Read the interview with Viktor Mandrolko, a former LEMTA doctoral student who defended his thesis in November 2025 and winner of the 2026 Thesis Prize from the University of Lorraine – SIMPPé Doctoral School. “Understanding materials atom by atom: my doctoral journey,” a testimonial collected by Docteurs SPI – The Blog.
What was your background before your thesis, and why did you choose this path?
I come from a village in central Ukraine and attended a traditional public school. Very early on, I developed an interest in physics, largely thanks to my father, who taught physics at my school. This curiosity stayed with me throughout my studies and led me to enroll at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, where I earned a Bachelor’s and then a Master’s degree in physics.