The permanent organizer and active participant of these meetings for many years was V.A. Smirnov, one of the founders of the electrochemistry of organic compounds in the USSR and the electrochemical scientific school at the NPI, the author of classical monographs on the electrochemistry of organic compounds.

The geography of the participants of the 60th anniversary meeting of the "ECHOS - 2018" is extensive: Novocherkassk receives about three hundred authoritative scientists in the field of electrochemistry from all over the country: from Moscow and St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Kazan, Tambov and Saransk, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg and other cities.

Representatives of the N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Chernogolovka), Moscow State University, Kazan Federal University, St. Petersburg State University promise to become the most active participants of the four-day forum.

During the opening ceremony, the guests of the scientific forum were welcomed by the Rector of the YURSPU (NPI) V.G. Perederiy. Vladimir Grigorievich noted: the university is proud that a wonderful scientist Vladimir Aleksandrovich Smirnov worked within its walls – the creator of the electrochemical scientific school of the NPI, whose work is continued today by N.V. Smirnova and a friendly team of her colleagues. The presence of the basic department of the YURSPU(NPI) at the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences contributes to the achievement of high results of scientific research to a large extent, the rector is sure. Concluding his speech, V.G. Perederiy wished the participants of the event that this anniversary conference would become a new step on the path of development of electrochemical science.

Addressing his colleagues, the Chairman of the organizing committee of the meeting, A.G. Krivenko, expressed satisfaction that for many years it has been possible to maintain and develop the traditions of All-Russian meetings of the ECHOS.

The purpose of the large-scale meeting of chemists is to discuss the latest achievements in the field of electrochemistry of organic compounds that will contribute to the sustainable development and progress of modern chemical technologies. The participants of the meeting are confident that its results will contribute to improving the effectiveness of interaction between representatives of the scientific school of the YURSPU (NPI) with the scientific community of the Russian Federation, promoting the results of their research and attracting young people to scientific work.

On the first day of the meeting, four reports were made: V.A. Petrosyan (IOH RAS, Moscow) - "The functionalization of the arene C-H bond is a popular tool for their effective modification"; A.S. Mendkovich (IOH RAS, Moscow) - "Reactions of bond breaking and formation initiated by heterogeneous electron transfer"; D.G. Yakhvarova (IOFH RAS, Kazan) - "Electrochemical methods in chemistry of organoelement compounds and transition metal complexes as a way to new catalysts and materials". The first day of the meeting was completed by the report of N.V. Smirnova "Chemistry and chemical sciences at YURGPU(NPI): History and modernity".

The logical continuation of the report with such a topic was a tour of our university, which the guests went to with great pleasure. They have three more days of intense and undoubtedly fruitful work ahead of them.