Romeo Ortega: the ITMO University, Russian scientific schools and students

The ITMO University is the winner of several competitions for mega-grants of the Russian Government. As part of one of these grants an international project was organized. Romeo Ortega, the known scientist in the field of analysis and synthesis of automatic control systems, was invited for participation.

At the ITMO University Professor Ortega works for an international “Adaptive and nonlinear control systems lab" on a project related to the development and research of adaptive control systems operating in an uncertain environment. In an interview the scientist told of his studies in the USSR, as well as impressions of working in today's Russia, the Russian system of education and the level of preparation of students.

- Professor Ortega, is your research fundamental or applied?

- The research is fundamental, aimed to the end use. Personally, I am more engineer than a theorist. But in our studies we cannot do without complex calculations, so scientists- theorists and engineers effectively interact with each other. Our ultimate goal is to apply the results of basic research in the real world of complex devices, such as windmills, turbines, motors.

- Are any of your designs already being used by industrial companies?

- Of course. For example, we are working on the issue of renewable energy, explore windmills, develop new options for solar cells - all with the support of the industrial companies. Many developments have been patented, for example, I have two patents. We have contracts with major businesses like Alestorm, Schneider, Siemens. These companies also fund training for some students and postgraduates.

- In addition to the ITMO University, you are working in a laboratory in France. How do you manage to combine work in two laboratories?

- Under the terms of mega-grants I have to be in Russia for at least four months of the year. This is my first visit for the project, and I have been here only for six weeks. Upon completion of this step, I will go back to France, but in the following year will again come to Russia.

- What are your impressions of Russia and of our university?

- Actually, I was in Russia. I got here a PhD in 1976-1977, in the Polytechnic Institute. The university setting is very nice. It is interesting to work, it has everything you need: equipment, facilities and qualified personnel.

- Do you speak Russian?

- Just a little. First, I studied about a year in Kiev. There I learned Russian. After that I came to St. Petersburg, where I have spent two years and a half. These were times of Brezhnev. All in the Soviet Union was quite different then. Something was better than now, something - worse.

- And how was the scientific research? What opportunities had students before and what have they now?

- In terms of technological support in the Soviet Union, in my opinion, it was not so good. Even in my lab in Mexico, computers were better. But the level of knowledge and skills of scientists in the field of mathematics and physics was much higher in the USSR. I think that is even higher than it is now. Indeed, many scientists left the Soviet Union and went to the United States and Europe. It was a serious "brain drain", but now Russia is restored.

- Are you dealing here with the students? Is there a difference between Russian and European students?

- A lot of students work in my lab. Their level of knowledge is very high, such as in France, for example. In my opinion, in the United States or Canada, the average level of knowledge is lower than in Russia. Also, over the last 10-15 years in your country the level of technology has increased significantly. In the Soviet Union, scientific research was focused on military applications, limiting their development. For example, LITMO then was for me, a foreign student, the closed university. So for scientists it was more difficult to communicate, which significantly hindered the pace of development of science.

- So, in your opinion, scientific work in Russia, and in ITMO in particular, is being more productive now?

- Of course. At the ITMO University there is very good equipment that allows me and my colleagues to focus on the scientific part of our work, not being distracted to the material support. My office here is even bigger than in France. As for the team, we have very good relationships with colleagues, highly skilled professionals, passionate about their work. Also it is very important to me that in the ITMO University cooperation with the industry is well developed. A modern university must not only deal with theoretical research, but also to apply the results of basic scientific research in practice.