USUST Professor Margarita Skyba featured in the new issue of Vogue Ukraine

Professor of the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies and Deputy Executive Secretary of the USUST Admissions Committee, Margarita Skyba, has become one of the researchers who featured in the latest issue of Vogue Ukraine. The magazine paid its special attention to  three Ukrainian women- scientists  who are shaping the modern image of science in Ukraine today.

 

In the publication, Margarita Skyba’s story reflects years of dedicated research, professional growth, and bold scientific decisions. She is presented as a researcher whose work successfully bridges fundamental science with practical solutions for modern industry.

 

Professor Skyba describes the beginning of her scientific journey quite simply – it started not with the ambition to make an experiment ‘perfect’,  but with the willingness to test an idea. Several years ago, her laboratory faced a choice –  to meticulously calculate every step or to trust intuition and simply try.

 

The experiment with gold nanoparticles, which she compares to ‘cooking  delicious borscht’, ultimately proved successful.

 

Today, the USUST professor focuses her research on the development of new functional materials, environmentally friendly technologies, and innovative approaches to waste processing. Her scientific activity is aimed not only at theoretical advancement, but also at implementing practical solutions for a greener and more efficient industry.

 

Recognition of these achievements came with her victory in the 2025 L’Oréal–UNESCO ‘For Women in Science’ Award, where Margarita Skyba was named one of the three best young women scientists in Ukraine. The distinguished jury highlighted her scientific accomplishments, publications, promising research directions, active contribution to science communication, and strong potential for future development.

 

At the same time, the scientist herself believes that true success cannot be measured solely by awards or titles. According to Margarita Skyba, the most valuable moments are those ‘when people hear you, when your opinion matters, and when you can genuinely influence the future’.

 

Over the past several years, her professional path has been marked by numerous significant achievements. In December 2024, she received the official academic title of Professor and was awarded the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine medal ‘Talent, Inspiration, Labor’. In 2025, she also became a laureate of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Prize for young scientists for her work titled ‘Novel Green Approaches to the Production of Functional Nanosystems for Targeted Applications’.

 

For USUST, Margarita Skyba’s achievements represent not only the personal success of a scientist, but also confirmation that the university continues to foster strong scientific schools, generate relevant ideas, and educate specialists who can represent Ukrainian science both nationally and internationally.

 

The story of Professor Margarita Skyba demonstrates that success is not a matter of luck, but rather a constant progress, readiness to experiment, courage to seek new solutions, and determination not to stop after achieving results. As Margarita Skyba herself admits, she once believed that every new stage would become easier, but eventually realized: ‘it never becomes easier, it simply becomes more interesting’. Perhaps this is the true sense of the scientific journey.