Category: Наука и инновации/

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The Polytechnic University hosted the international scientific conference "Linguistic Landscape at the Intersection of Media, Discourse, and Educational Technologies." The event brought together over 100 leading experts from 23 Russian universities and many international research schools.

"The conference has been held since 2012. Initially, it was called 'Polycode Communication.' Recent events have focused on areas related to digitalization in our society," Natalia Chicherina, Director of the SPbPU Humanities Institute, recalled the event's history.

The aim of the conference is to exchange views and findings on contemporary research on the linguistic landscape as the representation of different languages in public spaces and discursive practices. This study involves a broad range of methodological approaches for analyzing the relationship between language, society, and language policy through the lens of the choice of languages, symbols, and representations in public and educational spaces.

At the Polytechnic University, discussions focused on Russia's language policy and language use practices in public spaces and multilingual contexts, as well as the methodology for researching linguistic landscapes and linguistic diversity in multilingual cities and regions around the world. Experts from institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, research centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, leading national research and federal universities in Russia, and researchers from Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bulgaria, Italy, and Turkey discussed new findings and prospects for analyzing the relationship between language, society, and language policy.

Natalia Chicherina noted the importance of holding such events: "Today, when the country is faced with the task of achieving technological leadership, the humanities are experiencing certain difficulties. But you and I, like no one else, understand that a humanities education forms the foundation for training the specialists of the future. Without it, it is impossible to train the engineers and economists who will build the country's future economy and, among other things, achieve technological leadership. Therefore, we all very much hope that such events will once again demonstrate to our colleagues the importance of linguistics as the foundation of many areas of development today, including everything related to artificial intelligence, digital education, and so on."

Several sessions were held during the conference.

Text genres and discursive practices in the linguistic landscape; Language landscapes and the methodology of their research; Linguistic variation in multilingual cities and regions of the world; Linguistic variation in interlingual and intercultural translation

The scientific dialogue centered on a roundtable discussion on "Linguistic Sovereignty" featuring expert Professor Lyudmila Kulikova, a member of the Presidium of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Policy in Support of the Russian Language and Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

"Language policy and linguistic sovereignty are a key component of state identity and national self-awareness, cultural and civilizational independence, ensuring the communicative solidarity of citizens. At the same time, linguistic sovereignty is the foundation of technological sovereignty and national leadership," Natalia Chicherina emphasized. "Today, Peter the Great Polytechnic University represents and develops scientific schools of linguistic expertise, the study of qualitative and quantitative methods for studying linguistic diversity, digital media, and artificial intelligence in representing the linguistic landscape. This creates new growth areas in the humanities as a whole and attracts specialists and experts from Russia and internationally to dialogue at our university."

The "Linguistic Landscape" conference concluded with a lecture entitled "Translation as a Science… or the Right to Intuition?", delivered by Laura Salmon, winner of the 2025 International Pushkin Prize in Literature and head of the Department of Russian Language and Literature and the Department of Translation Theory and Technique at the University of Genoa.

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The Technopolis Polytechnic Research Building hosted a foresight session, "Polytechnic Student Scientific Society 2030," dedicated to strategic planning for the Student Scientific Society of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University through 2030. Thirty-one SSS representatives from eight university institutes participated in the intensive one-day session, which resulted in four development roadmaps, a system of key performance indicators, and proposals for incorporating results into reporting under the Priority 2030 program and the Youth and Children national project.

The event responded to a nationwide demand: attracting talented young people to research and development is a key objective of the Decade of Science and Technology. Within this framework, the Student Scientific Society (SSS) plays the role of an entry point into science, but until now, it lacked a unified university-wide strategic document that would set priorities, goals, and mechanisms for interinstitutional coordination. The foresight session allowed the participants to gather a "picture of the present" in a single day, formulate a vision for the 2030 SSS, and agree on specific steps for the coming years.

The foresight session took the form of a seven-hour intensive course: participants worked in four teams under the guidance of moderators, sequentially moving between thematic "stations." Students conducted a SWOT analysis of the current state of the Student Scientific Society, visualized a vision of the future, discussed key trends in the development of student research, and finally developed roadmaps for four priority areas.

The session's methodological framework combined several formats: from individual reflection and mini-galleries with cross-feedback to collective prioritization of trends and pitching of developed solutions. This approach allowed for a combination of expert insight and the "voice of students," making the discussion not only analytical but also highly practical.

Based on the SWOT analysis, students identified the SSS's strengths as motivated participants and support from the university. Among its weaknesses, they identified the lack of awareness among classmates about opportunities to participate in research projects and the fragmentation of activities across institutes. Key opportunities included developing interdisciplinary connections, launching a mentoring system, and digitalizing internal processes. Threats included the risk of burnout among activists and competition from other forms of student employment.

At the "SNO-2030" station, participants described the future student scientific society as a navigator of scientific trajectories and a "project office" for student initiatives, helping them navigate the path from their first research experiences to publications, grants, and internships. This vision of the future included youth laboratories, the SNO's own scientific journal, a comprehensive mentoring system, inter-institutional projects, and a strong national scientific brand for the Polytechnic University.

When voting on priority trends, interdisciplinarity emerged as the leading trend: over 80% of participants believe that joint projects between different institutes are capable of setting a new level of student research at the university. There is also high demand for the development of mentoring and support for students' academic portfolios, including the recording of scientific achievements, participation in grants, and publication activity.

The developed roadmaps include 29 steps with a horizon extending to 2030: from creating a unified calendar of SSS events and launching an interdisciplinary case club to implementing a system for recording student research achievements and rolling out student-to-student and student-to-young scientist mentoring formats. For the first year, the participants detailed the plan down to specific months, while the longer-term horizon remained flexible, in line with the principles of a foresight approach.

Another outcome of the session was a system of 16 key performance indicators (KPIs) that will allow for assessing the development of the Student Scientific Society across five areas: reach and engagement, strategic planning effectiveness, event quality, competency development and mentoring, and inter-institutional collaboration. These indicators are aligned with the target indicators of the national project "Youth and Children," the "Priority 2030" program, and the objectives of the Decade of Science and Technology, opening the possibility of integrating the results of the foresight sessions into the university's regular reporting.

Based on the survey results, participants highly rated the practical usefulness of the foresight exercise and the opportunity to see the Student Scientific Society from a distance. In the quantitative assessment, most respondents noted the applicability of the results obtained and the convenience of the format, while in open-ended responses, they most frequently mentioned the value of inter-institutional communication and the request for a follow-up session in a year.

"The foresight session became more than just a discussion of ideas for us; it became a rallying point for a shared vision of student research at the Polytechnic University. We saw that different institutes share similar challenges and ambitions, and were able to agree on specific steps that will make the Student Scientific Society a truly interdisciplinary and open platform for students," noted Margarita Yanchevskaya, Chair of the IPMEIT Student Scientific Society.

It's important for the university that the foresight results aren't just left on flipcharts. The roadmaps and indicators developed by students will form the basis for updating strategic documents and reporting on the "Priority 2030" program and the "Youth and Children" national project. "Essentially, together with the students, we are building a transparent system in which the Student Scientific Society's contribution to the development of the Polytechnic University's scientific potential becomes measurable and visible," emphasized Natalia Leontieva, Head of the SPbPU Office for Support of Scientific Projects and Programs.

The "Polytechnic Student Scientific Society 2030" foresight session was organized by the Scientific Communications Sector of the SPbPU Office for Support of Scientific Projects and Programs. Full materials—an analytical report, consolidated roadmaps, and a description of the methods—are available for use in the future work of the Student Scientific Society and for replicating the format at other institutions.

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Sasta PJSC's own production facility in the Ryazan region hosted an industrial exhibition for Russian manufacturers, suppliers, and developers of technological solutions. The event brought together over 120 domestic companies, displaying high-tech equipment, including five-axis welding and surfacing systems, 3D printers, and automated production lines using domestically produced equipment and components.

Anatoly Popovich, Chief Designer of the KNTN-2 and Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Transport at SPbPU, participated in the exhibition's business program. Other participants included Pavel Malkov, Governor of the Ryazan Region; Valery Piven, Director of the Machine Tool and Heavy Engineering Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation; representatives of Rostec and Technodinamika corporations; and the management of the Sasta plant, led by Diana Kaledina, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and Boris Buyluk, CEO.

Opening the event, Pavel Malkov emphasized that this was the first large-scale industrial exhibition dedicated to advanced metalworking technologies to be held in the Ryazan Region. The exhibition included a conference where participants discussed prospects for industrial growth, production capabilities of enterprises, measures to support customers of domestic machine tools, and shared experiences in implementing advanced engineering solutions for various industrial sectors.

Anatoly Popovich discussed innovative manufacturing technologies, special materials, and alloys used in high-tech industries. He also presented SPbPU's developments and implemented solutions, implemented jointly with industrial partners, demonstrating examples of successful collaboration between academic science and the real economy.

Guests were able to view an exhibition of modern Russian metalworking equipment, including five-axis machining centers, specialized engineering solutions for defense industry and manufacturing companies, automation and robotics technologies, additive manufacturing and new materials, Russian components and tools, as well as domestic software and solutions for industrial digitalization.

Sasta PJSC is a Russian machine tool manufacturer with a full production cycle for metalworking machines, founded in 1974. Since 2020, the company has been included in the list of systemically important organizations of the Russian economy and in the consolidated register of defense industry organizations. The plant's products are certified as being of Russian origin in accordance with Russian Government Resolution No. 719.

Photo: sasta.ru

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Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has developed a laser cladding technology for restoring sealing and working surfaces of pressure-sensitive equipment. The project was implemented by specialists from the Laser and Additive Technologies Research Laboratory at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Transport.

The development is aimed at restoring the sealing and working surfaces of equipment operated under pressure, primarily pipeline valve flanges.

The work was carried out as part of a research project dedicated to increasing the service life and reliability of industrial equipment. The study involved samples of 09G2S, 15Kh5M, and 12Kh18N10T steel, as well as prototype flanges for equipment and pipelines.

In the current environment, the issue of technological sovereignty in the oil, gas, and energy industries is more pressing than ever. Our engineers' development is a direct response to the challenge of import substitution. Laser cladding allows for the restoration of critical pipeline valve assemblies to as-new condition, ensuring Russian companies' complete independence from foreign service solutions and spare parts, shared Anatoly Popovich, Director of the Institute of Metallurgical Engineering and Technology.

The key objective of the project was to develop technological solutions that would effectively restore worn surfaces with minimal allowance for subsequent machining, without the need for complete replacement of parts. This approach significantly reduces operating costs and improves the cost-effectiveness of equipment repair.

During the research and development work, laboratory specialists completed a full cycle of technological and experimental studies. Specifically, they developed a laser cladding technology for six base metal–cladding material combinations, covering the most common restoration scenarios. For each pair of materials, laser cladding samples were produced, followed by a series of mechanical tests.

Particular attention was paid to the corrosion resistance of the fusion zone and deposited coatings. Tests were conducted for various types of corrosion, including general, pitting, intergranular, and stress corrosion. The practical significance of the work was confirmed by testing the developed modes on flange prototypes.

"We're focused on developing technologically proven solutions that can be implemented in industrial practice. Laser cladding allows us not only to restore the geometry of parts but also to create coatings with specified performance properties," noted Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the Laser and Additive Technologies Research Laboratory at IMMIT SPbPU.

Based on the results of the work, a list of recommended equipment for implementing laser cladding technology in industrial conditions was compiled, and process maps and recommendations for restoring the sealing surfaces of flanges of vessels, apparatuses, and pipelines were developed.

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Scientists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have created a new computer program for selecting frost-resistant building materials. The algorithm selects the most durable compounds for equipment design and building construction. RIA Novosti.

Some regions have special requirements for construction materials. The Arctic region, for example, is one such example. What works well in the temperate zone can quickly fail in the Far North, explained Igor Ilyin, Director of the Higher School of Business Engineering at the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

There are tens of thousands of materials, each with its own advantage. For example, materials for locks must be corrosion-resistant, while drill bits must be highly hard. However, a single superior characteristic often means that the other material parameters will be average or lower.

Polytechnic University scientists have created a computer program that will help select the most suitable frost-resistant materials for Arctic equipment. According to them, the algorithm is not a reference book, but an intelligent add-on that identifies which specific parts and components require specific materials in Arctic conditions.

The program's operating principle can be compared to the work of an experienced materials scientist, who not only stores the characteristics of numerous polymers but also knows precisely which one is optimal for a specific task in extreme cold conditions. The system analyzes the component's requirements and suggests a solution that ensures maximum reliability and durability, explained Nina Trifonova, assistant professor at the IPMEIT Graduate School of Business Engineering.

The specialist added that the algorithm focused primarily on polymeric materials. Using a "smart cookbook," the Polytechnic researchers were able to translate the complex physical and chemical properties of polymers into language understandable to design engineers.

Let's say a plastic plug fails on an Arctic oil and gas platform. Normally, it would take weeks to get a new part, the material for which is developed by chemists. With our program, an on-site engineer can consult the database, instantly select the correct polymer composition, and 3D print the part right there on the platform. This significantly reduces repair time," explained Nina Trifonova.

In the future, scientists plan to incorporate "images"—digital twins—of materials into the program so that it can predict how a specific part will behave during long-term use.

The study was supported by grant No. 23-78-10190 from the Russian Science Foundation.

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Polytechnic University researchers have developed a new digital methodology for assessing the shape of synapses in brain neurons. The developed metrics allow for not just estimating size, but also describing their complex three-dimensional shape with high mathematical precision. This discovery will help researchers more quickly and accurately assess the effectiveness of substances that could become the basis for future drug treatments for various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. The results of the study were published in the prestigious scientific journal Bioinformatics.

In the most general sense, dendritic spines of neurons in the brain can be considered structures responsible for memory and learning in humans. These membrane projections on neurons are a component of the synapse and receive signals from other neurons.

In developmental brain diseases or severe neurodegenerative diseases, changes in the shape of spines are observed. Synapses change shape, degenerate, and connections between neurons deteriorate. One of the factors influencing the negative change in spine shape, and consequently their functioning, is the accumulation of beta-amyloid oligomers (so-called amyloid plaques, an altered form of the beta-amyloid protein), which begins long before the first clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease appear.

Researchers have traditionally classified spines into several types based on their shape (mushroom-shaped, thin, stumpy, etc.) using visual or semiautomated classification, or described them using simple numerical parameters (length, volume, head width, angles). Scientists at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have developed new numerical metrics that describe spine shape much more accurately.

We used the mathematical apparatus of spherical harmonics and Zernike moments. These methods have proven themselves in engineering for analyzing complex shapes. The novelty of our work lies in the fact that we are the first to apply three-dimensional mathematical shape descriptors to microscopic images of spines. Harmonics allow us to decompose a complex three-dimensional object into a sum of basic three-dimensional shapes with specific coefficients, and even reassemble them back into this shape with high accuracy using these coefficients. Zernike moments describe the object's shadow in different projections, which also very accurately characterizes its structure. Our proposed algorithm allows us to capture the highly complex, multifaceted shape of spines as if using a scanner," noted Daria Smirnova, a programmer at the Laboratory of Biomedical Image and Data Analysis at the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology at SPbPU.

To test the effectiveness of the new tool, the scientists compared the spine shapes of healthy neurons and neurons in a brain model of Alzheimer's disease. Previous methods for assessing spine shape only showed a decrease in spine size during the disease. The new method, however, additionally revealed statistically significant shape redistributions across five different clusters. For example, amyloid toxicity increased the prevalence of elongated and atypical spines, which are difficult to classify traditionally but play an important role in understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration.

The value of this new method lies in its ability to more accurately analyze the response of damaged neuronal tissue to various chemicals, including experimental therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. This means we have a tool that allows us to see previously inaccessible subtle changes in spine shape. This is important in the search for a cure for Alzheimer's disease: our tool will allow researchers to more fully and accurately record the restoration of the shape of damaged spines under the influence of the test substance. Furthermore, in the future, this technology will enable the creation of a realistic 3D model of neurons, which can be used to train neural networks and virtually test medical hypotheses, saving time and money on complex biological experiments, noted Ekaterina Pchitskaya, Head of the Laboratory of Biomedical Image and Data Analysis at the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology at SPbPU.

The research team's immediate plans include refining the method for characterizing very thin and elongated spines and integrating the development into the open-source software tool SpineTool, making it accessible to neuroscientists worldwide.

The study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (FSEG-2024-0025) and a postgraduate research fellowship from the Idea Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research.

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The final round of the "Innovative Solutions for Oncology" case championship, organized by the CHEMRAR Entrepreneurs' Club and the Senezh Management Center, took place in Moscow.

At the championship, teams tackled a pressing problem: developing an AI tool to automate the planning of bioequivalence studies—a key step in the registration of generic drugs. Participants were tasked with creating a prototype system capable of optimizing study design, calculating sample size, generating protocol synopses, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

SPbPU was represented by Zakhar Vcherashny, a fourth-year student at the Higher School of Automation and Robotics at IMMiT. His team developed a prototype of the Ipharma AI AI system, which automates the design of bioequivalence studies, reduces the workload of specialists, and accelerates documentation preparation. The solution included integration with pharmacokinetic databases (PubMed, DrugBank), sample calculation taking into account intra-subject variability, and the generation of a structured synopsis in LaTeX/Word format.

During the final stage, the team participated in a poster session, presenting key technical and methodological aspects of their solution to experts and colleagues. Participants gained valuable experience interacting with the professional community, exchanged ideas, and discussed the prospects for implementing artificial intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry.

"Participating in the case championship was a unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and work on a real-world problem relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. "We were able to demonstrate how modern technologies can optimize routine processes and impact the quality of research," Zakhar Vcherashny shared his impressions.

The team's project exemplifies an interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in biostatistics, pharmacology, and machine learning. Participation in the championship allowed the students to expand their professional networks and gain experience working on innovative healthcare solutions.

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Two Polytechnic University developments in the field of digital transformation have received patents from the Federal Service for Intellectual Property.

The "Digital Industry Technologies (University Location)" computer simulator will become a new tool for teaching the digital economy at universities. The simulator is designed for independent practical work by students and advanced training program participants. Users make management and technological decisions in an interactive game format within a virtual university, receiving automatic feedback and a detailed analysis of the consequences of their actions. The system supports unstructured responses based on large language models, online group collaboration, ratings, and progress indicators, and also provides secure data storage and remote access through a client-server architecture.

The development responds to the demand for accelerated implementation of digital tools in industry, education, and public administration.

"The 'Digital Industry Technologies' simulator (University location) was created by the team from SPbPU's Advanced Engineering School 'Digital Engineering' for a large-scale online course taken by all first-year students at the Polytechnic University," said Vladislav Tereshchenko, a senior lecturer at the Advanced Digital Technologies School 'Digital Engineering' and one of the developers. "It was a mandatory element of the educational program, allowing students to interactively immerse themselves in the logic of digital production and management decision-making. A new stage begins next year—students will master a course on technological leadership, and our team is already preparing a new simulator for it."

The research team, led by Alexey Borovkov, Director of the SPbPU Digital Engineering School, in addition to Vladislav Tereshchenko, includes Sergey Salkutsan, Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education at the Digital Engineering School; Pavel Kozlovsky, Chief Engineer of the Strategic Development of Engineering Markets Research Laboratory; and Andrey Shimchenko and Elena Kasyanenko, senior lecturers at the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies.

A patent has also been issued for the first digital simulator, "Lean College," for managers in secondary vocational education. Users are encouraged to simulate the real-life situation at an educational institution: identify inconsistencies in scheduling, logistics, and document flow, and use Lean tools to see how the institution's performance indicators change. This format is particularly in demand amid the push to digitalize management and improve the efficiency of secondary vocational education: the simulator allows for experimentation with solutions without risking disruption to the educational process, while simultaneously accelerating the implementation of lean technologies in training for industry and high-tech sectors.

"'Lean College' is a logical continuation of our most popular simulator, 'Lean Manufacturing,'" explains Vladislav Tereshchenko. "It was developed specifically for the secondary vocational education and project-based learning system, including as part of the 'Lean Future' program with the support of the St. Petersburg government. The simulator adapts the lean approach to educational organization processes: it helps college administrators and faculty identify and eliminate waste, model, and test lean management changes. The development was carried out with the participation of an expert group from St. Petersburg colleges—we jointly identified best practices and assessed the feasibility of implementing a lean approach in secondary vocational organizations."

At the Polytechnic Institute (PSI) "CI," a series of simulators covering various levels of education and industry are being developed using the CML-Bench.EDU digital platform. The university's digital technology simulator addresses the challenge of engaging students broadly in digital production culture at the start of their studies. "Lean College" is a response to a real need in the secondary vocational education system: in 2024, the Polytechnic Institute trained 35 teachers and 417 students from nine colleges in St. Petersburg and held competitions. In 2026, the PSI "CI" simulator was adapted for the competition tasks of the regional stage of the "Professionals" championship in the Murmansk region, where a university representative served as a technical expert.

Vladislav Tereshchenko clarified that the basic "Lean Manufacturing" simulator was originally created specifically for an industrial context and to engage students in real-world production. Over the past five years, more than 20,000 people have been trained using digital simulators and training tools created by the PISh "CI" team. Projects include the "Wings of Rostec" educational program, AtomSkills, five training streams for the United Aircraft Corporation, the SPbPU Presidential Program, and continuing education programs for enterprises. The simulator simulates the entire production cycle—from demand research and component procurement to assembly, logistics, and product shipment to customers, making it a versatile tool for both training and competitive formats.

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On March 5, 2026, the qualifying round of the CASE-IN international engineering championship in the "Architecture, Design, Construction, and Housing and Utilities" category was held at the Institute of Civil Engineering of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The championship is supported by the presidential platform "Russia – Land of Opportunity" and is included in the "Science of Winning" initiative of the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia.

Marina Petrochenko, Director of the Civil Engineering Institute, and Yuri Lazarev, Director of the Higher School of Industrial, Civil, and Road Construction, opened the qualifying round with welcoming remarks, wishing the teams a successful defense and creative ideas.

The selection stage task called for the development of a concept for a multifunctional residential complex with underground parking and integrated Comfort-class non-residential premises, with a total area of 22,000 m², within the existing urban development of a city with a population of 400,000 to 500,000. Metropolis LLC, a leading Russian architectural and construction design firm, initiated and acted as the strategic partner for the "Architecture, Design, Construction, and Housing and Utilities" project.

Nine student teams from the Civil Engineering Institute, divided into groups of 5-7 people, participated in the championship. Over the course of three hours, participants developed comprehensive design solutions, including master plans and massing, architectural and structural solutions, electrical, water, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, as well as fire safety and energy efficiency measures.

The expert committee included representatives of the Civil Engineering Institute: senior lecturers Alexandra Zatsepina and Ekaterina Nedviga of the Higher School of Public Administration and Control (HSPCG), assistants Yulia Mordovkina and Yuri Nosov of the Higher School of Public Administration and Control (HSPCG), associate professor Stanislav Dyakov, and associate professor Olesya Averianova of the Higher School of Public Administration and Control (HSPCG). Representatives of Metropolis LLC included lead architect Diana Batayeva, head of the HVAC group Alexander Kanatov, and chief project designer Nikolai Novikov.

The "polyForma" team took first place. The team included Vera Zorina, Elizaveta Kotarskaya, Nikita Anisimov, Anton Smotrin, Alexander Kolosov, Polina Shirokova, and Ilya Kazinsky. The team's mentor was Anna Korotkova, senior lecturer at the Institute of Strategic Studies' Higher School of Industrial, Civil, and Road Construction.

The MonArchi team took second place. The team included Olga Zamaraeva, Karina Kambulatova, Valeria Cherentaeva, Svetlana Trubitsyna, Alexey Muromsky, Nikita Lapshin, and Alexander Shumailov. The team was mentored by Philipp Shkolyar, Associate Professor at the Institute of Strategic Studies' Graduate School of Industrial, Civil, and Road Construction.

Team Entazis won bronze. Representing them were Ilya Erokhin, Grigory Rytov, Alisa Katelevskaya, Anna Potekhina, Matvey Andreev, Anna Nagovitsyna, and Fyodor Nebabin. The team's mentor was Galina Bardina, senior lecturer at the Institute of Industrial, Civil, and Road Construction (ISI).

At the CASE-IN championship finals, which will take place this May in Moscow, students from the "polyForma" team will not only present their final solutions to the expert community but will also have the opportunity to introduce themselves to Russia's best employers.

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Scientists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the A.F. Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute have conducted the world's first study of the electric field behavior and plasma rotation velocity during edge localized modes (ELMs)—fast, short bursts of activity that inevitably occur during the operation of fusion reactors. The researchers experimentally determined the nature of the redistribution of energy, current, and electric field in the edge plasma, which, in the worst case, can damage the reactor walls. Investigating the mechanisms of these processes is essential for the development of reliable fusion energy. The results were published in the prestigious journal Physics of Plasmas, the research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation.

In a tokamak, the plasma is confined by a magnetic field and resembles a very hot medium, constantly experiencing oscillations, flows, and instabilities. One of the most important instabilities is edge localized modes, or ELMs. For efficient fusion, the plasma in a tokamak must be in the so-called H-mode (enhanced confinement mode). In this state, an invisible barrier forms at the edge of the plasma, acting like a wall to trap the heat inside. However, due to the enormous pressure difference across this barrier, disruptions—edge localized modes—occur periodically. These can be compared to a safety valve: they periodically release excess energy and impurities, preventing the plasma from escalating out of control. However, if this valve is triggered too forcefully, the impact on the chamber walls can be devastating to the entire facility.

Modern approaches to plasma physics considered only large ELMs dangerous, while small ones were considered not only safe but also almost ideal for fusion plant operation: plasma confinement was good, and there were no destructive large bursts. Scientists from St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Ioffe Institute conducted experiments on the Globus-M2 spherical tokamak and, for the first time in the world, determined how peripheral localized modes profoundly restructure the entire peripheral plasma region.

Experiments have shown that during an ELM, the plasma temperature and density in the near-plasma region increase sharply, currents outside the plasma change noticeably, fast ions are transported and accelerated, suprathermal electrons are lost, and plasma filaments are formed. It has been shown that the plasma rotation velocity increases during an ELM, with the effect extending several centimeters into the plasma rather than being limited to a narrow layer where the ELM develops, as previously thought. And all of this occurs in microseconds, meaning it's extremely fast. Individually, small ELMs appear harmless, but together they create intense and complex dynamics at the plasma periphery. "Small ELMs are not simply weakened bursts, but an independent dynamic regime in which the plasma periphery operates according to its own rapid and complex laws," noted Arseny Tokarev, a research assistant at the Scientific Laboratory of Advanced Methods for Studying Spherical Tokamak Plasma at the Institute of Physics and Mechanics at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The results of the measurements showed that the electron temperature in the boundary region during ELM increases up to 5 times, the concentration increases approximately 2 times, the plasma rotation speed increases by approximately 50% at a depth of up to several centimeters, fast ions are registered with an energy 6 keV higher than the injection energy, and filaments move at a speed of 3–10 km/s.

The practical significance of these results for the future of global fusion energy is enormous, as they provide a more realistic understanding of the stresses on the walls of fusion reactors. Future fusion reactors must operate continuously for long periods, rather than in short experimental pulses. Modes with small ELMs are considered prime candidates. Furthermore, unique data were obtained on the behavior of plasma parameters during ELMs, in particular, the rotation speed, which was measured for the first time in the world. This facilitates the transition from empirical selection of operating modes to deliberate control and reduces the risk of unexpected effects when scaling from experimental setups to reactors. The results will help make future fusion reactors not just operational, but reliable, predictable, and economically feasible, noted Alexander Yashin, head of the High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics research laboratory at the Institute of Physics and Mechanics at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The research was supported by grant No. 23-72-00024 from the Russian Science Foundation using the Federal Center for Collective Use "Materials Science and Diagnostics in Advanced Technologies" at the A.F. Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, which includes the unique scientific facility "Spherical Tokamak Globus-M."

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