From Being Unique to a Ministerial Advisor

Egor Semyonov, a student from the Andrey Melnichenko Foundation Educational Center at Kuzbass State Technical University, has become an advisor to the Russian Minister of Education. This is the first time in Russian history that a sixteen-year-old student has held such a position.

On the first day of the "Movement of the First" festival, which started on Children's Day in Moscow, Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov congratulated the winner of the All-Russian "School League of Lecturers" contest of the Russian Society "Znanie" (Knowledge), a student from the Unicum Children's Scientific and Technical Center at Kuzbass State Technical University, and invited him to become a volunteer advisor on educational activities.

Egor was the only one of the 20 winners to be offered such a responsible position. The student from Kemerovo has a wide range of interests. This "unique" boy is keen on science; his developments in the field of the deep processing of municipal solid waste have been positively received by the expert community and have won prizes in Russian and international competitions. He successfully combines the study of natural sciences with educational and social activities. But his most important goal involves making the necessary changes for the introduction of measures regarding informational and reputational support by the authorities for the initiatives of talented schoolchildren, the development of a mechanism to help implement children's inventions and integrate them into the production chain.

"I consider my appointment as advisor to the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation to be a unique opportunity to discuss and make adjustments at the federal level to the national education system, both school and vocational education. This is a new level of responsibility and duty. First of all, I would like to invite the Minister to discuss the possibilities and prospects of project and scientific activities in the school curriculum. I would also like to raise questions about increasing the general culture and level of knowledge in secular ethics among my peers, strengthening the patriotic spirit in science, art and sports, and other areas," says Egor. He is looking forward to hearing the problems and ideas of his peers and all students and is happy to immerse himself in working on joint social initiatives.

According to Tatiana Mamzina, head of the Unicum Center at Kuzbass State Technical University, "Egor chose a difficult path that is very interesting and important. His enthusiasm and hard work, his sincere concern for the fate of the new generation, the quality of education and the opportunity for today's students to promote their scientific and social projects must turn into something real. It would be wonderful if these were effective regional and federal mechanisms that stimulate and support the project activities of young researchers and inventors. We are proud that in the educational system of Kuzbass, the Andrey Melnichenko Foundation Center, we can work with such talented students, and we are sure that Egor will do well in his new responsibilities."

Photo by the Press Service of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation