Professor Alfred Nordmann of the Darmstadt Technical University (Germany) visited St. Petersburg Mining University. The scientist was brought to St. Petersburg by the initiative to hold an international conference on the philosophical understanding of technological progress at the oldest technical university in Russia.
The idea has already been supported by leading scientists from the University of Padua (Italy), the University of Groningen (Netherlands), the University of South Carolina (USA), and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to the professor, the Mining University's profound approach to the training of engineers is very close to him. In particular, the course "History and Philosophy of Science" developed by the university, aimed at forming a deep and systematic understanding of the research process in undergraduate and graduate students.
Herr Nordmann discussed with Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of Mining University, the current directions of engineering education improvement and the importance of philosophical approach and fundamental knowledge in the development of a successful researcher in the technical field.
During his visit, he also toured the exposition of the Mining Museum and discussed the prospects of jointly organizing another international conference in memory of the outstanding chemist Hermann Hess. In the period from 1832 to 1850 the scientist was a professor at Mining University. A similar conference was already held at the Mining University in 2002.
In an interview with Forpost, Alfred Nordmann spoke about the reasons for his interest in cooperation with Mining University, expressed his vision of the direction of engineering education in the world and assessed the university's efforts in this direction.
- Until recently, when the Bologna reforms were implemented, the German education system, especially in engineering, had a very clear specificity. The German "Diploma of Engineering" combined an academic degree with highly specialized practical components. It even retained aspects of the master-apprentice model, which is still the cornerstone of non-academic vocational education in Germany. In this context, could you tell us how you assess the educational reforms in Russia?
- The Bologna reforms are designed to give students more choice and allow universities to select the most suitable graduates from all over the world. In principle, this is certainly a good thing, with engineers increasingly working in transnational projects. At the same time there is a real concern that the Bologna education system is too superficial.
It should also be recognized that there are many different engineering traditions, different ways of planning, decision making and project execution. It therefore makes sense to return to proven practices, which does not prevent experimenting with new formats as well. Particularly important should be professional practice, perhaps in the form of mixed models. In this respect, not only German engineers will be watching the Russian reforms with great interest.
- You are a professor of philosophy specializing in the field of engineering and technology, you have experience in teaching students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. How do you assess the methodology of scientific training developed and implemented at Mining University?
- During my short visit I was particularly impressed, first of all, by the integrated approach in education, which includes the study of the history of mining and mechanical engineering. This is more than just being proud of one's traditions and knowing where they come from.
In engineering education, understanding involves not only theorizing but also working with your hands, and the dynamics of systems are never just virtual but always based on materiality. In order to "feel" the behavior of a system or processes in an industrial plant, one must not only have the verbal and mathematical language to express the relationships between parameters, but also have extensive experience with the feedback of using these parameters in a physical model. It is therefore quite impressive that students learn both from mechanical models of nineteenth century mining operations and at the same time from modern mechatronic devices.
- Economic cooperation between Germany and Russia, whatever the name of our countries, has always been extremely effective, promising and mutually beneficial. What is the mood in German society, business and academic circles today regarding the prospects for returning this cooperation to an intensive course? What can be done, what steps will help to achieve success?
- During the last two years, unfortunately, the relations between our countries have hardened and, it seems, are not going to soften. It is clear to German society that it is not a good idea to accept the current situation as a new normal in which we can pretend that everything is business as usual. Philosophers, scientists and engineers, of course, are not in a position to directly influence the course of history. But I have been very interested to see what we scientists can do, and I am engaging my colleagues in a discussion about it.
In terms of science and engineering, religious wars are a thing of the past. We interpret military and political conflicts not in terms of good versus evil or culture wars. Instead, we see conflicts of interest, questions of legitimate and illegitimate authority, or alternative interpretations of the facts. We would like to think that a clear description of conflict already points the way toward negotiation and compromise.
Of course, our sober assessments do not always match reality, where everything is hotly debated and disagreements grow deeper. Nevertheless, by meeting to communicate and collaborate, scientists and engineers show that we can certainly solve problems together and cooperate productively. And if this alone does not change the course of history, it gives us confidence that a peaceful future is possible and that we have not lost the ability to work together in good faith.
Moreover, we never tire of emphasizing that the challenges of sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity, poverty and justice transcend national borders and require a global response. We cannot afford to stop communicating and collaborating on these pressing issues. Recognizing that we are mutually dependent on each other for resources, technology and global policy means nothing wrong. And in the future, as in the past, this realization is a powerful incentive to maintain peaceful cooperation.
- Mining educators and researchers often work with demonstration and instructional models. Some show atomic, molecular, crystalline, or tectonic structure, while others provide visualization of the workings of, for example, metallurgical and mining operations.
the workings of, for example, metallurgical and mining operations. You initiated an international conference on this topic at Mining University to draw attention to the role of models in becoming a scientist. Why did you and other initiators consider the oldest technical university in Russia as the venue for the conference?
- For a very long time, many historians and philosophers of science in the Western tradition have neglected engineering. They saw science as primarily a speculative endeavor and studied scientific contributions to the history of ideas and how we think about the world. This has been gradually changing over the last few decades, with more and more recognition obtained not only for theoretical knowledge but also for technical knowledge.
Models play a big role in this broadening of perspectives because, like theories, they help us to visualize and describe the world, but they are also tangible things that can be used both playfully and seriously at the same time. Therefore, holding the conference at St. Petersburg Mining University, possibly in cooperation with St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, seems quite appropriate. And not only because the Mining Museum at the Mining University has an impressive collection of models. Other universities have good collections as well. What makes this collection special is that even historical models are part of active research and teaching. This helps us to understand them better, and our meeting here can contribute to a broader philosophical understanding of science and technology.
The current political differences should not prevent us from planning conferences of obvious importance in our international discussions. But, of course, no one knows for sure whether the conference can take place as planned. It may have to be postponed. As in the days of the COVID pandemic, everyone will accept and understand this.
In the current situation, all we academics can say is this: We will be ready when the world is ready. When conditions are right, we want to be among the first to fully collaborate and conduct research again in the common pursuit of discovery and invention.
Hermann Hess - Russian scientist-chemist and mineralogist, academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1830). He is known as one of the founders of thermochemistry. He discovered and then determined (in 1830-1834) the composition of four new minerals - folbortite, vertite, hydroboracite and uvarovite.
