Published
06/26/2026, 17:46Meerim Turdumakhamatova, an eighth-grade pupil at School No. 54 in the town of Mailuu-Suu, Jalal-Abad Region, has won the international scientific and educational project ‘Icebreaker of Knowledge’. In August, she will set off on an expedition to the North Pole aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker ‘50 Years of Victory’.
The names of the winners of the project’s seventh season were announced in Moscow at the ATOM Museum. The competition is organised with the support of the state corporation Rosatom and brings together school pupils interested in science, technology and nuclear energy.
This year, around 5,000 school pupils aged between 14 and 16 from 22 countries took part in the international stage of the competition. Kyrgyzstan showed one of the highest levels of participation, with 827 applications received. Only Kazakhstan had more, with 945 participants registered.
The international selection process took place in three stages. First, participants answered questions in a science quiz covering the natural sciences, nuclear energy and Arctic exploration; they then attended educational webinars with industry experts. In the final stage, the school pupils presented their own projects on the theme ‘How nuclear technologies are changing the world today’, which were assessed by an international jury.
“When I submitted my entry to the competition, I simply wanted to test my skills, and now I’ll be heading to the North Pole. I’m looking forward to August so I can meet young people from other countries, see polar bears and explore the Arctic on a nuclear-powered icebreaker”, — said Meerim Turdumakhamatova.
During the expedition, participants will take part in a scientific and educational programme featuring lectures, masterclasses and experiments led by Russian and international experts. The project aims to promote the natural sciences, foster young people’s interest in modern technologies and support talented school pupils.
