KSE Foundation, through Talents for Ukraine, invests in talented Ukrainians, as their daily professional activity already creates a long-term impact on the development and future of the country. This week’s winners include a medical student, a chemistry teacher implementing STEM approaches, and an English and German language teacher.
Daniela Dykun is a student at the O.O. Bohomolets National Medical University. She conducts research in microbiology, focusing on the study of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus as an alternative to antibiotics in the context of their activity against pathogenic microorganisms. She has participated in international competitions in the United States, Tunisia, as well as “KIDE” in Taiwan and “Mostratec” in Brazil, where she received a gold award. She is a member of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program team, within which a mini-laboratory was sent to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX Dragon for experiments in microgravity.
“I value that science provides the opportunity to address real-world problems,” Daniiela emphasizes.
Juriy Pakhomov is a chemistry teacher who implements STEM approaches, augmented reality, and facilitative teaching methods. He uses AR in chemistry education and develops educational tools for visualizing chemical formulas and experiments used in the learning process. He fosters critical thinking, research skills, and practice-oriented learning. He is a laureate of the All-Ukrainian “Teacher of the Year – 2025” competition and a finalist of the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2025 (Top 10, “People’s Choice”). He is a co-author of the textbook Chemistry. Grades 7–8 (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine), an author of methodological materials, a member of the regional chemistry olympiad jury, and the head of an olympiad team.
“An important lesson for me was realizing that you do not need to be liked by everyone. It is much more valuable to be surrounded by people with whom you share mutual understanding and common meaning,” Yurii comments.
Vladyslav Kachur is an English and German language teacher. He is the author of an English learning loss recovery programme developed by the savED International Charitable Foundation, which has been used by over 13,000 students and hundreds of teachers from the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. He has prepared 19 award winners of the GENIUS Olympiad Ukraine, including a bronze medalist at the 2023 global final in the United States. He is an ambassador of the Climate Action Project in Ukraine and has built a network of over 100 educators participating in international educational initiatives. He is ranked among the TOP-10 best teachers in Europe according to the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards 2025 and among the TOP-10 global leaders in climate education.
“I am always moved by people who are strong in spirit and unafraid to be themselves,”Vladyslav notes.
