MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. A scientific mentoring school will be organized at the Northern Arctic Federal University (NAFU) in Arkhangelsk. The university signed an agreement with the Women of Nuclear Industry Foundation for Professional Initiatives during the first national Young Scientists Forum. The university will develop and test methods, and later they will be used throughout the country.
"Today, at the Polyus (Pole)Youth forum, we have signed an agreement on scientific mentoring, namely, to develop methods for scientific mentoring, to attract talented youth to science and to promote scientific knowledge among young scientists, novice scientists and students," NAFU's Acting Chancellor Pavel Maryandyshev told TASS. "This would be development of an individual trend for a young scientist, that is, a focus on research activities, possible sources of funding, participation in specialized conferences and forums."
One of the tasks set for the national Decade of Science and Technology is to attract young people to research and development, which requires mentors. NAFU's mentoring system has been implemented primarily through youth laboratories. Under the agreement, the parties will organize pilot groups of mentors and young scientists, the methods will be tested, after that the methods would be finalized and presented at the next Polyus forum.
"Thanks to this school, we will be able to help young scientists, and maybe those who have experience, for example, in fundamental research, and who want to make these developments more applied. The person will be provided with a mentor who will help commercialize the development," WinRussia's Head of Communications Yulia Ruzankina told TASS.
Another area is to protect intellectual property, including in the international market. "Moreover now that we are turning towards work with the BRICS countries on the international arena. We are well aware how, unfortunately, many developments have been copied. In order to protect our scientists and to improve this country's sovereignty in innovation, development and to take leading positions, we need to structure perfectly a patent protection system," she added.
Women in science
The Women of Nuclear Industry Foundation is developing the Kolba (Flask) project - a forum and award for women in science and technology, as well as a project to promote science, including among women and girls. According to WinRussia's representative, the mentor school will make more visible research of women scientists and will attract resources, including abroad. "In women, research is often aimed at solving women's problems, which men may consider not important. For women, however, it is important to improve the quality of life," she said. "Such schools for the transfer of experience will help many women to be more courageous with their developments, not to be afraid to commercialize them and bring them to the market, and thus they will help improve the quality of life in this country."
About the forum
The Polyus Forum of Young Scientists is held under the Education National Project. The event is supported by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh). The Presidential Council for Science and Education is the forum's key partner.