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  • Alexei Starobinsky, Professor in Faculty of Physics, Elected Foreign Associate at U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Alexei Starobinsky, Professor in Faculty of Physics, Elected Foreign Associate at U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Alexei Starobinsky, Professor in Faculty of Physics, Elected Foreign Associate at U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Alexei Starobinsky, Professor in the HSE Faculty of Physics, has been elected Foreign Associate at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Previously, he has served as an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences of Germany (Leopoldina), the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and two Indian academies – the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi) and the National Academy of Sciences (Allahabad).

Professor Starobinsky’s research interests include classical and quantum theories of gravity, cosmology, and relativistic astrophysics. He authored the first books on the inflation theory (1979, 1980), which is the leading cosmology theory today and describes the early universe before the Hot Big Bang stage. Together with Andrei Linde and Alan Guth, he is considered a founder of this theory; for their achievement, in 2014, they were jointly awarded the Kavli Prize, a leading international award in astrophysics. He is also the recipient of one of the most prestigious awards in cosmology, the Gruber Prize in Cosmology (2013), as well as several other medals and awards, including the Andrei Sakharov golden medal awarded by the Russian Academy of Sciences (2016).

Professor Starobinsky’s scholarly achievements also include the calculation of the number of created particles and the average tensor in momentum energy of quantum fields in homogeneous anisotropic cosmological models (1971, co-authored with Y.B. Zeldovich). He developed the hypothesis suggested by Zeldovich in 1971 and proved that rotating black holes must generate and radiate particles (1973), which was a precursor of Stephen Hawking’s theory that all black holes, not only rotating ones, radiate particles (1974). Together with Y.N, Pariiski et al, Professor Starobinsky also discovered angular fluctuations of the temperature of cosmic microwave background radiation using a RATAN-600 radio telescope (1992).

Alexei Starobinsky is Chief Research Fellow at the RAS Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics and a member of the editorial board at ten leading academic journals in the areas of his research interests.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences is the most authoritative public academic organization in the United States. It was founded in 1863 by the U.S. Congress, and its founding act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. The academy aims to serve as an expert community that helps the country and the public in the most complicated issues related to science. Academy members work on a pro bono basis.

Today, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences counts about 2,350 members and over 450 foreign associates. Approximately 200 Nobel Prize laureates serve as members. New members are elected for life by current members in a ballot vote. Being elected as a foreign associate of the Academy is one of the most significant acknowledgements of a person’s input on global science.

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Russian Scientists Pioneer Accurate Mathematical Description of Quantum Dicke Battery

Physicists at HSE University and NUST MISIS have formulated and solved equations for a quantum battery, a device capable of storing energy in the form of light. Their findings will facilitate precise calculations of the capacity, power, and duration required for optimal battery charging. Quantum batteries are expected to improve the performance of solar panels and electric vehicles, while also opening up new avenues for efficient energy transfer. The study has been published in Physical Review A.

Scientists Harness 'Liquid Light' to Induce Electric Current in Superconductors

Scientists at HSE MIEM have induced a superconducting current using 'liquid light,' or excitonic polaritons, which are hybrid particles formed by interaction between light and matter and possess the properties of both light and material particles. The ability to manipulate an electrical system through an optical one can be valuable in the development of technologies such as quantum computers. The study has been published in Physical Review B.

Physicists Explain Transition Between Different Types of Superconductivity

Physicists from HSE MIEM in collaboration with colleagues from MIPT and other universities have formulated a theory capable of explaining the transition between different superconductivity types, revealing an intertype regime characterised by exotic magnetic properties. This discovery can serve as the foundation for the development of sensors with enhanced sensitivity and accuracy, capable of functioning in conditions where traditional sensors are less effective. The study has been published in Communications Physics.

'Unconventional Thinking Can Be Cultivated through Competitions Like Physics Tournaments'

Last week, university students from all over the country came to HSE University for the All-Russian Student's Tournament of Physicists. The tournament took the form of battles in which teams tackled physics problems while taking turns in the roles of speakers, opponents, and reviewers. Based on the competition results, the combined team 'Volume Dependence' emerged as the winner and will participate in the upcoming international tournament in Zurich.

HSE University to Host All-Russian Student's Tournament of Physicists for the First Time

The All-Russian Student's Tournament of Physicists is a competition in which teams of students from different universities offer their solutions to problems and defend them before rival teams. The HSE University Faculty of Physics traditionally participates in the organisation of the competition and task development. This year, on February 13–17, the tournament will be held at HSE University for the first time. It will include two rounds—the qualifiers and the final. In the final round, three teams and their captains will compete with each other.

Lavsan and Kapton Tested Under Space-like Radiation Conditions

In a ground-breaking experiment, HSE MIEM researchers subjected Lavsan (polyethylene terepfthalate, polyester) and Kapton (polypiromellitimide, polyimide) polymers, commonly used in space technology, to ionising radiation for durations ranging from microseconds to several hours at temperatures of -170°C and +20°C, while comparing their electrical conductivity under extreme conditions. The study reveals that at -170°C, Kapton's conductivity is ten times lower than at +20°C. These findings can assist engineers in developing more effective protection for spacecraft against static discharges induced by ionising radiation. The study has been published in Journal of Applied Physics.

Human Bodies Impede 6G Signal Transmission

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Microlasers with Quantum Dots Remain Functional at Elevated Temperatures

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Russian Researchers ‘Peek Inside’ Carbon Nanopores

Researchers from HSE MIEM, in collaboration with colleagues at the RAS Institute of Solution Chemistry, have modelled the behaviour of ionic liquids within charged carbon nanopores ranging in width from 1 to 15 nm and assessed the mobility of both their cations and anions. The scientists observed that an increase in anion size resulted in higher mobility, whereas cations exhibited the opposite trend of reduced mobility with an increase in size. A better understanding of ionic liquids will enhance their use in supercapacitor technology. The study has been published in Journal of Molecular Liquids and supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).

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