«Best University Teacher – 2025»: recognition of the scientific school of al-Farabi Kazakh National University

The Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences congratulates Ainur Mussina, Associate Professor of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, on winning the «Best University Teacher – 2025» competition. This award confirms the high level of teaching based on a strong scientific foundation, applied experience, and consistent mentoring.

The award ceremony took place on February 13, 2026, in Almaty at the «Gylym Ordasy» Scientific Center.

Professional path: from university education to research practice

 Ainur Mussina was born on September 9, 1982, in Pavlodar. Her professional foundation was laid by her education at the Faculty of Geography of al-Farabi Kazakh National University: a bachelor's degree in Geography (2000-2004) and a master's degree in Hydrometeorology (2004-2006). Her scientific qualifications were developed within the system of scientific organizations of JSC NSTH «Parasat» (JSC «Institute of Geography and Water Security»), where she worked on her candidate dissertation from 2007 to 2010.

An important part of his professional development was his work at the State Institution «Kazselezashchita», where she rose from senior researcher and expert to acting head of the department dealing with mudflow problems and hydrology. This practical experience shaped her applied view of hydrology: not as a set of formulas, but as a system of solutions for territorial security and sustainable water use.

Teaching activities: working on the qualitative development of the educational program

 Since 2011, Ainur Mussina has been working at al-Farabi Kazakh National University: as a lecturer, then senior lecturer, and since 2024 as an associate professor in the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology; currently an associate professor-researcher. She is a member of the Academic Council for Quality Education of the faculty and participated in the development of the English-language educational program «Hydrology» (2018), contributing to the development of the educational environment and culture of quality.

Research areas and results in «simple terms»

 Ainur Mussina's research interests cover the challenges of modern hydrology and natural safety: assessment of water resources and runoff characteristics, risks of hazardous hydrological phenomena, application of GIS technology in hydrological calculations, and modeling of hydrological processes.

In practical terms, the results of her research can be described as follows:

-                        Making the danger «visible on the map»: translating complex natural processes into risk and vulnerability maps based on field data, calculations, and GIS analytics.

-                        Correctly assessing river water content in conditions of climatic instability: participation in the development of methods for calculating the minimum flow of rivers in the plains of Kazakhstan under changing climatic conditions.

-                        Using modeling as a management tool: the application of models and software packages for forecasts and scenarios that support management decisions.

Ainur Mussina participates in a number of scientific initiatives aimed at sustainable development and natural risk reduction. She is the author of about 60 scientific publications, including articles in international peer-reviewed journals (17 publications in the Scopus database, h-index = 5). A significant part of her work is the development of educational and methodological resources: she co-authored the textbooks «Fundamentals of debris-flow studies» (2017) and «Geographic Information Systems in Hydrology» (2023), as well as the monograph «Rivers of the Almaty Megapolis» (2020).

Mentoring and scientific school

 Winning the «Best University Teacher – 2025» competition is particularly significant in the context of systematic mentoring work. Under the guidance of Ainur Mussina, doctoral dissertations (PhD) have been defended on priority topics of natural safety and the dynamics of mountain river systems, such as «Assessment and zoning the potential risks in the river basins of the Ile Alatau during the outburst of moraine lakes» (Abdullayeva, A.S. 2024); «Investigation of the influence of environmental changes on the erosion-channel systems of the Ile Alatau rivers» (Tursyngali M.N. 2025). 

The letters of appreciation received clearly confirm the scale and «geography» of Ainur Mussina's activities. Among them are official appeals and expressions of gratitude from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as from the leadership of al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The results of her work have also been recognized with awards: «Best Young Scientist» (2018) and the «Qurmet» certificate, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence (2021).

Ainur Mussina's victory is a recognition of a teacher-researcher who combines science and practice, modern educational approaches, and a strong mentoring school. On behalf of the faculty and department, we wish her good health, new scientific results, successful projects, and inspiration in her work with students!