Winners of the UST Inc. research competition announced

The final of the UST Inc. international research competition took place on September 19, bringing together young researchers from leading universities in Russia and Belarus. Six contestants took part in the final: four attended in person, while two joined the event online.

Competition stages and statistics

A total of 40 applications were submitted to the competition from over ten specialized universities worldwide. Based on the expert evaluation system, the participants whose projects received the highest scores advanced to the final round.

The final results were as follows:

• 1st place – Alexander Smirnov (Ural State University of Architecture and Art named after N.S. Alferov);
• 2nd place – Artem Kuzmin (Institute of Business, Belarusian State University);
• 3rd place – Alisa Puzanova (Belarusian National Technical University).

The topics explored by the winning entries reflect current trends in the advancement of string transport technologies. The awarded projects cover the following:

• Progressive solutions for residential modules of string transport and the design of aboveground stations – works noted in the “Architecture and Design” section;
• Research into the comprehensive integration of uST technologies into urban transport networks and an economic assessment of the implementation of infrastructure projects – finalists in the “Economic and Logistical Aspects” section.

The winning projects stood out not only for the originality of their architectural and engineering solutions, but also for their thorough analysis of the effectiveness of string transport systems in modern urban conditions, their relevance to the transport industry, and their high practical significance.

Thanks to the high evaluation of the works by Anatoli Unitsky, the General Designer of UST Inc., not only the winners but also the finalists received diplomas and awards. All projects were evaluated based on key areas of future transport development, including architecture, logistics, innovative materials, and automation of management.

Participants' impressions

The finalists expressed their sincere gratitude to the organizers and the entire UST Inc. team for the high professional level of the competition, as well as for the atmosphere of creative inspiration that prevailed throughout all stages of the event.

The winners acknowledged that, thanks to the company’s initiative, many young researchers have been deeply inspired to explore string transport technologies — not merely as an academic subject, but as a living engineering concept with the potential to transform global transport infrastructure.

In their reflections, the finalists emphasized that defending their research papers served as a significant professional milestone — offering a valuable opportunity to objectively evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their work, receive substantive feedback, and participate in constructive scientific dialogue.

Further development and cooperation

The significance of the competition for UST Inc. is not limited to the recognition of youth scientific initiatives. The company sees this project as a platform for finding new solutions, attracting promising young professionals, and further developing string transport technologies. The final was not only a starting point for the new careers of talented researchers, but also another step towards uniting the scientific community around modern transport innovations.