Congratulations to Dr. Volodymyr Laptiev on successfully receiving his PhD award on 29 October 2026!
Congratulations to Dr. Volodymyr Laptiev on successfully receiving his PhD award on 29 October 2026! This milestone marks a significant achievement in advancing critical environmental science for Ukraine's post-war recovery.
By bridging expertise between Ukraine and Ireland, Dr. Laptiev's research addresses environmental effects from battery production plants in the Ukraine and comparison to the Irish landscape, developing bioremediation approaches.
Academic Journey & Collaborative Foundation
Dr. Laptiev’s Doctoral path reflects an extraordinary commitment to science amidst immense geopolitical adversity:
- The Ukrainian Foundation: He began his advanced research under the supervision of Prof. Natalie Ryzhenko at the State Ecological Academy of Post-Graduate Education and Management (Department of Ecology and Ecological Control) in Kyiv.
- The Irish Sanctuary & Support: Following the full-scale invasion in February 2022, he was supported by the TU Dublin Ukraine Crisis Fund. This crucial funding allowed him to continue his vital scientific work in Ireland from 2022 to 2026.
- Expert Mentorship: At TU Dublin, his research was guided by supervisors Dr. Furong Tian and Dr. Michelle Giltrap and, Prof. Natalie Ryzhenko at University of Rennes combining international expertise in ecotoxicology, environmental monitoring, and advanced biotechnology.
Core Research Focus:
Dr. Laptiev is actively channelling his research into bioremediation for the recovery of conflict-contaminated ecosystems in Ukraine.
Military conflicts leave behind a toxic legacy of heavy metals, explosive residues propellants, and fuel leaks that poison soil and groundwater. Dr. Laptiev’s new project will target remediation of these environmental problems through:
- Bioremediation: Utilizing naturally occurring plants to degrade, neutralize, or immobilize hazardous chemical pollutants in the soil.
- Phytoremediation: Deploying specific plants (hyperaccumulators) to absorb and stabilize heavy metal contaminants from conflict zones, creating a scalable, cost-effective "green" cleanup strategy.
- Ecosystem Resilience: Moving beyond simple decontamination to restore soil health, and biodiversity, ensuring these lands can safely support agriculture and community life in the future.
Volodymyr received his PhD from TU Dublin in 2026. In 2022, he served as a soldier in Ukraine. He is now celebrating this remarkable achievement alongside Dr. Furong Tian, Dr. Michelle Giltrap, Dr. Julie Dunne (Head of the School of Food Science and Environmental Health), Prof. John Doran (Director and Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Health), and Dr. Deirdre Lillis (President of TU Dublin).