The BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction (UPRR) is pleased to announce that the first two of ten 2026 fellows have arrived in Florida to begin their intensive one-month academic fellowship. Florida State University (FSU) is hosting the visiting scholars, marking the third consecutive year that FSU has proudly supported the program. With these newest arrivals, FSU has hosted eight participants to date.
Introducing the 2026 FSU fellows
Dr. Dmytro Diadin
Dr. Dmytro Diadin is an experienced environmental scientist and serves as the Head of the Department of Urban Environmental Engineering at the O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv. His core research theme addresses the safeguarding of drinking water quality under wartime conditions, specifically evaluating Kharkiv’s network of natural springs as a decentralized reserve water supply.
Dr. Oleksandr Hrytsyna
Dr. Oleksandr Hrytsyna is an accomplished environmental and energy engineer, serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Water Supply, Water Disposal and Drilling at the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in Rivne. His core research theme centers on transforming wastewater and potable water infrastructure into multifunctional systems for energy recovery, decarbonization, and campus resilience under post-war conditions.
A curated academic agenda
To maximize institutional synergy, Dr. Vilma Fuentes, Program Director, FSU Ukraine Task Force, Associate in Research, Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, has prepared a broad-based program that balances and melds technical laboratory integration, professional training, and field observations.
The fellows started their campus visit with university introductions, meeting with leadership at the Learning Systems Institute and the FSU Office of Faculty Development and Advancement to discuss academic integrity policies. They are scheduled to engage in extensive, multi-day laboratory research at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) alongside FSU mentors, and to explore institutional models for innovation at the FSU Innovation Hub and Academic Center for Excellence. In preparation for their fellowship, the fellows collected water samples from Rivne and Kharkiv and sent them to Florida State University, where they will conduct hands-on analysis of these samples at the MagLab.
The program agenda features site visits to municipal and natural water infrastructure projects across Florida. The scholars will conduct on-site assessment of urban wetland engineering at Depot Park and Sweetwater Wetlands Park. They will also tour and observe prominent groundwater ecosystems, including Rainbow Springs, Silver Springs, Ginnie Springs, and Wakulla Springs State Park, to analyze local aquifer protection and resource management styles.
During their month-long visit, the fellows will engage in direct consultations with key faculty at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and other university units.
Photos: BridgeUSA UAFP/ UPRR fellows at Florida State University in Summer 2024 (on the left), Fall 2025 (in the center) and Summer 2026 (on the right).
The BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv with additional funding provided by U.S. host institutions and administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS.