10. Environmental issues
The relationships between transport and the environment are multidimensional. With a technology relying heavily on the combustion of hydrocarbons, notably with the internal combustion engine, the impacts of transportation over environmental systems has increased with motorization. This has reached a point where transportation activities are a dominant factor behind the emission of most pollutants and thus their impacts on the environment.
Transportation activities support increasing mobility demands for passengers and freight, notably in urban areas. But transport activities have resulted in growing levels of motorization and congestion. As a result, the transportation sector is becoming increasingly linked to environmental problems. The most important impacts of transport on the environment relate to climate change, air quality, noise, water quality, soil quality, biodiversity and land take:
Air quality. Highway vehicles, marine engines, locomotives and aircraft are the sources of pollution in the form of gas and particulate matters emissions that affects air quality causing damage to human health. Toxic air pollutants are associated with cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological diseases. The reduction of natural visibility by smog has a number of adverse impacts on the quality of life and the attractiveness of tourist sites. Particulate emissions in the form of dust emanating from vehicle exhaust as well as from non-exhaust sources such as vehicle and road abrasion have an impact on air quality. The physical and chemical properties of particulates are associated with health risks such as respiratory problems, skin irritations, eyes inflammations, blood clotting and various types of allergies.
Noise. Noise represents the general effect of irregular and chaotic sounds. It is traumatizing for the hearing organ and that may affect the quality of life by its unpleasant and disturbing character. Transport noise emanating from the movement of transport vehicles and the operations of ports, airports and railyards affects human health. Increasing noise levels have a negative impact on the urban environment reflected in falling land values and loss of productive land uses.
Water quality. Transport activities have an impact on hydrological conditions. Fuel, chemical and other hazardous particulates discarded from aircraft, cars, trucks and trains or from port and airport terminal operations, such as de-icing, can contaminate rivers, lakes, wetlands and oceans. Waste generated by the operations of vessels at sea or at ports cause serious environmental problems, since they can contain a very high level of bacteria that can be hazardous for public health as well as marine ecosystems when discharged in waters.
Soil quality. The environmental impact of transportation on soil consists of soil erosion and soil contamination. The removal of earth’s surface for highway construction or lessening surface grades for port and airport developments have led to important loss of fertile and productive soils. Soil contamination can occur through the use of toxic materials by the transport industry. Fuel and oil spills from motor vehicles are washed on road sides and enter the soil. Chemicals used for the preservation of railroad ties may enter into the soil.
Biodiversity. Transportation also influences natural vegetation. The need for construction materials and the development of land-based transportation has led to deforestation. Many transport routes have required draining land, thus reducing wetland areas and driving-out water plant species. Many animal species are becoming extinct as a result of changes in their natural habitats and reduction of ranges.
The complexities of the problem have led to much controversy in environmental policy and in the role of transportation. The transportation sector is often subsidized by the public sector, especially through the construction and maintenance of road infrastructure which tend to be free of access. Sometimes, public stakes in transport modes, terminals and infrastructure can be at odd with environmental issues. If the owner and the regulator are the same (different branches of the government), then there is a risk that regulations will not be effectively complied to. It can also lead to another extreme where compliance would lead to inefficient transport systems, but which costs are subsidized.
4. Research at our university
6. Research at the labs and departments of the university
8. Research at the university
The Belarusian Institute of Railway Transport Engineers, since October 1993 — the Belarusian State University of Transport — was established in Gomel in 1953. It is a unique higher educational establishment in Belarus where preparation of specialists on 22 specialities and 36 specializations is conducted.
The university includes 10 faculties, 39 chairs, Scientific and Research Institute of Railway Transport, Institute of Skill Raising for Managing Staff in Transportation and Construction. BelSUT is integrated into the international system of education; it carries out fundamental and applied research.
According to the decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus №443 of October 6, 2003 the Honorable State Banner of the Republic of Belarus was awarded to the University as an evidence of its achievements in social and cultural progress and in connection with its 50th anniversary.
Science affects many aspects of our lives. One of the characteristic features of the present century is the extent to which scientific knowledge is used in serving various human purposes. One can find a number of examples in which basic ideas have been developed in search of practical devices.
Research centers, laboratories and programs offer many benefits to the University and do research in different fields of science^ railway and road transport, mechanics, polymers, constructions and buildings, mathematics, physics, etc. They provide a means for faculty staff to share specialized research facilities and equipment and a direct benefit to individuals or for the public goods.
The University of Transport has made rather a great contribution in the development of science. The staff of the University has worked on different problems, developed different technological methods, instruments and devices. It is known that the method of provision and control of electro-magnetic compatibility of microelectronic operation systems of technological processes has been developed lately by the scientists of the University. This method is based on the probability statistical approach. The test data of this method could not be found in the world’s practice before.
The department “Rolling Stock” has carried out the investigation of the problem of increasing of the efficiency of vehicle operations by improving the construction of the fuel devices and implementing the method of regulation and control. The use of the technological methods developed by the scientists of the University in diesel locomotive has enabled to lower the consumption of fuel and diesel oil by 3%-9%.
The staff of the department of “Constructions and Buildings” have done research and tested light honeycomb overhead cover panels for buildings of the garret type. The use of these panels will enable to reduce the weight of the construction panels and to build houses without the help of heavy cranes. The department has been carrying out tests of the influence of the vibration on the constructions, buildings and man. The methods of determining the physical wear of buildings have been also developed by the staff of the department.
One can’t but mention the contribution made by the scientists of the University into the development of the technique of obtaining metal polymer coatings and materials using low-temperature plasma. The sprayed coatings are considered to be of great importance for producing medicine, electronic devices and so on. These coatings may be spread on the surface of metal alloy, glass and ceramics. They are of economical value and environmentally friendly.
7. My scientific research work
12. My research work
13. The main problems of your research
17. About myself and my research work
9. Lifestyle of post-graduate
However you study, a successful postgraduate course requires an iron will. Either way, your time is no longer your own.
Which mode to choose usually boils down to money. Around 54 per cent of postgraduates in the UK opt for full-time study. They tend to be young, possibly from abroad, and many go straight from their first degrees into their second. Older students often go part-time because they can’t afford to quit their job or have other commitments.
It’s only worth borrowing the cash for a full-time course if you will reap measurable rewards, says Dr Heather McGregor, author of Mrs Moneypenny’s Careers Advice For Ambitious Women. “You can end up exhausted. If you know, for instance, an MBA will boost your earnings, better to borrow, put everything into it and get a distinction,” she says.
Time is a commodity as much as money. Prospective postgraduates should work out, down to the last hour, where they will extract study time from their week. “If you want to do well, quantify how much time you need,” says Dr Caroline Gatrell, a social scientist at Lancaster University Management School and author of Managing Part-time Study. She calculates it takes 25 hours of study a week to earn a distinction at business school, whereas 12 hours is only enough to get by. Weekends, evenings and early mornings are all fair game, but it will inevitably squeeze out time for family and enjoying yourself.
Staying on track as a part-time postgraduate is one of the greatest challenges, Gatrell says, so choose your mode of study carefully. Fixed timetables and contact with your peers and tutors will help you stick with it. While modular online courses are the most flexible way to study, they don’t have the “gun to your head” effect of a firm deadline. However, when your studies relate directly to your current work, one naturally enriches the other. Real experience is valued in many vocational postgraduate courses, although it may raise expectations of what you will achieve.
University staff regularly advise students that you stand more chance of staying the course if you love your subject and you know where you want to be.
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16. From the history of your profession
18. History of my specialty
19. From the history of your profession
15. Scientists of Belarus and environment