06.03 02 soil science who to work with. Profession: soil scientist

Soil scientist- a specialist who studies the soil cover of the Earth. Soil science studies the origin, development, structure, composition, properties, geographical distribution and rational use of soils. Russia has the largest tracts of fertile land in the world, and it is not for nothing that soil science appeared in our country, the foundations of which were laid by V.V. Dokuchaev (1846 - 1903). The profession is suitable for those who are interested in chemistry, biology and geography (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).

A soil scientist is a specialist of the highest level of qualification in the field of natural sciences. Engaged in research activities in the field of agrochemistry and soil science. Leads the development and implementation of effective agrochemical methods for growing crops and technological operations for soil cultivation.

Specifics of the profession

carrying out activities in the field of agrochemistry and soil science
planning, organizing and conducting field and laboratory soil research
analysis of crops grown and fertilizers applied to the soil
development of a fertilizer system on the farm
conducting phenological observation
carrying out soil-geographical and agro-soil zoning of territories
compilation of soil, environmental and agrochemical maps
solving problems related to soil protection
introduction of erosion control methods, use of chemical agents
introduction of production mechanization systems
development and implementation of standards for environmental regulation of the state of land resources, natural waters and forests
drawing up an ecological passport of the soil cover, carrying out its certification and cadastral assessment
carrying out sanitary and hygienic examination of the quality of crop products

Professional skills and knowledge

possession of knowledge in the field of genetic soil science, biology, land management, geography, geology, agrochemistry
knowledge of laws, regulations, orders, directives, decisions and other legal acts of state authorities and local governments on issues related to chemicalization of agriculture and environmental protection
knowledge of methods of sampling soils, fertilizers, crop products
knowledge of the rules for maintaining the necessary documentation
ability to use modern field and laboratory equipment
knowledge of computer programs for work in the field of soil science, land reclamation, agrochemistry, ecology, soil-landscape design and soil conservation
possession of practical skills acquired on expeditions and during summer field internships

Personal qualities

accuracy
observation
good memory
analytic skills
penchant for hard work
attentiveness

Pros and cons of the profession

pros

opportunity to work outdoors
Availability of business trips and trips

Minuses

low salary

Place of work

soil and agrochemical laboratories
agricultural enterprises
agro-industrial and forestry enterprises
farms
environmental control and environmental management authorities
in design and research institutes (for example, the Ministry of Agriculture)
in research institutes and organizations (for example, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
state cadastral institutions (for example, the Federal Real Estate Cadastre Agency)
land resources committees
construction, architectural and design organizations

Salary and career

Where to study to become a soil scientist

Courses:

(SNTA) has already successfully trained specialists in the field of Soil Science. More than 500 people have already completed training and advanced training. Educational courses are accredited by the Ministry of Education, therefore, upon completion of training, state-issued documents are issued. Any citizen can obtain a new profession on the basis of any secondary vocational or higher education.

Higher education:

Soil scientists are trained in higher educational institutions with a specialty in Soil Science, in particular, there is a Faculty of Soil Science at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. Related specialties are biology, geography, pedagogy, agriculture, land management, agroecology.

A soil scientist is a specialist who studies the soil cover of the Earth.

A soil scientist is a specialist who studies the soil cover of the Earth. Soil science is the science of the upper layer of the earth’s crust, the properties of which are important to take into account when organizing agriculture, healthcare, and construction. It is part of natural science. Soil science studies the origin, development, structure, composition, properties, geographical distribution and rational use of soils. Russia has the largest tracts of fertile land in the world, and it is not for nothing that soil science appeared in our country, the foundations of which were laid by V.V. Dokuchaev (1846 - 1903).

Depending on the chosen type of activity, a soil scientist can study soil composition, landscape, and land management. He takes part in field expeditions to study soil cover, is engaged in soil reclamation and land reclamation.
A soil scientist is a specialist of the highest level of qualification in the field of natural sciences. Engaged in research activities in the field of agrochemistry and soil science. Leads the development and implementation of effective agrochemical methods for growing crops and technological operations for soil cultivation.

Specifics of the profession

Professional skills and knowledge

Personal qualities

Pros of the profession

Cons of the profession

low salary

Place of work

Salary and career
Despite the fact that the popularity of the profession of soil scientist is growing, there are still few graduates of specialized faculties. For the most part, the reason for this is the low salaries of soil scientists. So, the average income of a beginning soil scientist is about 15,000 – 20,000 rubles; experienced specialists receive approximately 30,000 rubles. Land managers can expect little more than that.

Education
Soil scientists are trained in higher educational institutions with a specialty in Soil Science, in particular, there is a Faculty of Soil Science at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. Related specialties are biology, geography, pedagogy, agriculture, land management, agroecology.

Suitable educational specialties: Ecologist; Geographer.
Key items: Agrochemistry; Soil Science; Geography

Tuition cost (average in Russia): 680,000 rubles

Job description:

*The cost is indicated for 4 years of full-time undergraduate studies

A specialist who studies the Earth's soil cover. Soil science - the science of the upper layer of the earth's crust, the properties of which are important to take into account when organizing agriculture, healthcare, and construction. It is part of natural science. Soil science studies the origin, development, structure, composition, properties, geographical distribution and rational use of soils. Russia has the largest tracts of fertile land in the world, and it is not for nothing that soil science appeared in our country, the foundations of which were laid by V.V. Dokuchaev (1846 - 1903).

Specifics of the profession

carrying out activities in the field of agrochemistry and soil science
planning, organizing and conducting field and laboratory soil research
analysis of crops grown and fertilizers applied to the soil
development of a fertilizer system on the farm
conducting phenological observation
carrying out soil-geographical and agro-soil zoning of territories
compilation of soil, environmental and agrochemical maps
solving problems related to soil protection
introduction of erosion control methods, use of chemical agents
introduction of production mechanization systems
development and implementation of standards for environmental regulation of the state of land resources, natural waters and forests
drawing up an ecological passport of the soil cover, carrying out its certification and cadastral assessment
carrying out sanitary and hygienic examination of the quality of crop products

Professional skills and knowledge

possession of knowledge in the field of genetic soil science, biology, land management, geography, geology, agrochemistry
knowledge of laws, regulations, orders, directives, decisions and other legal acts of state authorities and local governments on issues related to chemicalization of agriculture and environmental protection
knowledge of methods of sampling soils, fertilizers, crop products
knowledge of the rules for maintaining the necessary documentation
ability to use modern field and laboratory equipment
knowledge of computer programs for work in the field of soil science, land reclamation, agrochemistry, ecology, soil-landscape design and soil conservation
possession of practical skills acquired on expeditions and during summer field internships

Personal qualities

accuracy
observation
good memory
analytic skills
penchant for hard work
attentiveness

Pros of the profession

opportunity to work outdoors
Availability of business trips and trips

Cons of the profession

low salary

Place of work

soil and agrochemical laboratories
agricultural enterprises
agro-industrial and forestry enterprises
farms
environmental control and environmental management authorities
in design and research institutes (for example, the Ministry of Agriculture)
in research institutes and organizations (for example, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
state cadastral institutions (for example, the Federal Real Estate Cadastre Agency)
land resources committees
construction, architectural and design organizations

Salary and career

Despite the fact that the popularity of the profession of soil scientist is growing, there are still few graduates of specialized faculties. For the most part, the reason for this is the low salaries of soil scientists. So, the average income of a beginning soil scientist is about 15,000 - 20,000 rubles; experienced specialists receive approximately 30,000 rubles. Land managers can expect little more than that.

Education

Carrying out activities in the field of agrochemistry and soil science planning, organizing and conducting field and laboratory soil research analysis of grown crops and fertilizers applied to the soil development of a fertilizer system on the farm conducting phenological observation conducting soil-geographical and agro-soil zoning of territories drawing up soil, environmental and agrochemical maps solving problems related to the protection of soil cover, the introduction of methods to combat erosion, the use of chemicals, the introduction of production mechanization systems, the development and implementation of standards for environmental regulation of the state of land resources, natural waters and forests, the preparation of an environmental passport of the soil cover, its certification and cadastral assessment, the sanitary and hygienic examination. quality of crop products

A soil scientist is a specialist who studies the soil cover of the Earth.

Specifics of the profession

Professional skills and knowledge

Personal qualities

Pros of the profession

Cons of the profession

low salary

Place of work

Today, hundreds of thousands of yesterday’s schoolchildren are faced with the question: where to go to study next? Some people have known the answer for a long time, while others still choose and doubt.

Faculty of Biology, Geography, Chemistry - most graduates here understand everything. But soil science is not taught in schools, so few people know what is hidden behind this name. And a lot is hidden: from the study of chemical processes and microbial communities in soils to global environmental problems and issues of state cadastral registration.

To eliminate all doubts and help with choice, the Faculty of Soil Science is beginning to publish a series of reviews from its students and graduates.

The section is updated regularly. If you would like your review to be published here, please send it to: Secretary of the Admissions Committee Pozdnyakov L.A. to the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You must have JavaScript enabled to view it.

During these 4 years there was everything: funny and sad, light and heavy, tasty and not so tasty. However, I can say that this time was not in vain. The education that our faculty provides can be considered unique, in the sense that it is rare to find such a wide range of disciplines under the guidance of the scientific elite. Of course, not everything we went through was useful, but this is purely everyone’s business. In any case, the information left an imprint. But it’s not even about the subjects, it’s not about being the best university in the country, it’s not about authority and ratings. MSU teaches you to be independent. MSU knocks down the arrogance of the “smart guys” and gives a helping hand to the conscious ones. The university begins to sort from the moment of additional entrance tests until the very last stage of study. This is the same “bottleneck” that selects the fittest, most persistent and confident. And this is valuable. Well, while the first stage has been completed, what awaits us - “the sea remains silent.” And sooner or later we will emerge from this sea onto land.

Chekin M.R., graduate 2017, department. soil biology

Studying at the faculty is a fairy tale if this is really the calling of your whole life, and since childhood you have been chasing bugs, trying to plant lemons and drawing treasure maps. We were taught everything! And I have already managed to use almost everything that the faculty gave me in my life. For example, as part of the first-year geodesy course, we were taught how to use theodolites, and the following summer I was given the opportunity to demonstrate these skills at the dacha while building a house. Everyone was delighted and pleasantly shocked! And I was proud of myself and once again realized that this is what interests me, and that’s why everything works out for me.

And in addition to knowledge, the faculty gives a broad outlook. Well, when else in your life will you spend a month in tents and get to Volgograd, stopping at the salt lake Baskunchak!? Zonalka is the best memory of my student days. Besides the memories and knowledge in the faculty, people usually make good friends for the rest of their lives. Firstly, because you have similar interests, and secondly, because on-site internships bring you very close to your classmates.

Four years have flown by like one day, and now we are all busy with pre-graduation chores and dreams of the future. In the summer, the doors of the faculty will open in order to release us into a big world full of opportunities, and for some, the faculty will allow a little walk, and in September it will be waiting for a visit again.

Teachers and classmates became a second family, and the faculty building became a second home, and all this will remain with us forever! There are not enough words to describe my gratitude and respect to everyone who is part of the Soil Science Department! Every teacher will remain in my heart, because thanks to them all we have become more mature, smarter, more attentive and kinder.

That's all, I wish happiness and good luck to everyone who read my story. I wish future students to make the right choice, successfully pass the exams and enroll in the faculty of their dreams. We did it - and you can too!

Ulyanova A., future graduate of 2016, Department of General Soil Science, direction of soil science

Just yesterday I knew that I would write about Moscow State University. But I didn’t think about what exactly.

In the evening I approached the elevator in DAS when its door was already closing. There was a young man inside talking on the phone. He saw me and pressed the elevator delay button. Very nice thank you)

Already from the context of the telephone conversation, it became clear that he had studied for 4 years and was planning to enroll in a master’s program. A brief search of options boiled down to the obvious: “I don’t want to go to these charagas. I decided to come here and I’ll do it...”

"I decided, I'll do it, I can do it."

Another place where I often hear these words is precisely among MSU students. I don't want to say that others are worse. It’s just that everyone here is the first to be like this.

MSU is good. Not with education or equipment, but with people. I studied for four years at the most friendly faculty, side by side with the best students. We graduated as ecologists - real generalists - who can do everything, even write in C++.

We prepared for the session together through sleepless nights, and then hung out. We walked through fields, forests and swamps. We dug soil sections, studied climatology, collected a herbarium... And at night we hung out again.

We divided the chocolate into 100,500 pieces, slept seven in a four-person tent and made do with one bucket of water instead of a shower.

And all this might sound terrible if it weren’t for these people in the photo.
The best.

Akhtyamova R.R., graduate 2017, department. soil geography

I'll tell you my story.

At the time I received my student card from the Faculty of Soil Science, whose admissions committee I was assigned to by fate, I had little idea what my time would be devoted to. I can say for sure that only “hereditary” soil scientists (usually there are 3-7 such people in a course) have a clear idea of the activities of the faculty and what is studied there. For everyone else, this is revealed over time. In fact, there is some kind of romance in this: it’s interesting to study something that other people don’t even think about. And I’m not talking now about all the diversity of soils that exist on our planet, no, I’m talking about the possibility of imagination. Everything, absolutely everything is studied at the Faculty of Soil Science.

I will not list the subjects (the admissions committee will always be happy to show you), but I assure you that no one will be bored here. The first year 2 curriculum does not differ very much between departments, but over time, you will need to make a responsible choice based on your interests. Teachers go along with almost every idea of their student. For example, my diploma was partly devoted to the study of radioactivity in my native region, and for me it was not only very interesting, but also extremely educational.

And now I work in a well-known analytical center in the Reagent Control and Radiometry Sector. A lot of the knowledge I acquired at the Department of Radioecology and Ecotoxicology allows me to feel like a specialist in this field. I really like the work. During my work, I have already completed an internship, went on business trips, prepared several reports and presented them at conferences and all-Russian seminars.

Most serious companies hire employees with experience. However, as a graduate of Lomonosov Moscow State University, a specialist in the field of radioecology and ecotoxicology, I was hired immediately, albeit after a long and serious interview. From my experience working at a think tank, I learned that when hiring a young specialist and moving up the career ladder, work experience during study is of great importance, both from the point of view of acquiring professional skills and in formal terms. We, graduates of the Faculty of Soil Science, completed internships several times over several weeks, and this is noted in our diploma. The Faculty of Soil Science, with its extensive departments and numerous general and special courses, provides fundamental knowledge in almost all areas of soil science and ecology, which allows graduates to find, sooner or later, exactly the job that satisfies them. As is well known, he who seeks always finds. And sometimes it happens that the job itself finds you.

After 5 years of studying at the Faculty of Soil Science, I can say for sure that I will remember all these years throughout my life. We will never forget field practices, all the emotions, discoveries and experiences, and most importantly, the invaluable life experience that we gained together and which will remain with us forever.

If you love adventure, exploring the world around you, and most importantly, learning, the Faculty of Soil Science will undoubtedly interest you. Go for it! And, most importantly, find yourself in this life.

Tikhonova M.O., graduate 2014, department. Radioecology and Ecotoxicology, Department of Ecology

The Department of Radioecology is relatively small, so there is a friendly atmosphere there. Studying at the department, despite the heavy workload, was easy, the learning process was interesting. The knowledge gained in special courses has practical application in the process of further work activity.

After graduating from university, I got a job as an environmental engineer in the field of engineering and environmental surveys. A huge advantage when applying for a job was that I understood what I had to do and how to complete the assigned tasks, for which many thanks to the teachers of the department!

Hello to all those who doubt and empathize!

I am a 2015 graduate of the Department of Ecology, Department of Soil Chemistry. At the moment I am studying for a master's degree in Japan (I am engaged in the analysis of geological processes). During my 3rd year, I studied as an exchange student in Tokyo for a year and studied processes in the atmosphere. The Department of Soil Science gives you a huge choice of areas to study, as you may have already noticed from my description. And what’s most important is that you can understand them. Strongly recommend ;)

About training

It's fun. Fun and interesting. This would be enough for me, but I don’t know about you, so read more

You will have many (but not so much that you won’t be able to breathe out) courses, including at other faculties of Moscow State University. So this is a definite plus. The disciplines will be biological, chemical, economic, physical... in general, you will most likely definitely like something.

There are fewer students than in other faculties, so the professors are all yours, so to speak. Please always help and explain.

About student life

You will have practice (you go to nature, do science, communicate, etc.) and this is also fun. In general, it seems to me that studying is quite interesting if you combine business with pleasure, but you will only be able to find the right balance when you become a student.

Since you will be able to navigate a large number of areas, you will most likely like some of them and you will have quite a lot of free time compared to other faculties, so I strongly advise you not to forget about self-development. There is a very good chance that you will become more successful than others by understanding this earlier. So the Faculty of Soil Science gives you everything for a successful start in life, wherever you decide to put your efforts.

The faculty and university have played a huge role in my life, but you shouldn’t rely on them alone. Your destiny is in your hands, move and you will be happy!

Mindaleva D., graduate 2015, department. Soil Chemistry, Department of Ecology and Environmental Management

Did you know that you can study biology at Moscow University not only at the Faculty of Biology? The Department of Soil Biology of the Faculty of Soil Science trains strong specialists who occupy leading positions both in microbiology and in related fields - genetics, hydrobiology, ecology, medicine, biotechnology, food industry, criminology and many other fields of activity.

Since its founding, the department has graduated more than 600 students, half of whom became candidates of science, and forty became doctors.

Faculty of Soil Science - the door to a new world

1. “Natural accident”

It seems like just yesterday I graduated from school with flying colors, but had absolutely no idea what to do in the future. Yes, I wanted something interesting, natural science, “related to biology.” There was an idea about a biology department, but the need to “dissect frogs” there was wildly frightening, so after graduating from school there was no specific “focus” or desire to go anywhere in particular. There was a desire to do some interesting science.

While looking through the options for where I could go with my favorite biology, I came across soil science, which at that time seemed something not very clear to me. “Listen, dad, what do you think, for example, is the Faculty of Soil Science interesting?” - “You have to think, I’m a physicist, far from this... But it seems that many important interesting questions can be solved there, for example, how different soils can be improved, made more fertile... I would get involved.” I decided to enroll: Moscow State University, biological science, and I usually managed to get myself interested in something very quickly.

2. “Feelings from the process”

The first year was the most difficult: university loads that were unusual for me at that time, a huge number of new complex subjects, constantly emerging school gaps in the main disciplines: chemistry, mathematics, geography... A holistic image of the soil system was still difficult to emerge then. Very unusual for me in format and extremely interesting summer practices after the first year helped me “feel” our subject and its “surroundings”: vegetation, geology and geomorphology really determine the direction of soil formation and the “look” of the soil. But my eyes finally opened to zonal and local patterns of soil formation towards the end of the second year after the subject “soil geography”. It’s an indescribable feeling when you realize where on Earth what soils are, why they are the way they are, when you can predict what the soil will look like in a particular place...

What I found most interesting in soil science were the questions of the genesis and evolution of soils (according to what laws soils form and develop, what can affect the formation of a specific type of soil, what can change the course of soil formation...). The selection of a scientific supervisor and further research followed in this direction. Thanks to the Department of Soil Geography and my scientific supervisor, I was lucky enough to participate in expeditions to study the soils of the New Jerusalem Monastery, to study the internal and spatial organization of texturally differentiated soddy-podzolic soils, and to study mountain soils of Altai. Expeditions are always a sea of new knowledge, emotions and impressions.

3. “What is the main thing in science?”

At the moment, I am studying in detail multilayer carbonate deposits on skeletal fractions in Altai cryoarid soils: each microlayer in these deposits has its own internal organization, respectively, each of them was formed under the influence of different processes and conditions. As a result, it is possible to reconstruct the nature of changes in the natural environment in the studied region. The faculty cooperates with many scientific organizations. My work is now one of the areas of research at the Laboratory of Geography and Soil Evolution of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences on extreme soil formation, supported by grants from the Russian Science Foundation and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. I am sure that in any other area of study at the faculty, you can also find an interesting topic for yourself and do what brings you pleasure - this is the most important thing for successful scientific work.

4. "New glasses"

Our teachers are wonderful, interesting people. At the lectures, everyone revealed our subject (soil) for us from a new angle. Often during classes there was a feeling of high from the awareness of general global patterns and ingeniously logical, previously unknown to me, features of the structure or functioning of the soil and everything that surrounds us. Thanks to faculty courses and compulsory disciplines taught at other faculties of Moscow State University, we received a holistic scientific picture of the world.

5. The need for soil science

Understanding the functioning of soils in the future makes it possible to “manage” them: to predict all possible changes under the influence of certain factors, to direct the development of their properties in the direction we need. This could be the key to solving fertility and food problems in regions of our planet. The fact that 2015 has been designated by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Soils suggests that people far from soil science are also beginning to realize how irreplaceably important soils are for humanity: their study, protection, improvement, and rational use.

We can confidently conclude that soil science is a necessary, very interesting and multifaceted science, where everyone can choose an area to their liking, deal with current issues and then successfully go into the applied or scientific field.

Konoplyanikova Yu., graduate 2015, department. Soil Geography, Department of Soil Science

Applicants who are interested in chemistry and ecology will definitely be interested in information about the employment of their graduates, which is collected by the Department of Soil Chemistry:

Information about graduates of 2007-2015 is now available. The section is updated regularly.

Who would you like to become?

Today I am a graduate of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. And just a few years ago I was an ordinary schoolgirl from the distant Ulyanovsk region. In those young years, I had no idea that I would be able to enter and study at the best university in our country. Since childhood, I was interested in observing nature, I loved trips to the forest, where my dad taught me to recognize birds and pick the “right” mushrooms and berries.

But I began to seriously study ecology in the 9th grade. It was then that I learned how fragile the beauty of the surrounding world is and how much depends on human activity. Together with the biology teacher, who discovered such an interesting subject for me, we conducted research and participated in environmental competitions and conferences. The final touch of our work was the victory in the All-Russian Olympiad for Schoolchildren in Ecology, which gave me the right to enter any university that trains environmental specialists, without entrance tests. My choice fell on Lomonosov Moscow State University.

At that time, I knew little about the Faculty of Soil Science. The first acquaintance with him occurred in July 2010, when my mother and I came to submit documents to the admissions committee. I remember how I enthusiastically asked the secretary about what they were doing here, what they were teaching, and whether there were scientific conferences and Olympiads. I cannot help but note the fact that I immediately liked the interior of the faculty: corridors lined with wood, classrooms with majestic desks at which more than one generation had sat - all this creates an atmosphere of fundamentality of the university and education in it (the famous expression immediately comes to mind: theater starts with a hanger...).

This is how my student life began. We did not have a division between soil scientists and ecologists from the first year; the direction of training was chosen after the second year of study, when we had practice in Chashnikovo and a unique zonal practice. I chose soil science, the second step was choosing a department, which, I admit, was not easy. I attended open days, consulted with teachers and friends. I wanted to fill the lack of information about laws in the field of land relations, so the Department of Land Resources and Soil Assessment became my home department.

At special courses they talked about procedures for assessing damage caused by various types of pollution, about legislation in the field of waste, about soil grading, about regulating anthropogenic impact, they taught how to calculate the cadastral value of land, and showed modern methods of bioindication and biotesting.

The course on environmental assessment ended with an internship in an organization involved in the preparation of engineering and construction documentation and the development of technical regulations, after which it became clear how to apply the knowledge gained at the university directly in practice. If you wish, you can always find a job in your specialty, or you can continue your studies further in master’s and postgraduate studies. Which path to choose is up to you!

In conclusion, I would like to say the wonderful words of one teacher that there were two important events in my life - birth and admission to Moscow State University!

Astaikina A., graduate 2015, department. Land Resources and Soil Assessment, Department of Soil Science

The science. Teachers, many of whom are cutting-edge scientists, will open the door to science for you. The same one that you may have seen in the series “The Big Bang Theory”, but much more interesting and real. It will be a gradual immersion - from the basics to the cutting-edge scientific research that makes the lives of millions of people better. And you will have the opportunity to participate in this.

Trips. Field practices and expeditions will give you the opportunity to feel like a traveler and discoverer; a person who “has been, seen and knows.” This is a huge layer of life experience - human relationships, interesting tasks and many adventures. Believe me, you will later remember this time as the best years of your life.

The art of performing. Defending term papers and dissertations, preparing essays will allow you to learn how to speak in front of an audience, make reports and presentations, which will come in handy more than once in your later life, no matter what you do in the future. I am extremely grateful to our teachers who “chased us” to present abstracts and pre-defenses - this is perhaps one of the most useful skills in “adult life”.

Fundamental education. A huge number of interesting subjects taught by the best teachers from all faculties of the University. That same fundamental education that is often talked about abroad as the strength of Russian scientists. You will be savvy in everything, it broadens your horizons and gives you some “wisdom”; understanding of how the world around us works.

A sea of possibilities. By the way, about other faculties. As a student at Moscow State University, you are free to visit other faculties and listen to any lectures there, sometimes incredibly interesting! You can get a second diploma, learn several languages, and most importantly meet many interesting people from other faculties.

Sport. While studying at the faculty, you will be able to attend many sections completely free of charge - from various martial arts to gymnastics and chess. The sports traditions of Moscow State University are strong, and under the guidance of professional coaches you can have a good time and even achieve serious sports results. The first year I went to the pool, where I was taught to swim well. Then there was boxing. Then I went to the shooting range, where we shot at the shooting range twice a week (I repeat once again - all this is free!). After that, I studied karate in our Moscow State University section, where I sometimes come to this day. We took part in competitions and won quite often. You won’t find such sports (and other) infrastructure anywhere else.

You are in demand. Returning to the practical result of studying at the faculty - here you are given the opportunity to master an extremely wide range of very different professions, many of which are in demand in Russia and abroad. I work in information technology, my scientific work was at the intersection of natural sciences and IT. Few faculties can give their graduates such a wide range of knowledge, allowing them to work on equal terms with specialized specialists in related and even exact sciences and the humanities. The faculty provides this opportunity with interest. Everyone will be able to find something that interests them. I was convinced of this more than once when I saw our graduates working in a variety of industries - from the oil industry and natural resources to civil service, design... and even programmers :) If you are not sure what profession to choose, then the Faculty of Soil Science will help you decide. Here you can figure it out, try everything and find your life’s work. If you already know what you want, the faculty will allow you to develop your talent and become one of the best in your field.

Rybalsky N., graduate 2008, department. soil geography

To the question: “Why did you choose the Faculty of Soil Science?” - It is very difficult to answer unequivocally. Many of us, as applicants, had no idea what kind of faculty this was, what subjects students took, and where they could go to work after graduation. My choice was based on the fact that at school I most liked studying natural science subjects, such as biology, chemistry, and geography. But to tell the truth, what most attracted my attention was the section of biology called ecology, which I did not study at school as a separate subject and, unfortunately, at the time of admission I had very little idea about this science.

What are the pros and cons, you ask? One of the main advantages, in my opinion, is that in the first years we are given knowledge in various subjects, and by the third year we are already well informed in matters of chemistry, botany, zoology, geography, physics and many other subjects. After the second year, other highly specialized disciplines are studied, in the department of ecology these are, in particular, radioecology, the study of the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, human ecology, etc. Unfortunately, one cannot do without disadvantages: since the field of ecology is relatively new in our faculty, and changes are introduced to the course, programs change annually.

As for the degree of study load, it is quite acceptable; there is free time left for your own interests.

The question may arise, why exactly the department of ecology at the Faculty of Soil Science, and not other faculties, such as geography or biology? The answer is quite simple: our main advantage is that we know how the soil is structured, about its types and processes occurring in it, in general, about everything that concerns soils! We must understand that soil science is an integral ally of ecology in matters of the cycle of substances and other global processes related to the environment.

It is no secret that many of us, when entering the Faculty of Soil Science, initially aspired to another, perhaps more popular and well-known one. But now, asking their classmates if they regret that they were not able to get where they wanted, they proudly answer that they are very happy with the choice they made in favor of our faculty several years ago.

After graduating from university, you have a choice of where to get a job. In particular, you can go to work for foreign companies, but you will need to know the language! The faculty has established cooperation with foreign universities and student exchange. You can go to government agencies, to laboratories that analyze soil, water and air samples. Probably, future ecologists dream of working for Transneft and Gazprom, and our graduates work there. We can definitely say that we have room to grow!

Klimova A., graduate 2015, department. Soil Biology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Management

What is Zonalka? This is a practice that clearly illustrates the work of V.V. Dokuchaev "To the doctrine of natural zones". Students travel across Russia for three weeks from Moscow to Volgograd, making stops in the deciduous forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones and studying changes occurring in plant and soil cover. This is life in tents, food from a field kitchen, herbariums and soil sections, a fire, a guitar and unforgettable impressions.

Why soil science?

Rarely does anyone at the age of 16-17 clearly understand what kind of profession they have chosen. And few people know the specialty of soil scientist. None of my friends had heard anything about it at all. When they find out that you have applied to Moscow State University, they are delighted, but then they ask again: “Soil science? What is this?” And the time comes for painful explanations of what it is, although you yourself still don’t really understand what it costs.

Acquaintances, by the way, lag behind with questions, content with the fact that “it looks like geography, geology and biology.” But in your head there are only more questions.

So who are soil scientists? What is interesting about a particular faculty at Moscow State University? What happens to soil scientists after graduating from university and where can they apply the newly acquired and neatly stored knowledge? First things first.

Soil scientists are broad-spectrum specialists. The object of their close attention is the soil - the fertile layer of the Earth. They study its physical and chemical properties, soil inhabitants, deal with the problems of cleaning soils contaminated, for example, with petroleum products, questions of genesis and assessment of the general “usefulness” of soils in specific regions, landfills, for humans.

At the Faculty of Soil Science at Moscow State University there are many departments of narrow specializations, and you can read more about each of them on the website or ask specific questions to their representatives. I will tell you about the faculty as a whole. There are two directions - soil and environmental. The difference is that soil scientists have more chemistry, a longer field stage of practice in Chashnikovo, more special courses on soil formation processes and soil classifications; For ecologists, the program includes not only “soil” ecology, but also general biosphere processes.

Of course, one of the most interesting things in the life of soil scientists is field practice. After the 1st and 3rd courses - at the soil station in Chashnikovo - an hour's drive along the Leningradskoye Highway from Moscow.

1st year is engaged in botany (they walk through meadows and forests, collect a herbarium, learn Latin), geology (trips and trips to floodplains, ravines, describe landscapes, draw geological sections, profiles and maps, bring samples of minerals and soils from routes, make a small collection ), geodesy (teams obtain an experimental site and map it using the results of theodolite and leveling surveys) and, of course, general soil science (dig sections, describe them, take samples).

The 3rd year student undergoes practical training in soil physics (conducting routine temperature observations, sampling the gas phase of soils and its analysis, determining the particle size distribution and properties such as field moisture capacity, heat capacity, etc.), in agriculture (excursions to the hangars of agricultural machinery and to our friendly Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, where they are shown “a century of experience,” experimental plots with flax and potatoes grown using Dutch technology, they are told about point farming, in Chashnikovo they are shown in action the operation of a tractor with a plow and harrows, students measure the distance between rows and other indicators) , on soil erosion (observations of the erosive activity of rivers and other watercourses, drawing up erosion hazard maps and forecasting the situation with recommendations from students for protecting land) and on soil cartography (teams draw up soil maps of the polygons allocated under their responsibility - they lay several sections, about fifty pits and diggings, samples are taken and their agrochemical analysis is carried out, the results of the analysis are displayed on maps).

The practice of environmentalists in Chashnikovo is somewhat different.

But leisure is shared!

These are volleyball, games of "Mafia", football matches with locals and among themselves, impromptu concerts with guitars, where both students and teachers are happy to perform good and favorite songs, themed parties and, of course, a bonfire - a purely student event in the forest with fire and guitars. The teachers, by the way, have their own fires)) the plan also includes several excursions, almost always different ones.

After the 2nd year, the faculty sends students to zonal practice - generally a unique phenomenon for Moscow universities. This is a journey across Russia along the entire course, stopping at a tent camp, food prepared in a field kitchen, long drives between soil and climatic zones and the magical feeling of changing the landscape from north to south, and night fires. In this practice, people get to know people very well, the course becomes even more united and students discover a lot of new things. Here they do botany - they again collect a herbarium, listen to lectures, learn Latin; and soil science - they dig sections and describe such diverse zonal and intrazonal soil types. There are also small excursions on erosion and ornithology. And in addition, students of the Faculty of Biology from the Department of Geobotany are traveling with soil scientists.

You can usually swim where there are bodies of water nearby. There are excursions to the Soil Institute named after. Dokuchaev, where they will talk about the “stone steppe”, and at the Khrenovskaya stud farm, in Yasnaya Polyana - the estate of L.N. Tolstoy - and to some other interesting place.

After the 3rd year, there is still an industrial practice - it’s up to someone to come to an agreement with the scientific supervisor: you can go on an expedition or conduct experiments in a laboratory or go to an international conference. After the 4th year, there is usually a general departmental and industrial internship - again, it depends on the department and the agreement with the academic instructor.

By the way, you should choose a scientific supervisor so that both the person and the topic of the scientific work are interesting to you - then you will get a good tandem and you will be comfortable working.

After graduating from the faculty or already in their senior years, soil scientists get jobs in a wide variety of places, for example, environmental control services at enterprises (including the oil and gas sector). Graduates of the Department of Soil Biology have a specialty as microbiologists - they are gladly hired by pharmaceutical companies - to grow yeast to obtain vitamins, in the food industry, and analytical laboratories. Soil scientists are highly valued even in forensic science; you can get a job in a SES laboratory, and, of course, in agricultural institutions and companies. Soil physicists have the necessary knowledge to be successful landscape designers, and those who are involved in the cleanup of contaminated lands and their reclamation are in great demand in relevant industries. You can find work both on business trips and field expeditions, and stationary - in the laboratory. There is the possibility of postgraduate study and further advancement in the academic world. Who likes what? The main thing is to understand what interests you and brings you pleasure.

Love yourself, enjoy life and don't give up!

Garmash A., graduate 2015, department. Soil Biology, Department of Soil Science

My path to graduate school in soil science is somewhat unique. My acquaintance with him began in 2001, when I entered the first department of the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University. At that time, I had little idea about the neighboring faculty and, unfortunately, was not familiar with its students. After graduating from the Faculty of Biology, I continued to work as a physiologist in one of the Moscow clinics. However, even while completing his thesis at the Institute of Molecular Biology named after. V.A. Engelhardt, I first thought about studying the ecology of microorganisms using molecular biological methods.

I was lucky enough to find a laboratory in which I was able to realize all my wildest ideas and try absolutely innovative methods for studying microorganisms. The research group of Alexey Lvovich Stepanov at the Faculty of Soil Science became such a place of inspiration and implementation of ideas in science. Thanks to maintaining a competent balance between the freedom of action of young researchers and careful planning of research, which has always been a priority in the work of Alexey Lvovich, I was able to begin my work in a completely new direction. The faculty, as it turned out, easily attracts people from outside into its orbit, and gives its students the opportunity to become exceptionally multidisciplinary specialists. This is very important because today's job market requires applicants with a wide range of skills and experience even before starting a full-time career. The Faculty of Soil Science can gain multidisciplinary knowledge and practical skills in ecology, biology, molecular biology, geography, agricultural chemistry and physics, and then develop a career in science, agribusiness, quality control or consulting. The faculty has a remarkably developed system of international cooperation - to such an extent that every interested student can get an internship opportunity at the best European universities, and the class schedule provides the opportunity for part-time work or initial scientific activity even from the first year.

And here I will reveal a secret that few applicants realize. The Faculty of Soil Science is the birthplace of enormous perspectives and opportunities that can change your life forever. For example, after receiving my first results on the identification of ammonium-oxidizing archaea in soddy-podzolic soil, I received a letter from Professor Prosser from the University of Aberdeen (Aberdeen, England) with a proposal to continue research in his laboratory. The good reputation of the Department of Soil Science and the fame of Alexey Lvovich’s work played a key role in the fact that I was lucky enough to carry out a number of my experiments in one of the best laboratories in the world.

For me personally, the faculty expanded my horizons, tied all my knowledge together and opened up prospects for development in a completely new direction.

I wish you good luck and believe in yourself!

Cherobaeva A., graduate student of the Department of Soil Biology in 2008-2011