About us > Departments > Department of Environmental and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

Department of Environmental and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

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Завідує – доцент Voloshyn Petro

petro.voloshyn@lnu.edu.ua

The Department of Ecological and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology is one of the youngest at the Faculty of Geology – it was opened by Rector’s order № 612 on May 2, 1999. The prerequisite for the establishment of the Department was the introduction of ecological and geological direction both in scientific research and in the educational process in the 90s.

From the time of its foundation until 2001, the Department was headed by H.I. Rudko, Professor, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Geographical Sciences and Technical Sciences. From 2001 to 2004 the position of the Head of the Department was held by: Professor A.V. Pizniur, Professor V.V. Kolodii, Associate professor M.V. Lebedynets, and Associate professor V.V.Karabyn. From 2004 to 2009 the Department was headed by Professor V.V. Kolodii. Since 2009, the Department of Ecological and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology has been headed by Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate professor P.K. Voloshyn.

Today the Department has seven teachers and four employees of engineering and support staff. Their research interests lie in the field of engineering geology of urban systems, technogenic and ecological safety of mining areas, reclamation of lands affected by mining, soil geochemistry, landscape ecology, hydrogeology, hydrosphere ecology, environmental monitoring, environmental, ecological, and biological mineralogy.

Employees of the Department participate in the development, discussion, and adjustment of large-scale projects of recultivation of damaged lands, conduct long-term monitoring of the most geo-ecologically problematic areas of Western Ukraine, issue expert conclusions and comment on the state of the environment in the media.

The Department provides training for the following levels of higher education:

Bachelor:

–   101 Ecology (educational-professional program ‟Computer technologies in ecology and environmental quality management”),

– 103 Earth Sciences (educational and professional program “Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering”);

Master:

– 101 Ecology (educational and professional program “Environmental Management and Geotourism”);

– 103 Earth Sciences (educational and professional program “Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology”).

The Department has a training laboratory of ecological and geological research, which conducts practical and laboratory work on the courses of “engineering geology”, “hydrogeology”, “environmental geology”, and others. In the village of Verkhnie Syniovydne, Stryi district, Lviv region there is a field laboratory of ecological and geological research, where comprehensive training practices in geological and ecological-geological mapping, ecological-geological monitoring, etc. take place.

The Department has scientific relations with the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and “Naftogaz” of Ukraine, the Ukrainian State Geological Survey, OJSC “Geotechnical Institute”, OJSC “Girkhimprom”           , Department of Mining and Chemical Raw Materials, Academy of Mining Sciences of Ukraine Mining and Metallurgical Academy, Polish State Geological Institute, University of Warsaw.

The modern stage of geoecological research at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv began in 1994 when the Department of Methods for Prospecting and Exploration of Mineral Deposits was renamed the Department of Mineral Resources and Environmental Geology. At that time, under the initiative of the department head, Prof. A. Pizniur, the department invited the head of the Geological and Ecological Center of the Comprehensive Ecological and Geological Party of DGP “Zakhidukrgeologiya,” H. Rudko (later a professor, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical, Geographical, and Technical Sciences), Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor M. Boichuk, as well as assistants M. Bondarenko and R. Smetanka. These specialists played a crucial role in actively developing the now well-established field of ecological geology. The ideological contribution of the then Dean of the Faculty of Geology, Prof. O. Matkovskyi, was invaluable in shaping the department.

To support the successful functioning of this new direction in student training, educational programs and methodological guidelines were developed for key courses such as “Ecology of Mineral Extraction and Processing,” “Environmental Geology,” “Lithosphere Ecology,” “Geoecological Mapping,” “Methods of Geoecological Research,” “Monitoring of the Geological Environment,” and others. This provided the foundation for the establishment of a new specialization within the field of geology—Environmental Geology.

The Department of Environmental and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology was officially established on May 2, 1999, following Rector’s Order No. 612 dated 2.05.1999, based on the resolution of the Academic Council of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv from 24.02.1999 (Protocol No. 20/2). It was formed by separating from the Department of Mineral Resources and Environmental Geology. The first head of the department was Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences and Geography, Prof. H. Rudko.

The initial teaching staff was composed of faculty members and researchers from the department, including Professors H. Rudko and A. Pizniur, Associate Professors M. Boichuk and M. Lebedynets, and Assistant M. Bondarenko. The technical staff included Engineer L. Kovalska and Senior Laboratory Assistant O. Hinda. Over time, new faculty joined, such as Prof. V. Kolodiy, Associate Professors V. Kharkevych and Ye. Slyvko, Assistant (now Senior Lecturer) P. Nikolenko, Assistants (now Associate Professors) V. Karabin and V. Dyakiv, and later Assistants V. Marusiak, H. Buchatska, and Yu. Borutska.

In May 2001, Prof. H. Rudko moved to Kyiv to take the position of Head of the Department of Hydrogeological and Engineering-Geological Research at NAK “Nadra Ukrainy.” As a result, A. Pizniur was appointed as Acting Head of the Department, followed by Prof. V. Kolodiy in September of the same year, and Associate Professor M. Lebedynets in June 2002. In August 2003, M. Lebedynets went on a research internship in Poland, and Associate Professor V. Karabin was temporarily appointed as Acting Head. The department at that time also included Associate Professors I. Dudok, R. Pankiv, and T. Pavliuk, as well as Assistant A. Dvoryanskyi. In 2003, Prof. Yu. Krupskyi from DGP “Zakhidukrgeologiya” was invited as a part-time lecturer. In June 2004, Prof. V. Kolodiy was elected as Head of the Department through a competitive process, followed by Associate Professor P. Voloshyn in June 2009.

The teaching and research activities of the department focus on addressing key environmental issues, with a special emphasis on the geological environment as a crucial component of nature. Faculty research interests cover geoecological problems of mining and oil and gas extraction regions, hazardous geological areas, hydroecological, hydrogeological, and engineering-geological challenges in technogenically overloaded areas of Western Ukraine, land reclamation, and environmental monitoring.

For many years, the department trained specialists in the fields of ecology, environmental protection, and sustainable natural resource management (6.040106) for specialties 7.04010601 and 8.04010601 – Ecology and Environmental Protection, and 7.04010602 and 8.04010602 – Applied Ecology and Sustainable Natural Resource Management (Environmental Geology). In 2018, within the Ecology specialization, new bachelor’s and master’s educational programs were developed and approved, including “Computer Technologies in Ecology and Environmental Quality Management,” “Environmental Management and Geotourism,” and “Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology.” These programs fully align with the department’s name and scope.

Unfortunately, the department’s history also had a dark period. Despite the Faculty of Geology being the initiator of environmental education for bachelor’s, specialist, and master’s programs at the university, in November 2010, the admissions committee decided to discontinue student enrollment for the Bachelor’s program in Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Natural Resource Management in the Faculty of Geology and the Faculty of Geography. Only the Faculty of Biology was allowed to enroll ecology students. However, thanks to the persistent efforts of the department and the leadership of the Faculty of Geology, student enrollment was reinstated in 2014.

To support the training of highly qualified specialists, a field laboratory for geoecological research was established in Verkhnie Syniovydne in 2007. Students conduct field research there, including hydroecological monitoring of well and spring waters under the project “Pure Spring,” monitor underground water dynamics, and develop cartographic models of their ecological state.

In 2010, the department established a teaching laboratory for geoecological research, where students perform practical and laboratory work on studying the composition, water-physical, and physico-mechanical properties of rocks and simulate their potential changes under natural and technogenic factors.

The department has strong scientific collaborations with institutions such as the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, NAK “Naftogaz Ukrainy,” the Ukrainian State Geological Exploration Institute, the Polish State Geological Institute, and Warsaw University, among others.

Over 25 years, the Department of Environmental and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology has evolved rapidly—from pioneering a new environmental specialization in geology in Ukraine to developing new research directions in environmental protection, hydrogeology, and engineering geology.

Співробітники

завідувачPetro VOLOSHYNзавідувач
ПрофесорYurii KRUPSKYIПрофесор
ДоцентVasyl DYAKIVДоцент
ДоцентYevheniia SLYVKOДоцент
Асистент (сумісник)Hanna BUCHATSKAАсистент (сумісник)
АсистентIvan KNYSHАсистент
ІнженерValentyna MARUSYAKІнженер
АспірантTetiana SUSHKOАспірант

Методичні матеріали

Methodical materials of the Department of Ecological and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

  1. Knysh I. Fundamentals of cartography: Educational guide (for students of specialty 101 – “Ecology” and other natural specialties) / Ivan Knysh, Nadia Kremin – Lviv: Ivan Franko National University, 2021. – 236 p.
  2. Voloshyn P. K. Educational guide for practical works on discipline “Urban Ecology” for students of specialty 101 – Ecology / P.K. Voloshyn, I.B. Knysh, P.M. Mykolenko – Lviv: Ivan Franko National University, 2021. – 124 p.
  3. Voloshyn, P. Engineering Geology: educational guide for laboratory works (for students of specialties 101 – Ecology and 103 – Earth Sciences) / P. Voloshyn, G. Buchatska, N. Kremin – Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2021. – 110 p.
  4. X-ray determinant of minerals: a training manual for students and postgraduates of geological faculty / Compiled by: Khmelevskyi V.A., Dyakiv V.A. – Lviv: Ivan Franko Lviv National University, 2014. -175 p.
  5. Textbook on the course “Environmental Safety”. Part 1 for 2nd year students of the specialty 6. 070801 “Ecology and Environmental Protection” / Compiled by V. A. Dyakiv – Lviv: Private Enterprise “Kvart” Publishing House, 2011. – 90 p.
  6. Dyakiv V. Methodological instructions on conducting educational landscape – ecological practice for second-year students specialty 6.040106 – Ecology, environmental protection and balanced nature management / Compiled by V. A. Dyakiv – Lviv: 2008. – 43 p.