Bridging Science, Technology, and Wellbeing: SMART City Institute Hosts Transformative Events at Uzhhorod National University
On December 3-4, 2025, researchers from the SMART City Research and Educational Institute of Multidisciplinary Studies at Uzhhorod National University orchestrated two groundbreaking events designed to create a unique interdisciplinary space for exploring contemporary scientific and technological challenges, wellbeing practices, and artificial intelligence applications in education.
AI in Education: Insights from International Expert
The first event featured an open lecture by Professor Giuseppe Tommaso Cirella, Director of the Polo Research Center of Sustainability (Italy) and Professor at the University of Gdańsk (Poland). The English-language session was moderated by Dr. Antonina Devitska, Associate Professor and Director of Humanitarian Programs at the Institute, while Dr. Diana Kaynts, Associate Professor and Institute Director, delivered welcoming remarks emphasizing the critical importance of integrating innovative technologies into academic curricula and SMART City’s role as a platform for advancing interdisciplinary ideas. The event drew students and faculty from diverse fields including applied linguistics, economics, construction, and civil engineering.
Professor Cirella shared his cutting-edge perspective on AI’s transformative role in education. He explored how technology can personalize learning experiences, optimize educational materials, and fundamentally reshape the instructor’s role in the university environment. Particular attention was devoted to crafting effective AI prompts, alongside discussion of the ethical and practical dimensions of AI implementation in education, with strong emphasis on academic integrity and responsible approaches to digital tools.
The lecture sparked vibrant engagement: students and faculty posed thought-provoking questions, discussed discipline-specific AI integration examples, and shared their own experiences. Faculty members including Associate Professors Oksana Mykaylo, Maryana Tomenchuk, Professor Viktoria Hotra, Associate Professor Andriy Subota, and Instructor Diana Vantyukh actively supported the discussion, helping students grasp practical applications of the concepts presented.
The encounter with Professor Cirella proved inspirational for both students and faculty, opening new horizons for technology application in teaching and learning while providing an excellent opportunity to practice foreign language skills in professional and academic contexts.
Mind, Matter, and the Modern World: A Wellbeing Dialogue
The second event was a panel discussion titled “Mind, Matter, and the Modern World: A Dialogue on Science & Wellbeing,” which brought together students from the educational and professional programs in Urban Construction and Management, Systems Analysis, Artificial Intelligence Systems, Logistics, and Human Resource Management and Labor Economics.
The event served as a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue about how contemporary science, technology, and wellbeing practices shape how we learn, work, and live amid rapid change.
Diana Kaynts emphasized that wellbeing is central to creating harmonious, ecologically conscious urban environments. In today’s urban landscape, innovative architecture must integrate with smart technologies, energy efficiency, restoration of natural balance, and attention to psychological and physical human health. This is precisely why future economists, engineers, mathematicians, and digital technology specialists must understand how wellbeing influences the design of cities, educational spaces, and innovative solutions.
Professor Giuseppe Cirella shared insights on balancing work, study, and research without burning out. He discussed his strategies for managing workload, finding inspiration, and maintaining enthusiasm for research.
Dr. Antonina Devitska presented mindfulness and social-emotional learning practices that support resilience, reduce stress, and help students improve concentration and self-awareness. Participants learned about techniques that can be integrated into daily academic routines.
Dr. Evelina Vashkeba-Bitler, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Disciplines and health coach, introduced fundamental principles for creating a balanced “healthy eating plate” and explained how stress affects memory, attention, and overall performance.
Daniel Freedman, visionary and Artistic Director of the Institute, shared his vision of how light can effectively support attention and focus during academic stress. He emphasized the importance of properly designed lighting environments for optimal brain function.
Why These Topics Matter
In a world of rapid technological transformation, wellbeing has become central to development. Today’s professionals need not only deep subject expertise but also the capacity to maintain inner balance, adaptability, and psychological resilience.
Both events demonstrated that science, technology, and wellbeing are interconnected streams forming an adaptive and innovative model for the future. They provided crucial platforms for developing critical thinking, practicing foreign languages, exchanging knowledge, and contributing to the creation of an innovative SMART City.
The SMART City Research and Educational Institute of Multidisciplinary Studies continues to create spaces for knowledge exchange, critical thinking development, and innovation implementation that shape the university of the future.
Institute staff extend their gratitude to all speakers and students for engaging questions, active participation, and commitment to building an innovative SMART City together.
Information provided by the SMART City
Research and Educational Institute of Multidisciplinary Studies
