Special celebrations were held at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” on the occasion of commemorating two significant dates – the 125th anniversary of the birth of the great son of the Ukrainian people, a Poltava citizen, one of the main theorists of world cosmonautics Yurii Vasyliovych Kondratiuk (Oleksandr Hnatovych Sharhei) and the 25th anniversary that the university proudly bears his name.
Poltava Polytechnic honors the scientist-inventor, noting his contribution to the development of Ukrainian and world engineering thought. As a man of polytechnical thinking, Yurii Kondratiuk left his mark in many fields – space exploration, development of alternative energy sources, improvement of building and construction engineering, etc. For example, back in the 1930s, a scientist-inventor developed a project for a wind power plant.
“Yurii Kondratiuk entered the history of science and technology as the author of many original ideas implemented by his followers in the practice of development of the rocket and space industry. In particular, he was the first to substantiate the economic feasibility of vertical take-off of rockets, the creation of intermediate bases during flights, braking in the upper layers of the atmosphere, the use of solar energy by spacecraft, etc.
It is important that Yurii Kondratiuk, a son of the Ukrainian land, half a century before the launch of the American Apollo in 1968, calculated the flight scheme of the spacecraft to the Moon, which is now known throughout the world as the “Kondratyuk track” or “snail track”.
In my opinion, there is a close and unbreakable spiritual bond between today’s students of the Polytechnic and its scientists, since Yurii Kondratiuk became a symbol not only of devotion to one’s own dream, but also of an uncontrollable desire to realize it and bring it to life!
It was our scientists who created the monument near which we hold celebrations and near which students take photos for good luck – this is my idea and that of the President of the National Center “Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Stanislav Dovhyi.
This monument was designed and built by our outstanding colleagues – Valerii Holub and Andrii Koniuk.
The figure of an outstanding scientist is an excellent example and motivation of purposefulness and dedication to one’s idea, a patriot of the state and home city. And our applicants as well as graduates are also confidently building their success trajectory!
I thank a friend of our university – head of the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics Andrii Mykolaiovych Pushkariev, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Head of the Museum’s Research Sector Iryna Oleksandrivna Pistolenko for preserving and popularizing the memory of the outstanding scientist.
I thank the mayor of Poltava, Oleksandr Fedorovych Mamai, for coming to the birthday of an outstanding Poltava citizen as well as our community that does not forget an outstanding compatriot!
May even our wildest dreams come true! Let us be worthy of the glory of our outstanding compatriot!
Everything will be Ukraine!” – congratulated everyone present rector Volodymyr Onyshchenko.
“Congratulations, big Kondratyuk’s “family”! I am happy to celebrate with you a significant event – the anniversary of such an outstanding person as Yurii Kondratiuk. I have been cooperating with your educational institution since 1986. Almost 36 years! And your university is a flagship not only in the Poltava region, but also in Ukraine!” – added Poltava Mayor Oleksandr Mamai.
Honorary certificates of the rector for initiative, an active attitude in life, patriotism, high professional achievements in the preparation as well as education of the creative potential of Ukrainian students and on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birthday of Yurii Kondratiuk were awarded to:
- Tetiana Mykolaivna Zinenko, Candidate of Art History, Head of the Department of Fine Arts. By the way, today is also Tetiana Mykolaivna’s birthday. Congratulations to her again;
- Holub Valerii Petrovych, artist, sculptor, author of the monument to Yurii Kondratiuk on the territory of the University, senior lecturer of the Department of Fine Arts;
- Andrii Evhenovych Koniuk, architect, author of the monument to Yurii Kondratiuk on the territory of the University, senior lecturer of the Department of Town Planning and Architecture.
For the first time, an exclusive photo-documentary exhibition was opened to the public on the basis of the university: four stands with materials from the personal dossiers of students of higher educational institutions – Hnat Benedyktovych and Oleksandr Hnatovych Sharhei (from the funds of the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics).
The figure of the scientist as well as joint work on popularizing his heritage and science unites the university and the museum, noted the Head of the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics Andrii Pushkariev.
“The real name of the Poltava resident was kept silent for decades. In 1989, a museum colleague and I were looking for information about Yurii Kondratiuk, including that of him as a student of the Petrograd Polytechnic. We were lucky to be the first to study these unique materials, which at that time had just become available to researchers.
Today, for the first time in Ukraine, we present photocopies of documents that confirm the origin of our compatriot and reveal a lot of hitherto unknown information about the Sharhei family. It is not by chance that the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” was chosen as the venue for the presentation, since both the academic staff and the students of the Polytechnic have long been working – successfully and fruitfully – on the research of aerospace history, and the university itself is known as one of the main centers of educational activity in Ukraine, as well as beyond,” – said the Head of the Research Sector of the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics, Doctor of Historical Sciences Iryna Pistolenko.
On the occasion of the anniversary of the outstanding scientist Yurii Kondratiuk, Poltava Polytechnic Rector Volodymyr Onyshchenko together with the mayor Oleksandr Mamai awarded the best students of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” with Yurii Kondratiuk scholarships for the II semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. The nominal scholarship honors talented young people – students, postgraduate students and young scientists who have significant scientific achievements as well as high achievements in the scientific and educational sphere.
After laying flowers at the monument to the scientist, the scientists and the mayor joined the festive rally near the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics, and also visited another unique exhibition – the museum exhibits an edition of Yurii Kondratiuk’s works on space exploration with autographs of the author as well as books of other notable figures of that time era with autographs.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
