Based on the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Science, «The economic Stimulation of the Development of Science and International Cooperation», cooperation with foreign universities is carried out at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Department of Physical and Economic Geography, specialty «Hydrology» at the L.N. Gumilyov ENU. One of the cooperating universities with L.N. Gumilyov ENU is the University of Northumbria, Newcastle, England.
In this connection, from 9 to 14 October 2017, an international seminar was held at the Department of Physical and Economic Geography within the framework of the project «Improving of the model of hydrological forecasting of spring runoff and mitigating the consequences of spring floods in Kazakhstan based on the physical method and satellite data». This project is financed by the Newton-al-Farabi Foundation within the framework of the "Partnership of Enterprises and Universities in Kazakhstan" program and is being implemented from 2016-2018. Project Manager - Associate Professor of the Department of Physical and Economic Geography, Ph.D. Mashtaeva Shamshagul Ibragimovna. The partners of the project are the University of Northumbria, Newcastle, England; RSE «Kazgidromet» and ENU named after L.N. Gumilyov.
The aim of the seminar was to train participants in the skills of using satellite data to determine the snow cover, in river basins for the hydrological forecast during the spring flood.
At this seminar, participants were given the opportunity to study and analyze the maximum amount of snow cover in the ArcGIS program. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) manages and distributes a wide range of data to support research in the cryosphere (snow, ice, glaciers, frozen ground and atmosphere), including various satellite data sets. Information on these datasets, specifically about snow cover, seminar participants were able to find and receive free of charge on the NSIDC website. During the seminar, the participants analyzed snow phenomena and calculations of the snow area in the basin in the ArcGis program.
Specialists-hydrologists of RSE «Kazgidromet», young teachers of the Department of Physical and Economic Geography, undergraduates and senior students of the specialty «Hydrology» have taken part in the seminar. The seminar was conducted by Professor Venzhamin Brock, Head of the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Northumbria from England.
The field of research of master's theses and graduate works of undergraduates and students taking part in the seminar is the modeling of thawed runoff and this seminar has proved that it seems to be very useful and necessary for their further research and scientific work, the scientific supervisor of these undergraduates and students is Mashtaeva Shamshagul Ibragimovna, initiator and organizer of this workshop.
In general, the seminar was held at the highest level and turned out to be fruitful. The participants of the seminar were active and showed high interest and efficiency throughout the days. During the seminar, participants have received necessary skills and knowledge. The last day of the seminar was held in the form of solemn awarding of the certificates to participants and memorable photos.
At the end of the seminar Dean of the faculty of Natural Sciences of the ENU named after L.N. Gumilyov, Doctor of Medical, professor Shapekova Nelya Lukpanovna made a solemn speech and noted the need for the further cooperation with the University of Northumbria.
