetus to independently develop the program and made it possible to enroll new students despite the war. Maksym Karpash, the former guarantor of the program and current vice-rector of King Danylo University, says that cooperation with the USAID Energy Security Project and other international organizations enabled IFNTUOG to create the only modern and, what is important, competitive renewable energy program in Ukraine.
“What impressed me the most was not only and not so much the computer class with specialized licensed software, but the model-designers of solar and wind power plants and the smart-grid, where theoretical knowledge can be immediately tested in practice,” says Anastasiia about the logistic support of the educational program.
According to her, the post-war recovery of Ukraine will especially require qualified renewable energy personnel. “I am personally very interested in assessing the possibilities of implementing energy efficiency measures using renewable energy sources,” she says. In her opinion, the development of renewable energy sources can contribute to the decentralization of energy generation in Ukraine, which will help strengthen Ukraine’s energy security.
For more than a year, Anastasiia has been a member of the team of the New Energy Science Campus. Here, she gives tours to visitors of the science museum and participates in various projects related to her studies in the Renewable Energy
Engineering program. She participates in scientific conferences and believes that the main components of a successful career are progressiveness and the desire for constant professional self-improvement. Anastasiia also believes that professions in any field should not be divided into purely female and male.
“If you like something, I see no reason not to choose your path. Women are increasingly choosing technical specialties, so the global community of girls and women in STEM continues to grow. Although planning may seem problematic in the context of the war in Ukraine, the only thing I can say for sure is that I plan to be actively involved in the restoration and modernization of the power system, which motivates me to deepen my knowledge and acquire new skills,” concludes Anastasiia Zbroy.