From December 15 to 18, 2025, the final round of the International Russian-Belarusian Olympiad "TOGETHER" in Nature-Inspired Technologies was held in Pskov. The Olympiad included theoretical and practical rounds and aimed to identify talented young people from Belarus and Russia interested in studying disciplines related to nature-inspired technologies.
For reference: nature-inspired technologies are based on the study of samples, objects, and processes in living nature, understanding their mechanisms, and then reproducing them as technical solutions. The Olympiad is not simply a competition among the smartest young researchers, but a platform for the exchange of experience, collaboration, and friendship between students from different countries, opening new horizons for future scientists and engineers. Events such as these expand cooperation between educational institutions at various levels, assist students in their professional development, and promote higher education programs in Belarus and Russia.
The theoretical round of the final stage of the Olympiad took place on December 16. Thirty schoolchildren from Belarus and Russia participated, including 12 students from the Lyceum of the Belarusian National Technical University.
The practical round of the final stage of the Olympiad took place on December 17. Students completed experimental tasks: chemical, biological, and physical experiments aimed at solving problems similar to those found in nature.
On Thursday, December 18, the Olympiad results were announced. The winners of the intellectual competition were:
The following winners were also announced:
Margarita Safiullina won the "Best Theorist" category, and Vadim Khomich won the "Best Experimenter" category.
Yesterday, December 22, the Lyceum students visited BNTU and spoke in detail about the Olympiad, sharing their impressions:
– Our engineering elective classes at the lyceum helped us achieve such success at the Olympiad. They explained terms related to nature-based technologies, and we also solved problems. The knowledge we gained from our electives came in very handy at the Olympiad. One of the tasks required a clear understanding of the term "dispersion," and as we were solving it, our teacher's explanation immediately came to mind. Without this foundation, scoring the winning points would have been much more difficult.
The students noted that they had no difficulty with the Olympiad tasks. On the contrary, they really enjoyed tackling the tasks that required deep thought and attention.
– The level of difficulty of the assignments wasn't critical. Some of them required not only theoretical knowledge but also a creative approach to solving them and practical skills. This helped us understand the importance of learning not only from a book but also through experience.
Science isn't about boredom and books. This was the conviction that the students had from the very beginning of their classes. Understanding this simple truth isn't difficult, and the students explained why.
– Science is a broad concept. It's important to find your own direction and engage in research, which is always interesting. Once you gain knowledge, you can apply it in practice. You can create something new, improve something that's already been invented, or solve complex problems that people face.
The students have already chosen their future place of study. Each of them indicated their desire to enroll in BNTU. Some are determined to enroll in the Civil Engineering Faculty, others see their future in the Faculty of Instrument Engineering, and still others plan to specialize in the Automotive and Tractor Faculty. Some wanted to continue the family dynasty of engineers, while others decided to dedicate themselves to this profession.
– For us, entering BNTU was a logical step. Having entered here, we want to continue developing in our scientific and social life.
Thanks to the students for their comments, congratulations on their victory, and we wish them continued success and to bring glory to the university and the lyceum with their achievements.
