News

Maria Buyanovskaya initially aspired to become a restoration artist, but today she is exploring the world of antiquity. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses how irony can be subtly conveyed even through grammar, talks about the school of Homer and Plato, and highlights summer internships at the Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum.

Researchers at HSE University and the Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis of the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered a way to control both the colour and brightness of the glow emitted by rare earth elements. Their luminescence is generally predictable—for example, cerium typically emits light in the ultraviolet range. However, the scientists have demonstrated that this can be altered. They created a chemical environment in which a cerium ion began to emit a yellow glow. The findings could contribute to the development of new light sources, displays, and lasers. The study has been published in Optical Materials.

The IX All-Russian Scientific Student Conference has taken place at the Nizhny Novgorod campus of HSE University, bringing together almost 200 early-career researchers and experts from 14 cities across Russia, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, as well as representatives from the African continent.

Valery Kolesov is a seasoned and accomplished director, screenwriter, and producer. He was also the first student to enrol in the Film Production Programme at the HSE Campus in Perm. We spoke with Valery about his journey into the film industry and why there's no need to fear starting a new career—even if you've never worked in film before.

In biomedical research, machine learning algorithms are often used to analyse data—for instance, to predict cancer recurrence. However, it is not always clear whether these algorithms are detecting meaningful patterns or merely fitting random noise in the data. Scientists from HSE University, IBCh RAS, and Moscow State University have developed a test that makes it possible to determine this distinction. It could become an important tool for verifying the reliability of algorithms in medicine and biology. The study has been published on arXiv.

Veronika Smirnova studies China's approach to global food security and has spent a year at Renmin University in Beijing. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she speaks about Xi Jinping's flagship initiatives, her interest in John Boyd Orr of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and her love for malatang and xiao long bao.

Artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of life, expanding both our capabilities and our boundaries. At the same time, it presents new challenges for humanity, including concerns about safety, ethics, and environmental sustainability. Today, each neural network leaves a significant carbon footprint. However, with responsible management, AI has the potential to benefit the planet and become a cornerstone of a sustainable future economy. Panos Pardalos, Academic Supervisor of the Laboratory of Algorithms and Technologies for Network Analysis at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod, emphasised this point as he addressed the XXV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development.

On average, a schoolchild spends 48 hours a week on studies—equivalent to a six-day working week for an adult. This was highlighted by experts at the round table ‘Domains of Children’s Well-Being Evaluation for Human Potential and Evidence-Based Social Policy Development,’ held as part of the 25th Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.