BY KFLEEEYESUS ABEBE
Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov gave public lectures on the history and legacy of Russian Space science to Ethiopan school children and Addis Ababa University Students y as well as its Science and Technology students on Friday. In his lecture, Kud-Sverchkov said it is curiosity and hardwork got him to the moon.
The cosmonaut discussed the potential benefits of cooperation between Ethiopia and Russia in the fields of engineering and space science. Kud-Sverchkov, who spent 185 days in the International Space Station, highlighted Ethiopia can access geo observation data and other space engineering programs by cooperating with Ethiopia.
He emphasized that engineering is the basis for developing any country, and urged Ethiopian students and experts to prioritize their studies and work hard to improve themselves and their nation.He suggested Ethiopian government to prioritize areas and work attentively along with partners.
“So, if we need to improve our rocket science, we pay attention to it, we grow specialists in this area. So, I believe it’s up to the government to decide what kind of specialists and scientists you need. But obviously every country needs their own scientists to develop in their own way. And our task is to be partners in development. Probably, it’s really hard and expensive to create industry from the very beginning. And other countries as Russia, we can help raise industries faster and grow specialists faster to catch up with the world.”
The director general of Ethiopia’s Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI), AbdisaYilma (PhD), said the cooperation with Kud-Sverchkov and Russia will be helpful in encouraging young students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.
Yilma added that the success stories of cosmonauts like Kud-Sverchkov will inspire young students to pursue careers in space science and engineering, which will contribute to future development in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald April 2/2023
