How do university graduates choose a career in research? What is the appeal of academic research? Is it easy to become part of the academic community? In this project, young researchers who work at various HSE University departments speak about their research and their life beyond studies and labs, as well as share their research discoveries, personal impressions, opinions, and perspectives.
Polina Nasledskova is interested in identifying gaps in linguistics and topics that have been overlooked by other researchers. In an interview for the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she spoke about rare ordinal numerals in Nakh-Daghestanian languages, the benefits of knitting for concentration, and the beauty of the Patriarshy Bridge.
June 22
Ivan Rubachev works in a HSE University laboratory established jointly with Yandex Research, where he focuses on machine learning with tabular data. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses why following a vibe can be better than goal-setting, explains the concept of the Neural Turing Machine, and argues why withholding scientific knowledge is counterproductive.
June 18
Polina Tabakova decided to apply for a Philology degree at HSE in Nizhny Novgorod because she grew up in Mari El and did not want to move far away from the Russian forests. In an interview for the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she spoke about the genre of the campus novel, the existential drama of Kolobok, and a blackout version of Eugene Onegin.
June 05
Maria Mizernaia studies Soviet literature and the history of book publishing. In this interview for the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses plans to publish a novel about besieged Leningrad, AI-provoked reflections on what it means to be human, and how novels can help satisfy our dopamine hunger.
Research & Expertise
alumni
ideas & experience
philology
publishing
Young Scientists of HSE University
May 25
Katerina Koloskova began studying Arabic expecting to give it up after a year—now she cannot imagine her life without it. In an interview for the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she spoke about two translated books, an expedition to Socotra, and her love for Bethlehem.
Research & Expertise
ideas & experience
Arabic language
linguistics
Young Scientists of HSE University
May 15
As a student, Stepan Mikhailov took part in an expedition to the Urals and became so deeply engaged that he eventually wrote his dissertation on a related topic—possessive constructions in the Khanty language. In this interview for the HSE Young Scientists project, he talks about bridging syntax and semantics, the importance of making time to cook and eat breakfast in the morning, and his favourite place in the village of Kazym.
April 15
Yulia Zaitseva became interested in mathematics in third grade, when her parents enrolled her in a math club, and she now holds a PhD. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she explains what an algebraic variety is, discusses operations beyond addition and multiplication, and shares her love for Kolomenskoye Park.
March 19
Marina Sheshukova chose research in mathematical statistics and probability theory over a career in music. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses Markov chains, multi-armed bandits, and her dog named after the mathematician Camille Jordan.
February 20
Yadviga Sinyavskaya studies communication technologies, particularly social media. In this interview for the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses testing the social brain theory on real-world data, the merits of Gogol’s Dead Souls, and ways to prevent burnout.
Research & Expertise
ideas & experience
communication technologies
psychology
social sciences
Young Scientists of HSE University
January 15
After exploring several research fields, Maxim Gurin realised that he wanted to study sociology while specifically focusing on how his research could benefit the people at the centre of it. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he shares his passion for hip-hop dancing, the magical appeal of the courtyard at the House on the Embankment, and his quest to uncover the memories of the Chelyuskinitsy during a trip along the Trans-Siberian Railway.
December 26, 2025