A mathematician from St Petersburg University becomes the youngest external member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters

The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters was founded in 1908. At present, it numbers over 700 Finnish scientists and 180 foreign researchers. Among members of the Academy at different times were such outstanding St Petersburg scientists as: Ludwig Faddeev, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Professor Gennady Leonov, a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and long-term Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics at St Petersburg University.

Nikolay Kuznetsov is Head of the Department of Applied Cybernetics at St Petersburg University and Head of the Laboratory of Information and Control Systems at the Institute for Problems in Mechanical Engineering at the Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also the author and co-author of more than 250 publications, five monographs and ten certificates of intellectual property. In 2018 and 2020, the staff of the Department headed by Nikolay Kuznetsov was awarded the status of the Leading Scientific School (the Centre of Excellence) of the Russian Federation and received support from the Council for Grants of the President of the Russian Federation. The scientific interests of the School include mathematical control theory and nonlinear dynamics.

Nikolay Kuznetsov has developed the theory of hidden oscillations. Within this theory, he has solved Mstislav Keldysh's problem of nonlinear analysis of suppressing the flutter of aircraft controls; developed methods for detecting hidden oscillations in nonlinear control systems; and constructed algorithms of counterexamples to the Kalman problem. Nikolay Kuznetsov, Professor at St Petersburg University, was the first to: discover a hidden Chua attractor in Chua circuits and dynamic models of drilling systems; analyse oscillations in a closed nonlinear dynamic model of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydroelectric Power Station; and identify possible causes of vibration that caused the accident at the station in 2009. Additionally, the professor has developed methods for analysing phase synchronisation control systems, which made it possible to solve a number of synchronisation problems in multiprocessor systems with parallel processing and digital data transmission. This includes solving the Gardner problem on the lock-in range for phase-locked loops. The scientist has recently presented these results in: a plenary report of the 12^th  multiconference on control problems; 6^th  International Conference on Complex Dynamical Systems and Applications; and an invited section report of the 12^th  All-Russian Congress on Fundamental Problems of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Also, these research findings have been published in the review of the Journal of Computer and Systems Sciences International.

In recent years, the theory of hidden oscillations has been recognised by the scientific community both in Russia and abroad. The first fundamental publications on this topic were included in 2016 in 1% of the most cited articles in the Web of Science database. In 2016 and 2017, Nikolay Kuznetsov, largely due to his interest in the development of the theory of hidden oscillations, was named one of the two most highly cited Russian scientists in mathematics. In 2019, he was included in the list of 0.1% of the most cited scientists in the world in the cross-field category according to the Web of Science. He was among the other four Russian scientists in that list who had indicated academic institutions in the Russian Federation as their primary affiliation. Scientific research carried out by the team led by Professor Kuznetsov has been repeatedly supported by prestigious grants from the Russian Science Foundation.

Learn more about the joint work of St Petersburg University and the University of Jyväskylä (JyU) on training specialists in mathematics and information technology in the report of Nikolay Kuznetsov at the meeting of the Academic Council of the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics in December 2019.

Nikolay Kuznetsov emphasised that the fact he had been chosen as an external member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is recognition not only of his academic achievements and the Russian Centre of Excellence in mathematics and mechanics headed by him. First of all, it is the success of the joint research and academic programme organised under the cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and the University of Jyväskylä in 2007. The programme has been twice reported to the presidents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland. According to Nikolay Kuznetsov, it plays a connecting role in the development of relations between the two countries.

For 13 years we have succeeded in achieving significant research and academic results. As part of our long-term programme, with the support of scholarships of the President of the Russian Federation for study abroad and Finnish academic foundations, many talented young people have defended their theses. After graduation, all of them have worked at St Petersburg University, and many of them are still part of the department that I head. It has been a stage by stage, step by step path to success.

Professor Nikolay Kuznetsov, Head of the Department of Applied Cybernetics at St Petersburg University and Doctor of Physics and Mathematics

‘Voting was by secret ballot, and I do not know who supported my nomination. But among them, of course, were our partners from the University of Jyväskylä and Professor Pekka Neittaanmäki, long-term Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology, now UNESCO Chair, co-director of our programme, and Honorary Doctor of St Petersburg University. He has been cooperating with us for a long time and highly appreciates the prospects of Finland’s cooperation with St Petersburg and our University,’ said Nikolay Kuznetsov.