An invitation to a dream: how a scientist from Belarus came to New York for a year and stayed forever

No one needs to explain what Alzheimer's or Parkinson’s disease is. Everyone knows about them. Unfortunately, these ailments are the scourge of mankind. Doctors have not yet learned how to treat them. All therapy, at best, is aimed at relieving symptoms so that a person can lead at least a more or less normal life. And in order to find a cardinal tool that, finally, will help in the prevention and treatment of serious diseases, you need detailed, fundamental scientific research.

That’s exactly what the US was doing, Vladimir Yermolenkov, a scientist who immigrated from Belarus. And now she simply embodies her dream in the American scientific community.

Vladimir Ermolenkov never thought that he would have to leave far away from his native Minsk. He worked in the field of spectroscopy at the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. And so it happened that his specialty attracted Americans. He was invited to work for a year at Albany University, in the state capital of New York. Vladimir did not refuse such an offer, as this gave him the opportunity to improve his skills and improve his financial situation. Therefore, in 2003, flew overseas. I thought that for a short while, but it turned out that I remained in America for good.

In Belarus, as well as in Russia, spectroscopy is considered a field of physics. And in the USA, this is science at the intersection of physics and chemistry. In Albany, Vladimir joined a scientific group studying the mechanism of formation of amyloid protein fibrils. It is believed that they are guilty of the development of such serious ailments as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Proteins can be different in these diseases, but the mechanism of their fibrillation is similar. They are deposited on the walls of blood vessels in the form of insoluble plaques. As a result, blood flow is disturbed, and other problems also arise.

Ermolenkov studied such an unfavorable mechanism using spectroscopy methods. Investigated under what conditions, temperature, pH, amyloid formation occurs. The scientific group in which he worked received interesting results, which have already been published in specialized scientific journals.

Scientists still do not know exactly the roots of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Vladimir is inclined to believe that one of the reasons is genetic. Adverse events, such as a fall and a blow to the head, which provoke pathological processes in the body, can play their insidious role.

For comparison, he uses an example with a machine. Suppose a nail was thrust into the wheel, which would soon lead to the wheel going down. But the wheel can still be replaced, but the brain does not, because the person has one. Therefore, the only way left is to try to heal.

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Most US research is carried out with grants from government and non-governmental organizations. If the scholars applying for the grant work at the university, like Vladimir, they also need to lay down the amount for the institution, which goes not only to the educational process, but also to all sorts of other needs.

On average, from dozens to hundreds of thousands of dollars are allocated for basic scientific research in the USA. Much more - millions of dollars - get those scientists who deal with applied issues related to the treatment of diseases.

New challenge

Vladimir is a good specialist, and this was quickly noticed in the USA. After about six months, the head approached him and asked if he agreed to work another year. Vladimir again did not refuse.

Two years later, when the contract ended, he still flew home. But he stayed there for only 6 months.

Apparently, he really masterfully mastered the methods of spectroscopy, because he was asked to return to the United States, all to the same Albany University. He accepted the invitation and still lives in America, for 17 years.

True, he engaged in basic research for a total of only three years. By profession, he is still an optical engineer, and he was more attracted to technology. He was entrusted with leading the Albany University Center for Structural Chemistry, which is part of SUNY, a union of New York State universities.

Ermolenkov is an indispensable employee, in America they are called in a special way - essential employee. Even during the general pandemic associated with the proliferation of COVID-19, it continues to work, as it ensures the uninterrupted operation of laboratory equipment.

How do scientists move to the USA

The procedure through which Ermolenkov went is fairly standard, although time-consuming. He applied for the green card as an outstanding scientist. By the way, this is the path of many researchers who remain in the United States. This requires a proven level of PhD (analogue of a candidate of science), publications, as well as recommendations from well-known scientists.

Vladimir was able to do all this without difficulty and became the owner of a green card, and a few years later - and an American passport.

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Vladimir notes that in no case does he support people who arrive in the United States on a tourist visa and remain illegal. Hiding constantly from the immigration police, sleeping wherever necessary, not having any guaranteed rights - he does not wish anyone such a life. After all, all problems can be solved, if only the goal.

Language balance

America gave Vladimir not only a beloved, well-paid job, but also a family. He flew to the USA alone. Whenever possible, all Russian-speaking newcomers try to rally. They get together, communicate. A similar company was at the University of Albany.

As Vladimir explained, those who arrived in the United States from different countries and united by a common history of the past help each other cope with the stress experienced by all newcomers.

In one of these Russian-speaking companies, he met his future wife, Natalia. She is the director of a linguistic laboratory in college and a professor who teaches Russian remotely. Her research and publications on distance learning and teacher training are well known in the United States and Russia.

Now their son Daniel is already 10 years old. A grandfather from Russia calls him Danila in Russian. Parents are trying very hard to speak Russian with the boy. However, the English-speaking environment is doing its job. At first, Vladimir tried to convince the child that he did not know English and could only speak Russian. While Danila was small, he believed in a legend. But when I grew up, I realized that Dad was still cunning. He knows English and began to try to “pull” this language out of his father.

Vladimir still does not give up and is doing his best to instill in the child Russian speech. He says that in no case should one give a weakness to children, otherwise there will be no turning back, and the Russian language will become only a vague memory of a strange dialect spoken by parents for some reason.

Where is the motherland?

Vladimir Ermolenkov admits that for 17 years of his life in the USA he did not stop loving Belarus. This is his homeland. But he is grateful to America for everything that it gives, for opportunities, for the dreams that come true here. But she still did not become his homeland.

Every year Vladimir necessarily flies to Minsk for two weeks. Only this year, because of the coronavirus, his trip was frustrated. He bought tickets for March 14, and on March 11, flights between the United States and European countries were suspended.

The leader of Vladimir, in an American way, delicately, but made clear that if he hangs for a long time somewhere outside the United States, then problems may arise at work. America has very fierce competition, people try to hold on to their places, especially if they are good. Therefore, Vladimir, hearing a warning, decided to postpone his vacation.

Any epidemic and even a pandemic tends to end. And everything is back to normal.