Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Novosibirsk project "Science on a Visit" has won the Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation's 2025 "Practices of Personal Philanthropy and Altruism" competition. The project's curator is Anna Shuklina, a master's student in the Physics Department of Novosibirsk State University (NSU Physics Department) and a senior laboratory assistant at the INP SB RAS. One of the organizers is Svetlana Ivanenko, a research fellow at the INP SB RAS and a candidate of technical sciences. For five months, volunteer scientists from the project team will conduct regular physics classes for children undergoing long-term treatment. The project launches in January 2025, and the organizers are currently recruiting volunteers: the first meeting was held at NSU on December 1st, and over 20 students from various university departments attended.
The "Practices of Personal Philanthropy and Altruism" competition is held to support socially significant initiatives within the Potanin Foundation community. Winners receive up to 500,000 rubles to implement charitable initiatives, campaigns, and events aimed at supporting vulnerable groups, protecting the environment, animals, and more. In the 2025 competition, 56 projects received support, with Anna Shuklina's "Science on a Visit" project being the sole winner from the Novosibirsk Region.
"I was inspired to try to develop a project for the 'Practices of Personal Philanthropy and Altruism' grant competition by a Potanin Foundation scholarship recipient who gave lectures to cancer patients," commented Anna Shuklina, curator of the "Science on a Visit" project. "Having a background in physics and experience working with elementary school children at the Small Physics and Mathematics School and seventh-graders at the Orthodox Gymnasium in Akademgorodok, as well as my own siblings, I realized that this is precisely what I'm good at—demonstrating physical phenomena and explaining the laws of physics to children without formulas or complex terminology. For example, with some play dough, a plastic straw, a plastic bottle, and some alcohol, I can easily explain and demonstrate how a liquid thermometer works. So I thought, why not bring my physics lessons to children undergoing long-term treatment? That's how the "Science on a Visit" project came about."
The "Science on a Visit" project will launch in January 2026. A team of volunteers and organizers will demonstrate engaging physics to children undergoing long-term treatment at the Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Hospital and the E.N. Meshalkin National Medical Research Center.
"The 'Science on a Visit' project isn't designed to help children catch up on their educational program; it's more of a bridge to everyday life," added Svetlana Ivanenko. "It's crucial that, while undergoing long-term treatment, a child understands that everyday life, like school, is still there. This kind of psychological support is crucial for children and their parents—I've personally seen the positive impact it has. When my daughter developed cancer, we underwent chemotherapy at the Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology in Moscow. This cancer center runs the hospital school, 'We Teach and Know,' which allows children to follow the school curriculum while they're in the hospital. When we went there with my daughter, her mood completely changed, and, naturally, so did mine. Veronika attended various extracurricular activities, and one of the teachers discovered she plays guitar and brought her his. Overall, it was a turning point for us." That’s why when Anya invited me to join the Science on a Visit project, I couldn’t refuse.
As Larisa Lisovskaya, head of the Novosibirsk regional children's branch of the All-Russian Society of Oncology and Public Health (VOOPP) "Association of Cancer Patients 'Hello!'," notes, "Science on a Visit" is distinguished by its focus on scientific knowledge.
"The project offers specially designed experiments, tailored to the children's abilities and condition, and educational content that not only entertains but also sparks deep cognitive interest; it eases the family's emotional burden by showing that the child is not isolated from the world of knowledge and communication. The project is of tremendous importance as a comprehensive support service, not just entertainment. It allows children to continue developing, exploring the world, exercising their thinking, and maintaining curiosity despite treatment. The activities will help them take a psychological break from pain and fear and experience positive emotions. In isolation, it will provide an opportunity to communicate and interact with volunteers and other children, stimulating discussion, shared creativity, and social development. Older children will have the opportunity to interact with students who work at research institutes, which will help them with career guidance and build a successful future," she added.
On December 1, NSU hosted a meeting with volunteers, where interested individuals could learn more about the project and, if interested, participate. The organizers primarily invited students from NSU's physics, mathematics, and natural science departments. Yulia Soboleva, a psychologist from the pediatric oncology and hematology department at the Novosibirsk Regional Hospital, spoke at the meeting, describing both the department itself and the nuances of working with patients currently being treated there. Representatives of the "We Learn We Know" project, Tatyana Krymova, deputy head of the project office, and Ekaterina Zorina, scientific director of the hospital psychologists, spoke online. They shared their experiences working in hospital education. You can learn more about the "Science on a Visit" project. find out in the VKontakte group.
In the photo: NSU Physics Department Master's student, senior laboratory assistant at the Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS Anna Shuklina.
From left to right: Alexey Lisovsky, Varvara Frolkina, head of the Novosibirsk regional children's branch of the All-Russian Society of Oncology and Public Health (VOOPP) "Association of Oncology Patients "Hello!" Larisa Lisovskaya, master's student of the NSU Faculty of Physics and Dentistry, senior laboratory assistant of the INP SB RAS Anna Shuklina, deputy dean of the NSU Faculty of Physics for extracurricular activities Zhanna Ermola, research fellow of the INP SB RAS, candidate of technical sciences Svetlana Ivanenko.
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