IAI Student Wins Top Prize at National Olympiad

The final of the 3rd All-Russian Student Olympiad "Automation and Informatization of the Fuel and Energy Complex (FEC)" took place December 10–14 at the Zaluchye Training Center. The competition was organized by the Department of Process Automation at the Gubkin University’s Faculty of Automation and Computer Engineering.

More than 500 students participated in the online qualifying round, with 64 top performers from 24 Russian universities advancing to the final.

"The Gubkin University today is a place where all regions of Russia come together, and 97 countries are represented. The Olympiad, which began as a student initiative, has grown into a national movement, building a professional community, lifelong friendships, and lasting connections," organizers noted.

The Olympiad became a professional dialogue platform, uniting students, researchers, and industry experts from across the country. Participants solved engineering and analytical problems drawn from real-world challenges facing the fuel and energy sector. Fair judging was ensured by experts from leading companies in the industry. Tasks were developed in collaboration with industrial partners, including Transneft, OOO RegLab (general sponsor), and other major players in industrial automation.

Beyond the competition itself, the program featured lectures, master classes, a business session, cultural events, and the "Thank You for Your Courage" campaign dedicated to Constitution Day of the Russian Federation.

Third-year student Eduard Dikov of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence took first place in the "PLC Programming Using TREI Systems" category. Just a year ago, he was the youngest participant in the "Automation and Informatization of the FEC" Olympiad, and today he is its undisputed champion.

His journey is more than a competition win; it’s a story about how the willingness to experiment, learn, and persist through challenges leads to outstanding results. The university community is proud of its champion and looks forward to his future achievements.