In the mid to late 1990s, after the Soviet Union had broken up and funding for military and science projects had significantly diminished, there were many top-notch scientists available for lectures and research. For a very affordable fee.
My company was intent on designing a very high density PSU, where heat removal is one primary concern.
They brought this Russian thermal expert, who among other things had been involved in space borne equipment.
I could not attend, but those who did found the lectures fascinating. Some of the comments that I recall are similar to comments made by previous posters: Namely that everything one takes for granted on the earth's surface, is no longer a straightforward solution in space.
Uncommon solutions to common problems were the norm.