Follow Putin on His "Young Scholars" Tour: President Promises Support for Research in Siberia
Russia needs major scientific projects that will benefit not only our country but also the whole of mankind, Vladimir Putin said in Novosibirsk. On Russian Science Day, the head of state presented prizes to young scientists who are the authors of the main research projects of the year. A big talk about the future of science took place in local Akademgorodok with the students and in the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences where Putin held a meeting with the Council for Science and Education.
Pavel Zarubin is reporting.
They have already made powerful scientific breakthroughs, but young scientists are young enough to talk about serious things with humor. Maxim Nikitin's technique makes the medicine have an effect only on the diseased cell without damaging the entire body.
Maxim Nikitin: "Mendeleev is said to have come up with his idea while sleeping. I was much less lucky to have come up with mine right before falling asleep. So I could not sleep for a long time, developing the whole concept, but, for me, all this creative search was an absolutely amazing delight".
Vladimir Putin: "As the saying goes, when the work is done, go have your fun. Look, before falling asleep. He invented his remarkable discovery before going to sleep, and then he quietly fell asleep. That is, his psyche is very strong and stable. I wish you health and success".
Nikita Bashnin deeply studied the history and traditions of the Russian North. He believes that knowing the past, one can confidently build the future.
Nikita Bashnin: "In medieval Russia there was a tradition to transfer spiritual experience from the elders to the newly-made monks, Now the Russian Academy of Sciences is being reformed, but still scientific schools are preserved, which enables continuity, gaining experience from senior colleagues".
Vladimir Putin: "I want to wish all the new monks of Russian science good luck and further success".
Konstantin Kokh's development allows us to see in detail what is now can't be seen not only by the human eye, but also by powerful devices.
Konstantin Kokh: "The radiation band that we work with allows us to observe objects through the flames.”
Each awardee received a prize of 2,5 million rubles.
On Russian Science Day, speaking in Novosibirsk, a major scientific center, Putin says given the drastic technological changes taking place in the world, it is clear that the leader will be the one who will possess these technologies. Russian science already knows a lot that previously seemed unthinkable.
Vladimir Putin: "For example, to save people whose skin was almost entirely damaged, or to help those who had a brain injury or a stroke to return to their normal lives, or to change heart valves with less risk. I believe the intellectual and scientific potential we have makes it possible to organize large-scale genomic research in Russia. I ask you to develop a corresponding program in the short term providing support mechanisms for strong research teams, establishing advanced infrastructure and training personnel".
Rapidly developing technologies will require more and more energy.
Mikhail Kovalchuk, Director of the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute: "Everyone has a smartphone. Processing and recognizing one simple voice command on personal smartphone consumes, on average, energy sufficient to boil one liter of water. We should remember this each time we press that button".
Vladimir Putin: "You said that everyone has a smartphone, but I don't. You don’t have one either. But you say everyone has. And about boiling water. If it is clean, boiling is not necessary".
The electron-positron collider is not a legacy of the Soviet past, but a new installation worth hundreds of millions of rubles. But the discoveries that will be made with it can prove to be invaluable for the mankind. These studies allow come a bit closer to understanding how the world works. Mankind has so far thoroughly studied at most 3% of substances that make up the universe. 97% are behind a veil of ignorance.
Today, it was decided to build a synchrotron in Russia.
- Why do we need a synchrotron?
Andrei Fursenko, Russian President's aid: "When some processes take place in chemistry, pharmacy, first, we need to see what elements make up the medicine. But it is even more important to see how these elements interact, for example, with a virus, with a pathogen. This system allows us to watch a movie about the life of molecules".
Alexander Sergeev, president of the Russian Academy of Sciences: "What generation of synchrotron should we build? Because higher generations of it are emerging."
Vladimir Putin: "Build the next one. We need a push in development, in general, our country needs large projects. It is right. They unite, they mobilize, they become a locomotive of development. It can be done. So, prepare proposals. I don't mean it must happen tomorrow. But don't delay it. Do it right now".
A new installation will give the country and the world many discoveries. There could be even more in Russia, but scientists say the red tape is often hindering.
Vladimir Fortov, director of the Joint Institute for High Temperatures: "We also used to have red tape that hindered the cause. Here I have a scheme drawn by Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov for the creation of a hydrogen bomb".
Vladimir Putin: "Under the previous regime, when Sakharov wrote this paper... What's written on the top? "Top secret" Famous nuclear physicist and architect of this project Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was behind it. Dare not to do what he assigned. We can't use the previous methods here. Speaking about these people who write on one sheet of paper, Andrei Aleksandrovich is right to say that they do it. But when they come to get the money, believe me, they submit such a pile of documents. You can't cut corners, it's rather strict. I agree that we should remove red tape from decision-making. It's obvious".
Future scientists — students of the Novosibirsk State University — worry about a possible outflow of personnel abroad.
A student: "Even now some smart people are thinking of going abroad".
Vladimir Putin: “We want talented, promising specialists to stay in our country. But we won't enchain them. It's impossible and wrong. For our part, we increased the funding for science by 3.7 times, and 3.7 is a big number. Some of our former compatriots return. Wherever you are and whatever you do abroad, you will feel like strangers either forever or for a long time. So, it's up to you. We, on our part, will create better working conditions for you.”
Young scientists say they feel them. Megagrants, presidential scholarships and prizes. Russian science is an integral part of the global scientific thought.
Vladimir Putin: "In this sphere, as well as in others, we shouldn't create such conditions under which this cooperation will lead to a further outflow. On the contrary, we must make this cooperation work as a pump in the country".
Therefore, science is an unconditional priority for the country. Putin promised that he would use the proposals expressed by the scientists today in his Address to the Federal Assembly and that a program for the further development of science would be created based on them.
Pavel Zarubin, Andrei Melnikov, Dmitry Ivanov, Vladimir Ozerov, and Dmitry Yarmolenko for Vesti from Novosibirsk.