From Atoms to Regulatory Systems: Highlights from Project Defences of Scientific Initiative Competition
HSE University has hosted the final defences of student projects submitted to the Scientific Initiative Competition organised by the Centre for Student Academic Development. Over the course of the year, participants worked on research projects spanning all stages of the research process, from defining a scientific problem to analysing results, and public defence marked the final stage of the competition.
The studies demonstrated a high standard of research across a wide range of disciplines, from biotechnology and materials science to the sociology of law and urban studies. The projects reaffirmed the competition’s status as a platform for the realisation of HSE students’ most ambitious research ideas. Each project was grounded in rigorous scientific methodology and supported by experimental data, calculations, developed methods, or functional prototypes.
Many of the projects had a strong applied focus. Competition participants presented solutions to pressing problems in biotechnology, chemical synthesis, and materials science. They proposed new analytical methods, synthesised promising compounds, investigated the properties of composite materials, and developed experimental measurement installations. Several projects were directly oriented toward industrial needs and potential implementation in production.
Dmitry Matienko
'The idea for our project emerged from a practical challenge I often encounter in my scientific and applied work: in Russia, there is virtually no accessible and transparent infrastructure for measuring the thermal conductivity of thermal interface materials,' explained Dmitry Matienko, Junior Research Fellow at the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, second-year student of the Master's programme in Physics, and head of the project 'Developing Thermal Conductivity Testing Methods for the Study of New Types of Thermal Pastes.’ 'Commercial foreign systems for such measurements cost upwards of one million rubles, while there are no GOST standards or certified testing centres for thermal pastes within their operating thermal conductivity range. This significantly constrains both basic research and the development of new applied solutions.
The relevance of this topic has increased dramatically in recent years alongside the growth of computationally intensive industries. In addition to AI systems and data centres, these industries include cryptocurrency mining, in which Russia currently holds a leading global position. Mining and server equipment operate under constant high thermal stress, and cooling efficiency directly affects their performance and service life.
As part of the project, we designed and assembled an experimental setup for measuring the thermal conductivity of thermal pastes, based on the ASTM D5470-2011 Standard Test Method and adapted for a wide range of materials. The setup was used to conduct extensive studies of both commercially available and experimental formulations. These studies revealed that a substantial proportion of products marketed as graphene-based neither contain graphene nor exhibit the claimed performance characteristics.
Going forward, we plan to further refine the experimental setup by improving measurement accuracy and reproducibility, as well as expanding the range of materials studied and operating conditions. In parallel, we will further optimise graphene-based thermal paste formulations, develop partnerships with industrial stakeholders, and move toward industrial-scale production.
For me, this project is a clear example of how fundamental insights into the properties of two-dimensional materials can address the pressing challenges facing modern electronics and AI infrastructure. Participation in the Scientific Initiative Competition enabled us to bring this work to a complete engineering solution and establish a foundation for further research and development in heat-conducting materials.'
The competition also featured basic research in condensed matter physics, as well as organic and inorganic chemistry. The authors conducted numerical modelling of complex systems, carried out targeted synthesis of new materials with predefined properties, and performed in-depth studies of underlying molecular mechanisms.
Ekaterina Kaminskaya
'This was my first experience leading a scientific project,' said Ekaterina Kaminskaya, second-year student of the Master's programme in Cell and Molecular Biotechnology and head of the project 'Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Bladder Cancer.' I am deeply grateful to the Scientific Initiative for this opportunity. Over the past year, we have learned how to plan, collaborate, and solve complex problems under time constraints. Beyond laboratory work, we have explored the clinical context of our research, designed experiments, and developed the mindset of true researchers.
Our project focuses on a complex but fundamental process in oncology: the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bladder cancer. In simple terms, this is the mechanism by which tumour cells lose their intercellular connections, becoming more mobile and aggressive. EMT is a critical step toward metastasis, enabling the cancer to spread throughout the body and often reducing the cells’ sensitivity to chemotherapy. Understanding this molecular pathway could one day make it possible to develop drugs that block EMT, preventing tumours from becoming aggressive and untreatable. This research is not aimed at immediate results but at building a foundation in basic science that we believe will save many lives in the future. The Scientific Initiative Competition has provided an ideal environment for transforming this idea into a concrete project.
What’s next? I am completing my master’s degree, but my colleagues on the project plan to apply for its continuation. We are already discussing how to carry on our work through theses and grant applications. Scientific Initiative gave our project a strong start and instilled confidence that our research is both necessary and meaningful. I would like to thank the organisers, the experts, and, of course, our team. It is an honour to be part of this scientific community!'
Interdisciplinarity is a central criterion of the competition, and many projects showcased successful combinations of computer modelling and experimental methods, bioinformatics and laboratory biology, as well as sociological surveys and legal analysis. This interdisciplinary approach enabled participants to discover new and unexpected solutions and achieve comprehensive results. Several projects were presented by students from HSE MIEM.
Valeriia Pashkovskaya
'This is not my first time participating in this competition, but this year I joined with an entirely new idea, developing a project from scratch. I already knew some of my colleagues and had extensive experience, including publications and conference presentations,’ said Valeriia Pashkovskaya, second-year doctoral student at the School of Electronic Engineering and head of the project 'Benchmark Performance Indicators of Computer Libraries for Various Mathematical Models of Physical Systems.' 'This time, I was assembling my team based on both the competencies required for the project and personal qualities of each member. It was a completely different experience! Previously, all participants were accomplished early-career scientists, even as students. This year, I realised that I was guiding and mentoring aspiring scientists myself. These are entirely new skills for me—a combination of pedagogy and leadership. Our community has been the most rewarding part of the competition. Being among like-minded individuals who share the same values and goals helps overcome low points and sustain motivation during the challenges of scientific work.'
Natalia Kononova
'Our study focuses on superconductivity. Imagine materials that can conduct electricity without any loss at extremely low temperatures—these are superconductors. It has long been known that superconductors come in two main types: the first fully excludes magnetic fields, and the second permits the field to enter as magnetic vortices,' explained Natalia Kononova, second-year doctoral student at the School of Electronic Engineering and head of the project 'The Impact of Nonlocality Effects in Intertype Superconductors.' 'Over time, researchers discovered a state that combines the properties of both superconducting types, known as the “intertype” state. Our team is investigating this regime. We modelled the behaviour of a superconducting material in this transitional state, focusing on how the system’s energy changes as we gradually vary the material’s properties and the external magnetic field. We calculated how the structure of magnetic vortices within the superconductor evolves and how these changes affect the superconductor's thermodynamic properties. We observed in detail how this smooth transition occurs and found that there is no sudden jump; rather, the system undergoes a continuous transformation from one state to the other. This is an important fundamental result that deepens our understanding of the nature of superconductivity. The most significant application of this finding could be designing materials with tailored properties.'
The social sciences and humanities category focused on investigating pressing contemporary issues, including legal awareness and legal systems, the creative potential of cities, perceptions of territories, and career strategies of young people. These studies relied on the collection and analysis of empirical data using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Egor Nazarovskiy
'We came up with our idea a few months ago, inspired by a presentation from experienced colleagues at HSE ISSEK, Evgeniy Kutsenko and Victoriya Boos, in which they demonstrated ranking the creativity of the world’s largest cities using the “star approach” methodology. We were thrilled at the idea of creating a similar ranking for Russian cities, and the Scientific Initiative Competition provided an excellent opportunity to bring this project to life,' said Egor Nazarovskiy, second-year student of the Master's programme in Public Administration at the HSE Campus in Perm and head of the project 'Developing Russia's Creative Cities Ranking Using the Star Approach.'
The presentation of research project results to the competition committee, followed by discussion, marked the conclusion of a year of intensive scientific work. The projects not only achieved their objectives but also outlined clear directions for further development, such as preparation of publications in peer-reviewed journals, conducting additional experiments, implementing the findings, and developing digital platforms.
The Scientific Initiative Competition once again demonstrated that student research teams at HSE University are capable of carrying out fully-fledged scientific work and producing results of both theoretical significance and practical value.
