Students of St Petersburg University discuss the development of mathematics in Russia with the President of the Russian Federation
On 25 January, Russian Students Day, President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with students of the country's leading universities via video conference. Students from St Petersburg University also took part in the event.
The meeting touched on the issues of supporting young researchers, the Olympiad movement, the encouraging of the winners of intellectual competitions, and the development of fundamental science.
The Head of State congratulated the teleconference participants on Russian Students Day and reminded them of the value of student camaraderie: even many years after graduating, specialists in various fields stay friends and meet up with their peers to share memories of the wisdom and advice they received from their professors and mentors. Mr Putin said that is thanks to this generational bond that Russia keeps moving forward, achieving scientific and technological breakthroughs, including in mathematics and digital technology, where Russia has firmly established itself as a frontrunner.
Like all people with a passion and true professionals, I think you understand and know better than anybody else that mathematics is not just an abstract area of science. Mathematics is a science of the future and a tool to develop new technologies and the most advanced industries.
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
‘This includes Big Data and its use in industrial production, finance, healthcare, genetics and so many other fields. Mathematics is also becoming a reliable helper in humanitarian sciences, including history and linguistics. And, of course, it is based on mathematical methods that modern software and AI solutions are developed,’ stressed Vladimir Putin.
President Putin noted that Russia will continue to work on scientific and technological projects, including in cooperation with leading experts from different countries. He invited the participants and their professors to take part in the International Congress of Mathematicians to be held in St Petersburg in the summer of 2022.
On the side of St Petersburg University, students who have achieved the highest results in mathematics took part in the teleconference. Anastasiia Korepanova is the holder of six certificates of programme registration with the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) and the winner of a competition for a scholarship from the President of the Russian Federation to support individuals who have shown outstanding abilities and achievements. Foma Mironenko is the 2020 winner of the ‘I am a Professional’ Olympiad in mathematics and the 2021 winner of the Sirius University Olympiad in information technology and artificial intelligence. Dmitrii Iartsev and Marat Abdrakhmanov, winners of the International Mathematics Competition for University Students IMC-2021 and St Petersburg government scholarship holders in mathematics, also took part in the meeting with President Putin.
Dmitrii Iartsev, a first-year master's student, who took first place in the IMC-2021 International Mathematics Competition for University Students, thanked President Putin for supporting Rector Nikolay Kropachev's initiative to hold the most important mathematical event in the world – the International Congress of Mathematicians – in St Petersburg. This gave the students a unique opportunity to meet the speakers in person and to ask them questions about the topics of their presentations.
‘I would like to say that our University, on its part, has done a great deal to make this congress happen. At the moment, we are working actively to prepare for this grand event,’ said Dmitrii Iartsev. ‘Many of our students, like Marat Abdrakhmanov, who is sitting to my right, are hoping to volunteer at the congress. The scientists at the University, who are also my teachers, are looking forward to the upcoming event. Moreover, some of them are invited as speakers, which shows the recognition of our University by the international scientific community.’
He added that the Congress will be accompanied by a number of satellite conferences, of which 50 will take place in different Russian cities. It will therefore attract experts from all over the world for summer schools and conferences and create opportunities for the development of young researchers.
I am very pleased that thanks to the Congress mathematics will once again be on the radar in Russia. I would like to see the profession of mathematics become even more prestigious and honourable.
Dmitrii Iartsev, a first-year master's student
Dmitrii Iartsev concluded his talk by asking President Putin how he is preparing for the forthcoming congress and whether he plans to attend the opening ceremony.
'I could not but support the initiative of St Petersburg University to host this international congress – as an alumnus, former professor and former deputy rector of the then Leningrad State University. This is a great initiative,' replied Vladimir Putin.
President Putin said that as a similar congress was held in Moscow in 1966 it is now St Petersburg's turn to host the event.
You noted that the purpose of the congress is to stress the importance of mathematics as a science for Russia and the entire world today. In fact, not just to stress its importance but to spark more interest in maths, to attract more young and talented people that the country needs for development.
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin added that maths is a backbone science for many industries, from artificial intelligence and Big Data to, oddly enough, humanitarian fields. I just talked about this in my opening remarks: without mathematics, it would be difficult today to process the enormous amount of archive materials, and it would be impossible to digitise many things. Statistics is essential for the humanities. Therefore, as one of our outstanding scientists said, mathematics can be found everywhere. Everything is mathematical to one extent or another,’ stressed Vladimir Putin.