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High school student Alper Tapki will take part in an Arctic expedition designed to connect young people from around the world through a shared interest in science and technology.
Organized with the support of Russia's State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom, the journey, part of the seventh edition of the "Icebreaker of Knowledge" project, will begin on Aug. 4 aboard the nuclear icebreaker "50 Let Pobedy" ("50 Years of Victory").
Tapki earned his spot on the expedition through a competition that drew nearly 5,000 applicants aged 14 to 16 from 22 countries, including Türkiye. He will now have the chance to explore the Arctic region up close and examine nuclear icebreaker technology firsthand.
Throughout the voyage, young participants will take part in conferences led by nuclear energy experts, along with hands-on workshops, scientific experiments and interactive activities.
Participants will also have the opportunity to connect with peers from other countries who share an interest in science and the technologies of the future.
Tapki said he felt immense joy upon seeing his name among the winners. "I realized this was a journey that many people could only dream of," he said. "It was one of the happiest moments of my life."
Noting that he had only ever seen the Arctic in books and documentaries, Tapki said he was excited about the prospect of observing a real nuclear icebreaker in action and meeting the people who make such expeditions possible.
Describing what he was most looking forward to on the trip, Tapki said he hoped above all to see the vast expanse of Arctic ice. "The moment I'm anticipating most is when the icebreaker reaches the North Pole, and I get to step out onto the ice," he said. "Standing at the point where all the world's meridians converge must be an indescribable feeling."
Tapki said his interest in technology came from his family, and that during the trip he hopes to get a closer look at the nuclear icebreaker as one of the world's great feats of engineering, learn more about Arctic research, and meet experts working in the field.
"Representing Türkiye is a great honor for me," Tapki said, adding that he hopes to show participants from other countries that young people from Türkiye are eager to learn, open-minded and ready to collaborate.
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The Arctic expedition also aims to give participants insight into the Northern Sea Route, a shipping corridor of strategic importance for Arctic maritime transport, as well as the role played by the nuclear icebreakers that operate along it.
Described as the shortest sea route connecting western Eurasia with the Asia-Pacific region, the Northern Sea Route's infrastructure is operated by Rosatom.
Russia is the only country in the world with a fleet of nuclear icebreakers, which are operated by Atomflot, a subsidiary of Rosatom.
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