At the end of October, Olena Melnyk, candidate of technical sciences, associate professor, and senior researcher at the research department of Sumy National Agrarian University, gave a scientific presentation at the University of Missouri (Columbia, USA).
The event brought together scientists, experts in ecology and sustainable development, as well as representatives of university research centers studying the impact of global challenges on the environment and the agricultural sector.
In addition to her work at SNAU, Olena Melnyk is a senior research fellow at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and an honorary professor at the Royal Agricultural University (UK), which highlights her active participation in the international scientific community.
The topic of the scientist’s speech was the environmental component of the war in Ukraine — its consequences for climate policy, food security, and the restoration of natural resources. In her report, she emphasized that the war violates international strategies to reduce carbon emissions, slows down Europe’s “green” transition, and leads to the redirection of funding from environmental programs to defense needs. Particular attention was paid to the destruction of ecosystems, soil pollution, and the search for practical solutions for their rehabilitation.
In her report, Olena Melnyk stressed that the war has a multidimensional impact — not only military or political, but also environmental. It delays the implementation of international climate agreements, changes the structure of funding for sustainable programs, and creates additional risks for food security.
At the same time, Ukrainian scientists are already working on real solutions: soil restoration using industrial hemp, the use of miscanthus as a bioenergy crop, and the creation of artificial wetland systems for water purification and biodiversity restoration. According to the scientist, it is precisely these approaches that should form the basis of Ukraine’s future environmental policy.
“War knows no borders — but neither does science that restores,” said Olena Melnyk.
The University of Missouri and Lincoln University of Missouri, its partner in sustainable agriculture research, are among the leading institutions in the United States in the field of agricultural sciences. In particular, the University of Lincoln has the Hemp Institute, a research center that studies the potential of industrial hemp as a renewable raw material for green construction, energy, and soil reclamation.
Both universities are implementing joint projects on sustainable production, carbon footprint reduction, and climate-smart agriculture, in which representatives of the SNAU are also participating.
Sumy National Agrarian University expresses its sincere gratitude to colleagues from the University of Missouri, Lincoln University of Missouri, and the Hemp Institute for their support of Ukrainian research.
We are proud of Olena Melnyk — her professionalism and the fact that the voice of Ukrainian science is heard on the international stage. Together — towards ecological restoration, peace, and harmony with nature.
