Kumu-Buya Morabandza was born in the Republic of the Congo. He spent his early childhood in the small town of Owando, after which his family moved to the country’s capital, Brazzaville.
His interest in his future profession emerged during his teenage years. His aspiration to become a geologist was inspired by engaging lectures delivered by one of his college professors. After completing 13 years of schooling, Kumu-Buya enrolled in a related field of study, as the specialization he sought was not available at universities in his home country. During his studies, he distinguished himself as one of the institution’s top-performing students.
Following his third year of study, he was given an opportunity to continue his education abroad. He seized this opportunity and travelled to Russia to study at Belgorod State National Research University (BelSU).
According to Kumu-Buya, his parents were initially apprehensive about his decision to travel to Russia, as international media had often portrayed the country negatively. These concerns, however, proved unfounded. He received a warm welcome in Belgorod, and his adaptation to his new environment proceeded successfully.
His first period of study was challenging. He had to complete a pre-university preparatory programme and learn Russian at the Faculty for International Students. For someone who had never previously encountered the Cyrillic alphabet, this was a considerable challenge. Nevertheless, just one year later, he enrolled in the first year of the Ecology and Environmental Management programme at BelSU’s Institute of Earth Sciences.
Kumu-Buya continued his academic journey after completing his Bachelor’s degree, first pursuing a Master’s degree and subsequently enrolling in a PhD programme in Geoecology. He is currently preparing to defend his PhD dissertation, which focuses on the environmental condition of Belgorod’s urban environment, particularly the issue of heavy metal pollution.
Alongside his research, he conducts laboratory classes for students, teaching them methods for analysing water and soil samples. According to Kumu-Buya, working with students is deeply rewarding, as it gives him an opportunity to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of specialists.
At Kumu-Buya’s initiative, Belgorod State University also established a cooperation agreement with Denis Sassou Nguesso University in the Republic of the Congo. Under the agreement, faculty members of the Congolese university will have the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies and undertake research internships in Belgorod.