History

The Department of Optics was founded in 1939 by Oleksandr Shyshlovskyi, who led it for thirty-six years. Over eight decades the department has graduated more than one and a half thousand specialists – among them two academicians and four corresponding members of the NAS of Ukraine, over forty doctors and one hundred and forty candidates of science.

Eight decades in dates

  1. 1939The Department of Optics is founded. Its first head is Oleksandr Shyshlovskyi.
  2. 1956–1963A specialisation in solid-state optics appears; in 1963 – the first intake of students from the first year.
  3. 1970–1975In 1970 a separate solid-state optics department branches off; in 1975 the departments merge again under Mykhailo Bilyi.
  4. 1983–1984Branches of the department open at the Kvant and Arsenal plants. The Arsenal branch still operates today.
  5. 1993First bachelor graduates. Ihor Shaikevych becomes head of the department.
  6. 1999First master’s graduates in laser and optoelectronic engineering; Leonid Poperenko becomes head. Soon afterwards the annual international SPO symposium of young scientists is launched – 26 held so far, the 27th planned for November 2026.
  7. 2002The United Optical Community student society is founded, with SPIE and Optica (OSA) chapters.
  8. 2012The Kyiv Optical-Mechanical College joins the university; the specialist track is phased out in favour of bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
  9. 2018–2022The “Optics. Laser Physics” master’s programme is developed; English-taught courses appear in 2021.
  10. 2023The “Optics” bachelor’s programme becomes a separate degree programme.
  11. 2025The specialty receives the new E5 “Physics and Astronomy” code; both programmes are updated.
  12. 2026Kateryna Yablochkova becomes head of the department. Both programmes pass accreditation.

Heads of the department

Oleksandr ShyshlovskyiOleksandr Shyshlovskyi1939–1975. Founder of the department, led it for thirty-six years. A student of Sergey Vavilov, organiser of the first spectral laboratories in Ukraine, dean of the Faculty of Physics.
Mykhailo BilyiMykhailo Bilyi1975–1993. Corresponding member of the NAS of Ukraine, a student of Shyshlovskyi; rector of Kyiv University in 1970–1985.
Ihor ShaikevychIhor Shaikevych1993–1999. Professor, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Higher Education, a student of Shyshlovskyi; expert in metal optics and surface spectroellipsometry.
Leonid PoperenkoLeonid Poperenko1999–2023. Professor, academician of the AS of Higher Education, one of Shyshlovskyi’s last students; the master’s programme and the SPO symposium appeared under his leadership.
Serhii KondratenkoSerhii Kondratenko2023–2025. Now dean of the Faculty of Physics, professor of the department.
Kateryna YablochkovaKateryna YablochkovaSince 2025. Associate professor, PhD in physics and mathematics.

Research schools

Two research schools took shape at the department: “Spectroscopy of disordered and doped condensed systems”, founded by Mykhailo Bilyi, and “Metal optics and surface spectroellipsometry” of M.Ya. Horban. The department’s current research directions grew directly out of them – what we study today.

The history by periods, from Shyshlovskyi to today, is in the accordion on the About the department page. Where the graduates of recent decades went – on the Graduates page.