Results of HSE University’s Mirror Laboratories Contest Announced

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This year, HSE University held the Mirror Laboratories project contest for the fourth time. A total of 19 applications were submitted to the contest from 16 HSE University research departments partnered with 16 organisations from 14 Russian regions. Following the contest results, 10 research projects received support.

The main goal of the competition is to develop domestic scientific partnerships, as well as to support research projects implemented by HSE University research departments together with colleagues from Russian universities and research centres.

In the process of implementing a ‘mirror project’, HSE University and a partner organisation pool their research resources. They provide each other with the necessary access to equipment and data, exchange knowhow and scientific results, conduct workshops for each other, and send employees on internships. Research work is carried out by a joint project team that includes young researchers, students, and graduate students.

This year, HSE University research departments have new research partners at the Federal Research Centre of Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sakhalin State University, Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University, Saratov State Medical University, Tomsk State Pedagogical University, and Pskov State University.

The most active participants in the contest were the research teams of Tomsk State University and HSE University’s Institute of Education.

Three of the winning projects will be implemented in partnership with universities and research institutes that have not previously participated in the Mirror Laboratories project.

Winning Projects

1. ‘Transformation of value chains of the coal industry and related industries in the conditions of global energy transition and sanctions pressure on the Russian economy’ by HSE University’s Centre for Industrial Policy Studies and the Institute of Coal of the Federal Research Centre of Coal and Coal Chemistry (Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences). Anna Fedyunina is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

2. ‘Machine learning technologies in predicting the outcomes of acute coronary syndrome’ by HSE University’s International Laboratory of Bioinformatics and the Research and Educational Centre of the Surgut State University Medical Institute. Maria Poptsova is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

3. ‘Industrial culture: digital solutions for the research ecosystem’ by the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Empirical Studies (HSE University in Perm) and the Sector for Industrial Technical Heritage Research at Sakhalin State University. Lilia Panteleeva is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

4. ‘Professional strategies of higher education teachers in modern Russia’ by HSE University’s Institute of Education and the Educational and Research Centre for University Identity and Career (Ufa University of Science and Technology). Anna Garmonova is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

5. ‘Assessment and development of human potential in regions with difficult natural, climatic and geographical conditions in remote territories’ by HSE University’s Institute of Education and the Laboratory for Studies of Regional Problems of Kamchatka Territory Education System (Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University). Ekaterina Orel is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

6. ‘Mathematical and radiophysical modelling of the complex dynamics of living systems for the development of methods for analysing experimental data’ by the Laboratory of Topological Methods in Dynamics of HSE University in Nizhny Novgorod and the Research Institute of Cardiology (Saratov State Medical University). Natalya Stankevich is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

7. ‘AI in education (AIED): diffusion of innovation, conditions for implementation, and transformation potential’ by HSE University’s Laboratory for Educational Innovation Research and the Research Laboratory of Cyber ​​Socialisation and the Formation of the Digital Educational Environment of the Park of Innovative Educational Practices (Tomsk State Pedagogical University). Daria Tomasova is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

8. ‘Studying human-centred barriers to the implementation of digital technologies on the example of local communities’ by HSE University’s International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration and the Research and Educational Centre for Regionological Studies at Pskov State University. Evgeny Styrin is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

9. ‘Algebraic topology, hyperbolic geometry, and computer data analysis’ by HSE University’s International Laboratory of Algebraic Topology and its Applications and the Research and Educational Mathematical Centre at National Research Tomsk State University. Yakov Veryovkin is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

10. ‘Development of a hardware-software complex for testing and implementing psychological methods for controlling a person’s emotional status’ by HSE University’s Centre for Cognition and Decision Making of the Institute for Cognitive Neurosciences and the Laboratory of Neurotechnologies of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Development (Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University). Anna Shestakova is the project leader on the part of HSE University.

Elena Vakulenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Economics at HSE University’s Faculty of Economic Sciences, member of the contest committee

‘It was my first time participating in the jury of the Mirror Laboratories competition and it was an interesting and useful experience for me. The applications were very versatile and diverse—from history and jurisprudence to artificial intelligence and medicine—which made it possible to get to know my colleagues and significantly broaden my horizons. I was pleased with the geographic scope of the participants and the fact that colleagues from HSE University found common points of interaction and mutually beneficial cooperation with colleagues from universities located in the most remote corners of Russia. I wish all the competition participants success in their work on the announced projects, even if they do not receive the requested funding. Judging by the activity and passion with which the participants presented their projects, they are sure to succeed.’

Alexander Balyshev, Acting Vice Rector, Senior Director for Basic Research at HSE University, member of the contest committee

‘The Mirror Laboratories contest is one of the key events aimed at developing scientific cooperation, exchanging best practices, and increasing academic mobility. In the current wave of the competition, it is especially nice to see the high level of applications (only budget limitations prevented us from supporting more projects), the breadth of the participants' geographical coverage (from Pskov to Kamchatka), and the variety of thematic areas. I would like to wish the winners successful work and great results!’

Marina Litvintseva, Director for Advanced Research at HSE University, Chair of the contest committee

‘I am very glad that the Mirror Laboratories project is developing so actively and dynamically. This was the fourth competition; there were many good and strong applications, and some of our research teams began their cooperation with partners even before submitting documents for the competition. Based on the results of this contest, a new cluster of projects for cooperation between our scientists and leading medical centres started forming at our university. Without doubt, access to such interdisciplinary research is one of the most important results of the project. The most active participant in the current competition on our part was the Institute of Education, which presented a diverse pool of applications in various areas of research. I would also like to mention our colleagues from Nizhny Novgorod—the mega-grant in mathematics, which began to be implemented in 2019 under the leadership of Olga Pochinka, was a great start. Our colleagues received support through an inter-campus competition last year, and today they can be congratulated for creating the first mirror laboratory on campus. A total of 21 university teams and 18 partners from all across the country are already participating in our project. Following the competition results, ten new HSE University research teams and seven more partner organisations will be involved in the project. I congratulate all the winners and wish them successful implementation of their projects!’