Skoltech is an international graduate research-focused university that was founded by the group of world-renowned scientists in 2011. Skoltech's curriculum focuses on technology and innovation, offering Master's programs in 11 technological disciplines. Students receive rigorous theoretical and practical training, design their own research projects, participate in internships and gain entrepreneurial skills in English. The faculty is comprised of current researchers with international accreditation and achievements.

Skoltech scientists win Moscow Government Awards

Fifty individual researchers and research teams have been honored with the Moscow Government Award for Young Scientists 2020 and cash prizes of 2 million rubles for breakthrough research and development. Skoltech has received three awards.

Alexander Kvashnin, a Senior Research Scientist at the Skoltech Center for Energy Science and Technology (CEST) has won the award in the Physics and Astronomy category for a series of theoretical and experimental studies on new superhard materials for the mining industry.

“We focused on the computational prediction of the structure and properties of new superhard materials, including borides, carbides, and nitrides of transition metals. We have predicted and examined the structure of the highest boride of tungsten, WB5-x, and successfully synthesized this new material which displays remarkable hardness and stability and is suitable for mass production. Also, we have patented the WB5-x manufacturing method. Gazprom Neft Science and Technology Center plans to use WB5-x in the cutters of its drill bits in new oil and gas fields,” Alexander says.

A team of CEST researchers, Victoria Nikitina, Stanislav Fedotov, and Dmitry Aksenov, has been presented with the award in the Chemistry and Materials Science category for the development of electrode materials for new generation metal-ion batteries. The team’s research findings were presented in a series of publications in high-impact scientific journals, such as Nature Communications and Advance Energy Materials (Q1, Nature Index), and are covered by two Russian patents.

“We anticipate that our joint contribution to the development of new high-energy, powerful and stable electrode materials for metal-ion batteries should accelerate the transition to sustainable electric transport and green energy based on the rational and efficient use of renewable energy sources. We thank our team, colleagues, and CEST and Skoltech management for their support,” Stanislav says.

Another award went to Yury Yanovich, a Research Scientist at the Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering (CDISE), who was named winner in the Data Transfer, Storage, Processing and Protection category for the development of high-performance and secure blockchain systems.

Yury designed and implemented several blockchain solutions for stamp management (jointly with Russian Post), anti-counterfeiting for the plastic pipe market (in collaboration with the Polyplastic group), and personal biomedical data and smart power grid management.

“I have proposed several blockchain modifications to prevent DoS attacks and facilitate compliance with personal data storage and handling and trade secret protection requirements,” Yury explains.

The Moscow Government Award for Young Scientists has been given out in 22 categories since 2013 as an incentive for young Moscow postgraduates, researchers, specialists, and Candidates of Science (under 36 years old) and Doctors of Science (under 40 years old) who work individually or within a team of up to 3 researchers.

We congratulate all the winners and wish them every success in their future endeavors

Contact information:
Skoltech Communications
+7 (495) 280 14 81

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