'Science Is a Way to Escape Fears Brought on By the Chaos of Nature'
In high school, Mikhail Shishkin used to dismiss probability theory as mere speculation, but today he applies it to solving problems in population genetics. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses what a modern person's genome can reveal about the past, the question he would pose to the author of Fermat's Great Theorem, and The Ashley Book of Knots.
Independent Experts More Effective Than Collective Expertise in Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
A collaborative study by Sergey Stepanov, Associate Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, and experts from INSEAD Business School and NYU Shanghai, indicates that in making decisions under high uncertainty, where it is unclear which choice is superior, advice from independent experts may be more beneficial than a collective opinion from a group of experts. The study has been published in Games and Economic Behavior.
'My Dream Is for Game Development to Become a Distinct Scientific Field'
Ilya Semichasnov initially planned to focus on cyber security but discovered greater potential in game development. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses Bear Head Studio—an indie studio run by students, the corporate culture of humility, and playing airsoft as a way to prevent burnout.
HSE Researchers Uncover Causes of Gender Pay Gap among Recent University Graduates in Russia
A study conducted at HSE University shows that despite having the same education and similar starting conditions, the pay gap between male and female recent graduates can be as high as 22%. This is partly because female students often choose less lucrative fields and also because they tend to seek jobs in sectors that offer lower pay but are perceived to have more stable and safer working conditions.
Scientists at HSE University Devise More Accurate Method for Predicting the Electrical Conductivity of Electrolyte Solutions
Researchers at HSE MIEM have developed a model for calculating the electrical conductivity of aqueous electrolyte solutions; for the first time, it considers the spatial distribution of ion charges instead of assuming their localisation at a single point. The model remains effective even at high electrolyte concentrations and across a wide temperature range. This breakthrough will contribute to the development of more efficient batteries and enable the calculation of electrical conductivity without the need for experimental testing. The study has been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics.
'The Past Always Remains a Part of the Present'
Sergey Medakin began his career as an art historian by studying Sabaton, a Swedish power metal band, and is now focusing on German studies. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses his favourite Soviet and Western political cartoons, the scientific conference he founded, and the relevance of the past in modern culture.
‘Law Itself Is Art and an Important Part of Culture’
The HSE Faculty of Law and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts presented the results of the joint project ‘Law in Painting.’ The project aims to show the different aspects of interaction between law and art, to find common grounds between them, and to clarify the legal content of works of art.
‘In Cherdyn, It Feels Like You Have Reached the Edge of the Earth’
Dmitry Koshcheev began his journey in science back in school, but eventually chose economics and tourism over history. In an interview with the Young Scientists of HSE University project, he shared his experiences of researching the Visim neighbourhood in Perm, tourist clusters, and how he mastered analysing 300 sources a day.
Russian Scientists Integrate Microdisk Laser and Waveguide on a Single Substrate
A group of Russian scientists led by Professor Natalia Kryzhanovskaya at HSE Campus in St Petersburg has been researching microdisk lasers with an active region based on arsenide quantum dots. For the first time, researchers have successfully developed a microdisk laser coupled with an optical waveguide and a photodetector on a single substrate. This design enables the implementation of a basic photonic circuit on the same substrate as the radiation source (microlaser). In the future, this will help speed up data transfer and reduce equipment weight without compromising quality. The study results have been published in Semiconductors.
HSE, University of Delhi, and Geoscan Launch Space Research Project
HSE University and the University of Delhi (India), in partnership with Geoscan (a portfolio company of the Innopraktika non-state development institute), have agreed to establish an international scientific mirror laboratory on data storage, processing, and transmission in space systems. The agreement was signed on January 15, 2025, during a visit to India by an HSE University delegation led by Rector Nikita Anisimov.