Andrea Veiga, GCiencia.
Amid the chaos of a war that forced many Ukrainian researchers to abandon their laboratories, Dr. Oleg Dimitriev found a place of calm and scientific creation in Santiago de Compostela. He arrived in September at the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS), welcomed by the ERC for Ukraine program, a European initiative aimed at supporting scientists displaced by the conflict.
Manuel Souto, Principal Investigator at CiQUS and leader of the ElectroMolMat group, began registering for various European initiatives in 2022, coinciding with the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. His goal was to host Ukrainian refugees, especially researchers. The European Research Council (ERC) encouraged leading researchers in Europe to offer refuge to their Ukrainian counterparts.
This is how Dr. Dimitriev, who currently works at the Institute of Semiconductor Physics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv), managed to contact Souto in February through one of the lists circulated among Ukrainian researchers. Between drone attacks and air raid alarms, Dimitriev was seeking an escape route. "Based on the mutual interest and synergy between our research lines, he wrote to me about his experience," recalls the CiQUS researcher.
At his home institution, Oleg Dimitriev's research focuses on organic electronics, specifically the optical properties of organic molecules and conducting polymers. "I study different optical characteristics, such as absorption, photoluminescence, energy conversion, and other related properties," explains the researcher from Kyiv, a field also explored in Santiago: "Here, they synthesize organic molecules with interesting optical properties," he comments.
As explained by Manuel Souto, the ERC for Ukraine program was created to facilitate the hiring of displaced Ukrainian researchers. "They sought for principal investigators of ERC projects to hire and support Ukrainian personnel, always with a fit in their research line," he comments.
His stay, funded by Manuel Souto until the end of October, resulted in two intense and productive months, both scientifically and educationally, and even led to the beginning of a new collaboration. "I have experience not only in research but also in teaching," explains Dimitriev. In this regard, he developed a specialized course on the photophysics of organic molecules, which he had previously taught at Linköping University (Sweden).
Oleg's goal during his stay in Santiago, besides advancing his research, was to bring his knowledge to a new audience interested in organic photophysics. The initiative received an excellent response from both the University of Santiago and Manuel Souto himself from the beginning.
During the first two weeks of his stay, Oleg Dimitriev taught a course aimed at all students interested in the fundamentals of photophysics of organic molecules. Nearly thirty students attended the sessions of this training, which is structured in two parts and comprises twelve classes in total, of which only the first part was developed on this occasion.
"The first part focused on basic knowledge: excitation processes, transfer, conversion, and energy relaxation," explains Dimitriev, who emphasizes that all these processes are fundamental in his field of research. His main objective was for participants to acquire the ability to describe and understand these phenomena accurately.
These sessions were enriching, both for the teacher and the students. "Oleg Dimitriev shared his extensive experience in the field of organic photophysics," notes Manuel Souto, who highlights the high involvement of the students, reflected in their questions, responsibility, and interest in relating the course content to their own research projects.
Dimitriev's stay in Santiago also had an impact on research, as it led to the beginning of a collaboration with the ElectroMolMat group, which started even before his arrival at CiQUS. "He helped us interpret luminescence data and the optical properties of organic molecules, as an expert in photophysics," explains Manuel Souto.
With his move, the collaboration intensified and allowed the beginning of the writing of joint research articles. "It has been a very productive stay," adds Souto, because proximity facilitates interaction and the exchange of ideas.
Oleg Dimitriev's role within the group focuses on the interpretation of fluorescence data of particularly relevant organic molecules, analyzing emission spectra and their optical potential. "There are specific techniques in which he is an expert, and they allow us to better understand the luminescent properties of our molecules," says Souto, who highlights the complementary value he brings to the team's work.
Additionally, Dr. Dimitriev proposed a new project: an experiment to study the structural properties of molecules using X-ray diffraction. At this moment, the experiment is underway, opening new avenues of research.
The deepest lesson from this stay goes beyond scientific knowledge and enters the human realm: "For me, the most enriching thing is that you help a person who could be you," explains Manuel Souto. Hosting a researcher from a war-torn country highlights the human and solidarity value of science, which goes far beyond laboratories.
One of the most emotional moments Souto remembers is the one experienced on the first day of Oleg's arrival in Santiago, when the researcher was able to reunite with his daughters after two years without seeing them. Additionally, in the ElectroMolMat group, he found a second family: an international team where English is primarily spoken, and where Oleg integrated easily, participating in seminars and collaborating on the students' projects.
During his first week, Dimitriev dedicated himself to adapting to the new environment, which was completely new to him. Soon, however, Santiago de Compostela won his heart: "It is a small city, with many tourists and beautiful nature." He also highlights the mild climate, very different from the cold and intense rains of Ukraine during these autumn months. In his experience, he even dared to take a dip in the cold waters of the Atlantic.
"The important thing is to get out of this war situation, because staying in Ukraine is not very simple," says Dimitriev, who speaks from the tranquility and gratitude for the time he spends at CiQUS. For Souto, this experience summarizes an essential idea: "Science has no borders."
Oleg Dimitriev at CiQUS.
Oleg Dimitriev with members of the Electromolmat group.