Meeting of INRTU SSG field teams: presentation of videos about work in Transbaikalia, Krasnoyarsk Region, Magadan and Kamchatka
The third meeting of field teams was held at the Siberian School of Geosciences (SSG) of INRTU on the 4th of October. INRTU students demonstrated video clips made about field work in Transbaikalia, Magadan, Priangarye, Kamchatka and Chukotka Autonomous District.
This year about 40 students from SSG and from other institutes of INRTU went to the fields. They performed works in geology, geophysics, hydrology, geochemistry, conducted laboratory research using modern equipment and advanced techniques. Rector Mikhail Korniakov congratulated SSG students and staff on the successful completion of the field season:

“Thanks to such practice, the guys from the Siberian School of Geosciences are an order of magnitude above their future colleagues from other universities. Some of you are going to the fields for the third season already. We can safely say that you have gone through a serious geological school. On the one hand, geologist is a romantic profession, but on the other hand, it is a hard craft. You have achieved high results and made your own personal feat”.
According to Alexander Parshin, founder and scientific director of SSG, field practice is a good tradition of the Geological Institute:

“I believe that every member of our profession should work in the fields at least once. There you grow up, learn to make important decisions, work in a team and overcome obstacles. The Siberian School of Geosciences launches challenging geological projects every year. Great opportunities open up for students who prove themselves worthy. For example, it is participation in international conferences, study abroad and much more”.
The first video was presented by a team that spent 2.5 months on geological exploration in the Transbaikal Territory. The research team reached the place of work by helicopter. The working conditions were complicated by unfavorable conditions - there was a state of emergency in the territory. Commenting on the work of the team, Alexander Parshin said that the large customer highly appreciated the work of the Politekhov team in such difficult conditions. Ilya Trofimov, who graduated from the Siberian School of Geosciences this year, headed three field teams at once. Under his leadership, the students worked in Krasnoyarsk Region, Transbaikalia, and Bodaibo District.
“The period of work in Bodaibo coincided with the defense of my diploma, which was devoted to the creation of a complex for electrical exploration in hard-to-reach areas. I could entrust the guys with responsible work, as each of them knows their tasks and has the necessary competencies,” says Ilya.
Some field units consisted of one student and a mentor. For example, Andrei Sumkin worked under the guidance of Prokopiy Badminov. The polytechnician's task was to carry out exploration work for drinking water supply at one of the industrial sites in Transbaikalia. The event also featured stories about the field season in Cheremkhovsky District, Kamchatka and Magadan Oblast. It was the first time SSG representatives worked in the Chukotka Autonomous District, which caused some difficulties. However, thanks to the professionalism of the team members they managed to successfully carry out electrical exploration works. The team included a graduate student of the Siberian School of Geosciences, Desiree Onamun from Cote d'Ivoire. Previously, he studied at the Master's program in RUDN University and the French UPPA University, and worked for Lukoil and Afrik Santa Cruz.
“This trip was a debut for me - it was the first time I conducted electrical exploration work and visited Chukotka. I am a seismic engineer by first education, and previously I had only conducted research at sea. In the course of the SSG field season, I made significant professional progress, mastered new types of work and methods. It was also physically challenging - the work took place in mountainous terrain,” the graduate student shared his impressions.
A significant contribution to the results of the field season was made by students working in the SSG sample preparation laboratory under the guidance of Olga Kachor.
A story about the creation of a visual atlas of Priolkhoniya was demonstrated by the team of Larisa Auzina, Head of the Hydrogeology Laboratory. The atlas is the result of numerous expeditions within the framework of the international project “Baikal - the Pearl of the World”. Another creative work was dedicated to the Summer School, during which students from Africa mastered open technologies of UAV remote sensing of the Earth on the basis of practices “Chernorud” in Priolkhonye.
The students' work was evaluated by Yury Agafonov, General Director of Sigma-Geo:
“Every year the Siberian School of Geosciences expands the geography of field projects. You are not afraid of difficulties and throw the boldest challenges. I believe that a career in geology or geophysics should start from the “fields”. By going on such internships, students make the right choice. SSG opens up great opportunities - guys use modern equipment, travel and get paid”.
Concluding the event, Alexander Parshin presented letters of appreciation to students who had especially demonstrated themselves during the field season. Each team that created video vids was given tasty pies.
It should be noted that the videos will be evaluated in several nominations - “Audience Choice Award”, “Video about the most extreme field”, “Video most reflecting the realities of geologist's work” and “The most creative video”.
Sigma-Geo is a partner of the contest. You can vote at the link until October 18.