Natalie Novoselska in Gdansk

I visited the University of Gdańsk (Gdańsk, Poland) between 20.09.2012 and 17.11.2012. As a theoretical chemist I worked under Work Package 3 (Development of novel structural descriptors for nanoparticles) of the project.

The primary aim of my work in UG was estimation of modified SiRMS descriptors for applicable nanoparticles’ description and development novel technique for risk assesment of nanoparticles. Because of my dissertation’s topic is very similar to major topic of third Work Package, I just had some results before my secondement was started. So, I can divide my work in UG into three parts.

Firstly, I finalized QSAR models for the data of fullerenes’ and inorganic nanoparticles’ superconductivity, which I started to construct in my home organization PCI. Results of interpretation and analysis of this task have been presented on conference YoungChem 2012.

In the second place was unification of databases from UG and PCI on toxicity. Thereafter I constructed some QSAR-models, using my own new method for the description of nano-objects. Both me and my supervisor, prof. Kuzmin, do interpretation of obtained models. Best models we included in paper as a result of successful collaboration with our Polish colleagues.

Last, but not least: I collected new database of such important properties as nanofluids’ thermal conductivity and viscosity. I am convinced that investigation as much as possible unusual properties can help us to understand unique nature of nanoparticles.

“Not only science, but also communication”. Perhaps this slogan can describe my secondement in UG. Besides work I practice situational Polish to communicate with colleagues. I liked it so much that I decided to learn this language in future. In the last week I did oral presentation in English for fellow employees and supervisors.

I was very pleased to work with group leader – professor Tomasz Puzyn and other workers of his scientific group which were very friendly with me.

So, what do I have? Experience of working in a new team, new friends, scientific paper, and also I increased self-esteem. I would be happy to collaborate with Laboratory of Environmental Chemometrics in the future.