Maksim was born in 1987. In 2009, he graduated from the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas with a Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Chemical and Environmental Engineering in chemical engineering and biotechnology. The same year, he continued his education in a Master’s degree program at Gubkin University. In 2012, Maksim received his MSc degree in chemical engineering and biotechnology. From 2010 to 2011 he studied Chinese at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (Beijing, PRC, university certificate). In addition, from 2012 to 2013, he trained at University of Leeds (Leeds, the United Kingdom), Nikon Instruments (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and Lund University (Lund, Switzerland) He is fluent in English and Chinese. Maksim has published 22 articles in peer-reviewed journals and he is a co-author of 5 patents in the Russian Federation. He is a winner of the competition Engineer of the Year at Engineering Art of the Young 2012 (the oil and gas industry).