Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Today, the winter hackathon "Digital Subsurface" kicked off at Novosibirsk State University's classroom building, which is part of the second phase of the new NSU campus being built as part of the national "Youth and Children" project. Organized by the NSU Advanced Engineering School (AES), the event brought together 34 students from 10 leading Russian universities, including NSU, Tomsk State University, Novosibirsk State Technical University, Industrial University of Tyumen, and Bauman Moscow State Technical University. A total of over 90 applications were submitted by talented students from more than 10 regions of Russia.
Over the course of a week—from January 26 to February 1—students will solve real-world scientific and engineering problems at the intersection of geophysics and oil and gas engineering, machine learning, computer vision, and mathematical modeling, using materials and problems that researchers and engineers work with in the field and in laboratories. The program includes consultations and expert support from specialists working at the intersection of science, IT, and industrial challenges.
At the hackathon opening, Sergey Golovin, Director of the NSU Advanced Engineering School, spoke about the NSU Advanced Engineering School and its current master's programs, including those aimed at training specialists in IT geophysics and oil and gas engineering. He also presented a new program, "Digital Technologies in Science-Intensive Engineering," which will launch in 2026. It focuses on design and instrumentation, specifically the creation of devices and mechanisms that will solve problems in the oil and gas industry.
Sergey Golovin also noted the demand for graduates of the NSU Advanced Engineering School, who acquire versatile skills applicable in various fields:
— Currently, about half of our graduates stay with us to join our teams and work in oil and gas engineering and geological exploration. About 10% of graduates go to companies like Gazprom Neft. About 40% either go elsewhere for further education or enter the market and find jobs in IT and high-tech companies, because the competencies they acquire here are very universal. Even though we focus all of this on the oil industry, the ability to model, use digital tools, program, knowledge of machine learning, and data analysis—all these are highly versatile competencies that are needed everywhere.
The hackathon program is based on solving problems, which are selected in such a way that, on the one hand, they are part of real, realistic tasks, and on the other hand, they can be solved in a short time, that is, within a few days of the hackathon, and already obtain results.
The tasks presented to participants are divided into two broad areas: IT geophysics and mathematical modeling. These include developing a visual transformer for fault zone detection, a neural network assistant for seismic complex identification, a tool for predicting cementation using geophysical data, detecting instability during particle settling, analyzing temperature logs using the evolutionary method, and more.
The hackathon will culminate in a public presentation of the teams' projects, a summary of the results, and an awards ceremony for the winners. The prize fund will be 200,000 rubles. Winning or placing in the hackathon will count as individual achievements for admission to the master's program at NSU's PSI.
The event program also includes an opportunity to meet industry experts. A speed-dating session will be held, allowing students to connect with interesting individuals representing companies, ask them any questions, and perhaps identify future career paths. Participants will also have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the master's programs offered by NSU's PSI. A separate lecture will also be held on the SKIF mega-science facility and the opportunities it offers researchers.
Students shared their expectations for the hackathon:
— I want to understand the software application package.
"I'm from the Physics Department. They taught us physics well there. I want to learn not only how to write formulas, but also how to 'boost the machine' to do something more complex."
— I want to understand the field of computer vision and expect to get a nice line on my resume.
The organizers assured the participants that they would do everything possible to fulfill all the hackathon's expectations and provide them with the opportunity to gain new, practical knowledge, experience solving real-world problems, and useful skills, as well as explore educational and career opportunities.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.