Young Researchers from the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences Participated in the III International Congress of Young Scientists

On November 12, 2026, the III International Congress of Young Scientists was held at the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty. The Congress was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Independence and the 80th anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The event brought together young researchers, as well as international master's and doctoral students from the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

The Congress was opened by its moderator, Akhylbek Kurishbayev, President of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and an Academician. Participants were presented with a welcoming address from Yerlan Karin, Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Welcome remarks were also delivered by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan People's Council, the Almaty City Administration, and Sirius University of Science and Technology.

Keynote presentations were delivered by researchers from Sweden, Türkiye, Portugal, the United States, Iran, Morocco, France, India, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The presentations covered a wide range of topics, including international academic mobility, applications of artificial intelligence in medicine, immunology, hydrogen energy, materials science, humanities research, and resource-efficient technologies in agriculture. Particular interest was generated by a presentation from William Rendu, Director of the French-Kazakh ZooStan Laboratory (CNRS–KazNU), who discussed international collaboration in the study of human history. Inesh Kenzhina, Clarivate's representative in Central Asia, presented an overview of Kazakhstan's scientific performance and international research standing based on data from the Web of Science database.

In the afternoon, a plenary forum entitled "AI for Science: A New Era of Scientific Discoveries" was held. Efim Zelmanov, a Fields Medal laureate, addressed young researchers with words of encouragement and guidance. Kai-Fu Lee, a non-staff advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, also delivered welcoming remarks. The forum explored the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education, the concept of AI universities, satellite communications, intelligent Smart City platforms, and applications of machine learning in environmental monitoring and precision agriculture. These topics are directly relevant to research in geography and environmental sciences.

As part of the Congress, an exhibition showcased innovative developments by young scientists and junior researchers. The event also featured the "Qazaq Gylymynyn Umiti" ("Hope of Kazakh Science") awards ceremony, recognizing the most highly cited researchers according to Web of Science data.

Participation in the Congress provided young researchers and international students from the Faculty with an opportunity to explore emerging trends in global science and engage in discussions with leading scientists. They also established new professional connections that could serve as a foundation for future collaborative research projects.