From June 3rd, two employees of the Institute of Coal Chemistry and Technology, located in the capital of Kazakhstan – the city of Nur-Sultan, are on a research scholarship at the Institute. At the Kazakhstan institute, Kazankapova Maira Kuttybaevna is a scientific secretary and at the same time the head of the laboratory for thermochemical processes and nanocomposite carbon materials, while Kassenova Zhanar Muratbekovna is a leading researcher and deputy director for commercialization and technology implementation. Both ladies are staying at the Institute as part of an scholarship funded by the President of Kazakhstan in the international BOLASHAK program.

The main theme of the scholarship program is progress in the thermal conversion of coal and waste. During their stay at ITPE, both ladies learned in detail about the research and development activities of the Institute, took an active part in a series of tests of the physicochemical properties of coal samples, as well as CO2 sorption tests with the use of aqueous solutions of humic acids. They also delivered some very interesting presentations on their research activities in Kazakhstan. The interns’ stay in Poland was not limited only to scientific matters, as we also took care to enable them to visit many attractive places in our region.

Unfortunately, the scholarship of our friends from Kazakhstan ends on July 29 and they return to the country a day later. However, we hope to maintain mutual contacts and continue the promising cooperation with the Kazakh research center.