Research & Expertise news at HSE University

Making decisions in situations involving risk and uncertainty is an inherent aspect of our daily lives. Should I obtain luggage insurance for my flight, cross the road when the light is red, or leave my current job for a new opportunity? Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience conducted an experiment to clarify the role the parietal cortex plays in decision-making in the context of risk. They found that suppression of activity in the parietal cortex resulted in subjects being less inclined to take risks. A paper with the study findings has been published in Cerebral Cortex.

Egor Sedov initially planned to pursue a career in programming but instead became captivated by experimental physics. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he spoke about the quantum effect and the quantum standard, a scientist's letter from the future, and the magnetic levitation of a frog.

‘Mirror Laboratories’ is one of the flagship programmes of the HSE University aimed at developing domestic scientific partnerships. During the implementation of the project, 41 research projects were initiated in partnership with 30 regional universities and scientific organisations. A series of round tables timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the ‘Mirror Laboratories’ project, were held at the HSE University on April 24–25, 2024.

Meeting in April, the HSE Academic Council discussed the results achieved by the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre in 2020-2023 and its plans for the future. Lilia Ovcharova, HSE Vice Rector and initiator of the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre, presented an overview of the progress made, stating, in particular, that 25 subdivisions of HSE University are involved in the Centre's work and more than two thousand early-career researchers and students have been trained at the Centre. Rospatent (the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property Rights) has registered 22 intellectual property objects (IP objects) produced in the framework of the Centre's operation, and 28 educational products have been prepared by the Centre.

A team of Russian researchers has successfully synthesised a new class of complex compounds of rare earth elements. Unlike other lanthanide compounds, the resulting substances are highly soluble in most organic solvents. These novel compounds can find application in organic and organometallic synthesis, as well as in the production of new luminescent materials. The study has been published in Inorganic Chemistry.

Economists at HSE University have assessed the impact of smoking, alcohol consumption and sports participation on life expectancy in Russia. These factors were found to vary significantly across regions; therefore, efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in each region should take into account local characteristics. The paper has been published in Public Health.

Following the visit of the HSE University delegation to New Delhi, cooperation agreements with leading Indian universities were finalised. Similarly, a number of expert events, consultations and negotiations on the development of comprehensive strategic cooperation with Bharat took place. The HSE University delegation also participated in the Raisina Dialogue, one of the largest international expert forums.

The Baltic Federal University (Kaliningrad) recently hosted an International Congress entitled ‘The World Concept of Philosophy’ in honour of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the philosopher and thinker Immanuel Kant. The event brought together about 500 scientists and experts from 23 countries. HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov took part in the opening plenary session of the congress titled ‘Critique of Artificial Intelligence: Being and Cognition in the Context of Artificial Intelligence Development.’