During February-June 2026, representatives of The Department of Applied Material Science and Technology of Constructional Materials took part in the International Student Professional Creative Competition "Materials Science", which was held on the basis of the Kharkiv National Automobile and Road University under the patronage of the I. M. Frantsevich Institute of Problems of Materials Science of the NAS of Ukraine together with the Alec Russo Bielsko State University.

Students ofThe Department of Applied Material Science and Technology of Constructional Materials of Sumy State University took part in the International Student Professional Creative Competition "Materials Science", presenting the results of their own scientific research among participants from leading higher education institutions of Ukraine and abroad.

The scientific work "Electrospark Alloying of Steel Cutting Tools with Transition Metal Borides for Enhanced Wear Resistance in Nuclear Applications" was submitted to the competition.

The authors of the study were students of the department Vadim Chyzhov and Bohdan Perekupko under the supervision of Professor of The Department of Applied Material Science and Technology of Constructional Materials Oksana GAPONOVA. The work is devoted to the topical issues of increasing the operational characteristics of cutting tools by forming wear-resistant surface layers by the method of electrospark alloying.

Participation in international scientific competitions contributes to the development of students' research competencies, improving the skills of presenting the results of scientific activity and expanding academic ties between higher education institutions.

It is especially pleasing to note that the jury of the competition included Professor of The Department of Applied Material Science and Technology of Constructional Materials Oksana GAPONOVA, who participated in the expert evaluation of the competition works.

Participation in such events is an important component of the professional training of future materials engineers, as it contributes to the development of skills in scientific research, academic communication and presentation of the results of one's own research at the international level.

The staff of The Department of Applied Material Science and Technology of Constructional Materials sincerely congratulates the participants of the competition and wishes them further scientific achievements, new ideas and successful implementation of research projects. Participation in international professional competitions is a confirmation of the high level of training of students and active scientific activity of the department.