BelSU Brings Together Leading Scientists for All‑Russian RSF Lecture Event

Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) took part for the first time in the Russian Science Foundation’s all-Russian lecture series. Inna Buynyakova, Director of BelSU’s Department of Training and Certification of Academic Staff, welcomed the participants, noting that the Russian Science Foundation has supported the university for many years in large-scale, long-term research and the training of scientific personnel.

The centrepiece of the event was a series of open lectures by scientists whose projects have received foundation support. The programme covered a wide range of topics, from mathematics to earth sciences and biomedicine. Professor Vladimir Vasiliev, Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Modelling, spoke about operators, equations and boundary value problems, while Kirill Babushkin and Arseny Poletaev immersed the audience in the world of smart maps and digital geography.

Professor Mikhail Korokin of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology discussed how scientific ideas are transformed into drug candidates. Sergey Mironov, Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Heat-Resistant Materials, together with junior researcher Ivan Nikitin, explained the microstructural aspects of additive manufacturing. Dmitry Panov discussed gradient materials that allow previously incompatible elements to be combined.

Professor Yuri Chendev of the Institute of Earth Sciences addressed the properties of reference chernozems in the southern Central Russian Upland, while Olesya Shevchenko, a lecturer at the Engineering College, introduced new algorithms for data transmission in IoT networks. Each presentation offered an inside look at the scientific process, demonstrating how the foundation’s grant system enables long-term research.

Currently, BelSU is implementing 22 projects supported by the Russian Science Foundation, with three further agreements pending. Funding spans all fields of science, including engineering, the humanities, social sciences, earth sciences, fundamental medical research, mathematics, computer science, biology and life sciences.

The lecture series also focused on career opportunities for early-career researchers. Young scientists can participate in special competitions. Three projects are already under way at BelSU under the Research Groups Led by Young Scientists competition, led by Ivan Nikitin, Vladislav Sokolovsky (a research fellow in the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials), and Alexandra Fedoseyeva (a leading research fellow in the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Heat-Resistant Materials). Three more projects are supported by the Initiative Research by Young Scientists competition, led by Evgeny Tkachev, Alexander Kalinenko (staff members of the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Heat‑Resistant and Nanostructured Materials), and Elena Mishunina (PhD in Engineering). This format allows young researchers not only to secure initial funding but also to form their own research teams.