The Freiberg University of Mining and Technology and Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University share a long history of collaboration. By the late 19th century, one-third of Freiberg's academic community, including students, hailed from the Russian Empire, with Russia's oldest technical university at the forefront of this academic exchange. These scientific ties persisted throughout the 20th century but were particularly strengthened between 2008 and 2015 when Professor Bernd Mayer headed Freiberg University. Professor Mayer, notably, was one of the founders of the Russian-German Raw Materials Forum, one of the most effective platforms for collaboration among scientists, politicians, and businesses from both countries.
The cooperative spirit continued after Professor Mayer’s tenure as rector, as he assumed leadership of the Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering at Freiberg. Researchers from both universities engaged in joint studies, facilitated student exchanges, including double-degree programs, and in 2017, Springer, the international academic publisher, released a collaborative book by St. Petersburg Mining University's Rector Vladimir Litvinenko and Bernd Mayer, titled "Syngas Production: Current State and Implementation Opportunities in Russian Industry".
At the Commemorative Lecture held at St. Petersburg Mining University, Professor Mayer addressed students, graduate students, and faculty members, highlighting the main areas of work conducted at the Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering. These include research in plasma physics, thermochemical conversion of biomass into environmentally friendly fuel, and the production of "green" aviation kerosene.
The lecturer also expressed hope that the academic cooperation between the two renowned technical universities, currently paused due to political reasons, would eventually return to its full-fledged format. According to him, the scientific topics presented at the Commemorative Lecture hold significant potential for joint efforts. He stated that he would be glad to see colleagues from St. Petersburg Mining University participate, including as speakers, at the upcoming traditional Freiberg International Conference later this year.
In conclusion, Bernd Mayer answered questions from the audience. Students were particularly interested in the changing German perspective on the so-called "green agenda," which involves an accelerated reduction in the use of traditional energy sources. The professor cited the example of Germany's nuclear energy policy:
«Three years ago, Germany decided to shut down its nuclear power plants [a decision that has since been implemented]. However, today, this decision is acknowledged as a mistake. If politicians at the time had consulted scientists, they could have aligned physics, chemistry, and economics, thereby avoiding the misstep.
In about ten years, when our government observes China's successes, its stance on the 'green agenda' as a whole will likely change».
The project of "green" hydrogen (another question on the topic of environmental policy) was described by the professor as political dreaming. In his opinion, the declared timelines for the energy transition are unachievable. Developing effective technologies in the field of hydrogen energy will take 20 to 50 years, not 10, as politicians anticipate. Moreover, the cost of such fuel will be ten times higher than that of natural gas.
A specialist in the history of technical sciences, Friedrich Naumann, dedicated his part of the Inaugural Lecture mainly to the history of collaboration between Russian mining engineers and their colleagues in Freiberg. Even Emperor Peter I acquired skills in working with mining equipment there. In 1739–1740, Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov underwent training at the academy. His seminal work, The First Foundations of Metallurgy and Ore Science, was largely based on research initiated in Freiberg. With the active participation of Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University, a house-museum dedicated to Lomonosov was opened in this Saxon city in 2014.
Jürgen Shellig shared with the audience at Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University details about his work as the chief of mining operations during the construction of the world's longest trans-Alpine railway tunnel (until 2018), the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland. The tunnel spans 57 kilometers and accommodates 150 freight trains daily.
All three professors were inundated with questions from the students. The meeting lasted almost three hours.
