‘Students at HSE University’s Faculty of Physics Receive a World-Class Education’
On October 10, 2016, the Faculty of Physics was created at HSE University. It was the university’s first natural science faculty. Its first master’s students graduated in 2019, its first bachelor’s students completed their studies in 2021, and the first doctoral students will do the same in 2023 after beginning their bachelor’s studies in 2017. In his interview, Mikhail Trunin, Dean of HSE University’s Faculty of Physics, talks about the Kapitsa educational system implemented at the faculty, the results that have been achieved in seven years of work, and what is still missing.
— How did physics come to HSE University?
— By the mid-2010s, it became clear that HSE University should be a classic university of international standing. And any prestigious global university has a powerful natural science block, the core of which is the physics department.
Apparently, HSE University’s management was considering the idea of such a department; there were different candidates for its creation, but in the end, Rector Yaroslav Kuzminov opted for our team. We came from the Faculty of General and Applied Physics at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), where I worked as dean for almost eight years, until 2016.
The HSE University rector tasked us with creating the best physics department in the country. The first enrolment took place in 2017—about twenty people were admitted to the bachelor’s programme and the same number to the master’s programme.
— What were the founding principles of the faculty?
— There are two such principles, and they are tightly connected: training students according to the system of Pyotr Kapitsa and developing physics research in modern experimental laboratories.
The educational system proposed by Kapitsa during the creation of MIPT ensured great success for that university, and in the last century, it spread to a number of universities specialising in physics and technology. But today, in my opinion, it has only been fully implemented at HSE University. The Kapitsa system is based on three pillars.
Firstly, future scientists must be taught by scientists. From the first year of our bachelor’s programme, almost all courses are taught by practicing scientists—specialists in the area of physics or mathematics to which their course is devoted. They make up about 90% of the total number of faculty teachers, and it is not easy to recruit them; not every scientist is capable of teaching.
Secondly, students need to be involved in real scientific research as early as possible. After they have studied the main areas of physics and mathematics in the first two years, we send them to joint departments in seven leading institutes of the Physical Sciences Division at the Russian Academy of Sciences. There, they not only listen to lectures on the areas of science relevant to a particular institute, but also conduct research under the guidance of researchers from these institutes.
Thirdly, an individual approach is required. We have 160 external part-time teachers, about 250 students are being taught in all undergraduate and graduate courses, and according to the faculty rules, a teacher can supervise one student per course.
As for the development of physical science in experimental laboratories with the participation of students, we are fully utilising the potential of the research laboratories at our base institutes.
— How do students and graduates benefit from the Kapitsa system?
— By learning from leading scientists and being at the forefront of modern science, students of HSE University’s Faculty of Physics receive a world-class education.
Our graduates have no problem finding employment because from the very beginning of their studies, they have access to employers—the institutes within the Russian Academy of Sciences. Starting from the first graduating class of 2019, approximately half of our master’s graduates go on to doctoral school and continue their academic careers at institutes, while the rest go into IT, R&D, and some go abroad.
— Is it the case that physics students at HSE University only study theory, and practice is the prerogative of joint departments outside the university?
— No. Of course, at our faculty we have a training laboratory practicum, which we tried to fit with modern equipment so that students can become familiar with it at the training stage.
Laboratory classes are held at any university where physicists are trained, but, as a rule, these classes are quite formalised. Students work according to a strict procedure outlined in the guidelines.
But no matter how good our educational workshop is, its capabilities are not enough to conduct serious scientific research. Students carry out the real scientific work at joint departments of the institutes within the Russian Academy of Sciences, which have specialised expensive equipment and qualified research staff.
— What results of the faculty’s work can you talk about? What are you proud of?
—The fact that our small and intimate faculty, which arose from nothing, is gaining popularity every year and successfully competing with leading engineering and physics universities with a long history. We enrol intelligent and diligent applicants who are truly interested in physics and know how to study.
Our teachers are world-class scientists. Across the entire faculty, 80% of teachers have an academic degree. Most of them are young scientists, including doctors of science, who teach online classes on the faculty’s campus.
Over seven years, faculty members have published about 900 articles on physics with an affiliation to HSE University. More than 60% of these have been in A-list journals, and about 100 articles have been co-authored with our students and doctoral students. Students also actively participate in conferences; since the faculty opened, they have made 700–800 scientific reports.
— What does your faculty lack? What do you see as the top priority of its future development?
— We lack real research laboratories on the faculty campus. Yes, they are available at the base institutes within the Russian Academy of Sciences, and students work there, but there should also be modern experimental laboratories at the faculty. Then we would have staff members working full time at HSE University and publishing articles affiliated only with our university.
By creating modern physics laboratories at HSE University, we would be able to earn money and strengthen the position of our faculty in the world, strengthening its international status. This is the main path for the development of HSE University’s Faculty of Physics. We need the results of current research, which is carried out not only in the joint facilities, but also within the walls of the university.
See also:
HSE Scientists Have Developed a New Model of Electric Double Layer
This new model accounts for a wide range of ion-electrode interactions and predicts a device's ability to store electric charge. The model's theoretical predictions align with the experimental results. Data on the behaviour of the electric double layer (EDL) can aid in the development of more efficient supercapacitors for portable electronics and electric vehicles. The study has been published in ChemPhysChem.
HSE Scientist Optimises Solution of Hydrodynamics Problems
Roman Gaydukov, Associate Professor at the MIEM HSE School of Applied Mathematics, has modelled the fluid flow around a rotating disk with small surface irregularities. His solution allows for predicting fluid flow behaviour without the need for powerful supercomputers. The results have been published in Russian Journal of Mathematical Physics.
Physicists from Russia and Brazil Unveil Mystery behind Complex Superconductor Patterns
Scientists at HSE MIEM and MIPT have demonstrated that highly complex spatial structures, similar to the intricate patterns found in nature, can emerge in superconductors. Mathematically, these patterns are described using the Ginzburg–Landau equation at a specific combination of parameters known as the Bogomolny point. The paper has been published in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.
Adhesive Tape Helps Create Innovative THz Photodetector
An international team of researchers, including scientists at HSE University and Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPGU), has developed a novel photodetector composed of a thin superconducting film, capable of detecting weak terahertz (THz) radiation. This discovery holds promise for studying objects in space, developing wireless broadband communication systems, and making advancements in spectroscopy. The study has been published in Nano Letters.
Operation of Cellular Networks Found Similar to Bacteria Growth in Petri Dish
Scientists at the HSE Laboratory for Computational Physics have developed a new model for analysing communication networks that can significantly enhance the speed of mobile communications. To achieve this, the researchers used computational physics methods and phase transition models. It turns out that the functioning of cellular networks is in many ways similar to the growth of surfaces in physics. The study was performed using the HPC cHARISMa cluster at HSE University. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Physics.
The Saudi Arabian National Team, Medal Winners at the International Physics Olympiad, Trained at HSE University
At the recent International Physics Olympiad (IPhO 2024) in Iran, students from Saudi Arabia achieved the best results in their country's history, winning one silver and three bronze medals. The team from the Kingdom made their first visit to Russia to receive their final training at the HSE Faculty of Physics.
'I've Always Been Keen to Engage in Experiments and Operate Scientific Instruments'
During his early years at university, physicist Ivan Makhov worried that he might be dismissed, but today he is heading a study supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he shares his work experience using a closed-loop cryostat, his dream of conversing with Einstein, and favourite location in his hometown of St Petersburg.
‘Two Interdisciplinary Research Centres Can Create New Synergy between Themselves’
In mid-June 2024, HSE University and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna held a joint working meeting. This meeting was the first under an agreement signed by the research centres in 2024, when HSE University and JINR agreed to jointly participate in experiments of the NICA megascience project, as well as interact in the field of theoretical and mathematical physics, information technology, and personnel training. These issues were the focus of the first working meeting. Details are in the JINR report.
‘I Aspire to Make a Contribution Comparable to Prometheus' Gift to Humanity'
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.
Russian Scientists Pioneer Accurate Mathematical Description of Quantum Dicke Battery
Physicists at HSE University and NUST MISIS have formulated and solved equations for a quantum battery, a device capable of storing energy in the form of light. Their findings will facilitate precise calculations of the capacity, power, and duration required for optimal battery charging. Quantum batteries are expected to improve the performance of solar panels and electric vehicles, while also opening up new avenues for efficient energy transfer. The study has been published in Physical Review A.