Open Lecture by AI Department Alumnus Kyrylo Kotelevets: “Scaling Systems – How to Scale Systems in the Era of Big Data”

27 November 2025

On November 26, 2025, the Artificial Intelligence Department hosted an open lecture by Kyrylo Kotelevets, Senior Big Data Engineer, winner of the NATO TIDE Hackathon (2023, 2024) and the National Defense Hackathon (2022), and a certified AWS and Google Data Engineer.
Lecture topic: System Scaling — Vertical and Horizontal Approaches, Advantages and Limitations, Practical Cases from Leading Global Companies such as TikTok, Amazon, AWS Aurora, and others.

During the lecture, students learned what system scaling is and why it is crucial in the era of big data; how to improve the performance of a single server through vertical scaling; how to distribute workload across multiple servers using horizontal scaling; explored practical examples of scaling in various systems; and examined the limitations and challenges of scaling, including how to avoid common pitfalls.

Throughout the event, students had the opportunity not only to learn about the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and system scaling but also to receive practical advice on career development in the IT industry. Kyrylo Kotelevets shared his experience participating in hackathons and working on real-world projects to inspire students to actively engage in scientific and practical initiatives. He also encouraged students to apply for an internship at SoftServe.

The event became an excellent opportunity for students and faculty to explore current trends in artificial intelligence and system scaling, as well as to receive valuable insights from an expert with hands-on industry experience.