Exchange experience at the PAST-Centre, Tomsk State University

Student Joaquin Zenteno Hopp (ESST master program TIK UiO) writes about his experience as an exchange student.

Tomsk is an active, youthful and large student town full of joy and vitality. It is a place of history, nature and constant cultural activities. Safe, economically accessible, and always full of people curious and happy to meet foreigners. This is a feeling I had from the very first day and up to the last moment I was at Tomsk.

The PAST-Centre, which stands for “Research Center for Policy Analysis and Studies of Technologies”, is a small institution, but engaged with unique perspectives within science and technology studies. The Center has as special focus on social studies of science, technology and medicine, and there are in-house researchers that work with space-waste policies and policy innovation in non-Western countries. Nevertheless, I was very surprised to see that they are very open and flexible for new topics. The staff and students are motivated, guided by progressive visions within STS, and always seemingly happy to give a hand when needed.

The specific interest on medicine and STS at the PAST Centre is on clinical trials and laboratorial studies, taking special concern on ethics and humans as a subject of research. Researchers at PAST-C take a special emphasis on qualitative research and on the need to understand local contexts, cultural variables and political conditions in relation to universal standards. This perspective turns extremely interesting when addressed in the Russian-Siberian context. A unique opportunity for any student or researcher coming from a western mindset.

The general conditions that TIK provided me for housing, food and other expenses were more than enough for a good living. I was able to work well, make many good friends and learn a lot. The university has several spaces for study and recreation, and a quite active student community. There are several cultural options, specially related to art, music and history. The only problem is that most things, if not almost everything, is in Russian. Few local people talk and understand English, so this is in itself a big experience.

The city is full of amazing buildings of wooden architecture where one can see the vestiges of a troublesome and intense history. The university in itself is the result of the historical combination between the impressive architecture from the Tsar’s time and the typical soviet blocks. There are also beautiful natural spaces around the Tom River, which become intriguingly interesting as one identifies the famous chimneys of Seversk, a mysterious closed secret city build by the soviets for nuclear development and storage.

I had always perceived Siberia as an extremely exotic place, and that impression did not diminish after being there for five weeks. On the contrary, I left Siberia with a renewed feeling of having experienced a wonderful unusual part of our world. This perception stayed strong in me as I had the opportunity to take the Trans-Siberian train from Moscow to Tomsk, and used the time to read and read over three days and three nights, nonstop, while enjoying the ride. Forest, swamps, forest, forest, swaps, and only occasionally the vestiges of small towns… that is Siberia. One of the most distant and unique places on earth.  

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All photos: Joaquin Zenteno Hopp.
 
Published July 21, 2020 9:25 AM - Last modified July 21, 2020 9:32 AM