A visiting San Diego State University researcher is adding his expertise to the school’s College of Engineering as he waits for peace to return to his home country.
Andrii Maksymenko left his home country of Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion. He vividly remembers when he heard the first explosion.
“Four a.m., 24th of February, by the explosion at the nearby airfield,” he recalled. “It was about 10 miles from my home,” adding, "My daughter was very scared. She could not sleep at night.
Maksymenko continued, “We all were scared.”
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The U.S. Department of Energy invited Maksymenko to work at SDSU, adding his expertise to the school’s Powder Technology Lab. A school spokeswoman said Maksymenko specializes in creating computer models to improve the efficiency of sintering, which is the process that transforms small particles into solid materials and can be applied to a variety of applications, everything from artificial bone implants to fuel cells.
The 62-year-old researcher and professor brought his wife and 18-year-old daughter to San Diego but had to leave the rest of his family behind in Ukraine, including an adult son and his 85-year-old mother. He said he’s worried.
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“No electricity, no water — In many places, no heat during the winter,” Maksymenko said with a sigh. “It’s clear that the war will continue as long as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is alive.”
Maksymenko said his work keeps him busy, but his wife and daughter are anxious, and the war weighs on his mind.
“This war is absolutely irrational from my point of view,” Maksymenko concluded, “so it’s difficult to predict what will be tomorrow.”
Oddly enough, this is Maksymenko’s second stint at San Diego State. His daughter was born in San Diego during his previous tenure at the school 20 years ago.
