Skoltech Newsletter_Eng

Dear Friends!The long-awaited autumn has come – the beginning of a new academic year in Skoltech!The autumn of 2014 is an important period for our university: almost 200 students started their studies at Skoltech, we opened all the planned educational programs, held our first international conference on composite materials and a number of other significant academic events. Ahead is another big date: on October 25, 2014 Skoltech will celebrate its 3rd birthday! Very soon we will sum up the results of the first three years of our university’s work and will make a list of our achievements!In September some of our students participated in the RoboNight – a broad-scale event for young robot constructors and amateurs that took place in the center of Moscow. Another group of 28 students, 2nd year of the MSc Program, went to study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): some of them immersed themselves in research projects, and others continued their studies in line with the course program.The academic collaboration of Skoltech with other universities is developing at a high speed: this autumn our university has signed a few important agreements on cooperation with both Russian and foreign institutions. Our program of double diplomas is also in progress – it was joined by Novosibirsk State University and Tomsk Polytechnic University.Skoltech continues to actively interact with the industry: three of our projects received funding from the Federal program “Research and Elaborations”.A group of Skoltech scientists under the direction of professor Yuri Shprits won an international grant for elaboration of space weather forecasting methods – in the framework of the new European Union program for science, technology and innovation development “Horizon 2020”. Sounds great, doesn’t it?And what’s more in September cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev gave an excellent lecture at Skoltech. Read more about it in this issue of Skoltech Newsletter.As it should be, autumn is a busy season for innovators. We are looking forward to the Open Innovations Forum, the Science Festival, international science workshops, conferences and symposia.In short, things are in full swing in Skoltech, and we are very enthusiastic. We have much to do before the end of the year!

Sincerely,Edward Crawley,

Skoltech President

TABLE OF CONTENTS Address@Skoltech ............................ 1MegaEvent@Skoltech.................... 2-3Students@Skoltech ....................... 4-5

Official Sources@Skoltech ............ 6-7In Focus@Skoltech ............................ 8Industry@Skoltech ............................ [email protected]@Skoltech ...................12-13RoboNight@Skoltech .................14-15Conference@Skoltech ................16-17Visualization@Skoltech ..............18-193 Questions…@Skoltech .................. 20Forum@Skoltech ............................. 21Innovations@Skoltech ................22-23Essay@Skoltech .............................. 24Research@Skoltech ........................ 25Lecture@Skoltech ......................26-27

Edward Crawley, Skoltech President

WWW.SKOLTECH.RU

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2014october

OctOber 2014

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NEWSLETTER SkoLTEch SkoLkoVo, RuSSia

The First Bell ceremony at Skoltech, September 1, 2014

According to the tradition, the ceremony started in the Hypercube hall where Skoltech students, professors, PhD students and staff gathered. This year Skoltech enlisted new students, graduates of the most prestigious universities from 15 countries of the world.

Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, greeted the audience and started with the main point: ‘Our students are the movers of our University. Skoltech is a new institute and many things happen here for the first time, and are initiated by our students. Our students take the responsibility on their shoulders and in many ways they are an example to follow. That’s exactly the way it should be!’

It was nice to see the proud students, who are the proactive core of the university and keep shaping the culture and traditions of a new institute.

MegaEvent@Skoltech

After delivering an inspiring speech on the stage in the Hypercube hall, Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, rang the bell. The First Bell.

OctOber 2014 WWW.SKOLtecH.rU

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MegaEvent@Skoltech

We hope that our students will always remembertheir First Bell at Skoltech

Awards to students – best of the best

The 3D model of the Skoltech campus is a masterpiece

OctOber 2014

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Students@Skoltech

New graduate students share their first impressions of studying at Skoltech

Aizhan Ibraimova, information science and technology

Last May I could not have imagined that fate would bring me to Skoltech, just as in that May of my last high-school year I could not have thought that I would become a student of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. But both of these spontaneous decisions had brought me here, into this intense world of immense opportunities.

From the very first days of studying at Skoltech I came to realize how great it was to be here. Skoltech has opened up a broad variety of choices before me and, what’s also important, gave me great friends and a wonderful atmosphere. Here every student is very distinct with his or her individual traits, but, on the other hand, we all share a common interest.

These two aspects bring us together, and this is why there are no difficulties in communicating with my fellow students at Skoltech.

The new academic year started with the "The First Bell" ceremony, which I will remember for a long time. After that I shaped my schedule: picked lecture courses and seminars of professors – leading specialists in their fields. Such learning system is new to me, but I like it very much – it allows me to manage my time properly.

The Skoltech spirit really helps me to develop myself and grow, and I am very grateful for that to everyone at Skoltech.

Simone Briatore, space science and technology

I study at Skoltech for more than two months now and get to know the university and its culture. At first it was not clear to me – what it would feel like to move to Russia for a long period of time. However I realized that moving here and entering Skoltech was a right decision. What I like best in this new innovative university is the atmosphere. It is absolutely unique and matchless; there are always new brilliant ideas, knowledge and experience around you.

The numerous white-green balloons, bearing the marks of the Skoltech corporate colors, were an essential part of the holiday atmosphere at the First Bell ceremony


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Students@Skoltech

At Skoltech you always have something new to learn, and I do not mean the courses only – first of all, you get new knowledge from people from all over the world who study and work side by side with you. Besides, the spirit of the city itself is overwhelming – beautiful Moscow with profound cultural heritage surely makes an impact! To sum up I can only say that I have made the best decision possible!

Aisylu Askarova, energy science and technology

While working on my master’s thesis at Swansea University, I realized that I really enjoy doing research. Then I thought, how wonderful it would be to become part of Skolkovo, but at that moment it seemed so far and unrealizable to me. However, a year later I passed the tests and entered Skoltech!

At the very beginning, as it often happens, it was a bit hard to get accustomed to the new educational format. We have been told straight away that it would not be easy – but I knew that it would be fun too! Now, I think, most students are trying to find their own way – their line at Skoltech.

I picked Skoltech, because I just could not resist it. After the tests I felt wonderful and was impressed by the Skoltech students, professors and employees, and the friendly atmosphere that was in the air here. It is the atmosphere of complete freedom, when you can discuss with a professor almost any topic.

You make great friends here, and have an opportunity to participate in various events, make the connections you need to succeed in your future career. At Skoltech you can find an area of science (or even a crossover of science and art), that you would really enjoy exploring further.

But the most important thing, perhaps, is that you can conceive your true notion here. It’s an excellent place to start building your future!

Skoltech Student Council started working in full swing (plus the ballroom dancing club is open!)

Elections to the Student Council took place at Skoltech. A team of 10 students will be involved in the institute’s administration and will represent interests of all Skoltech students.

The student council exists from the very first year of the institute’s history; however, in 2014 its team for the first time embraced all aspects of the Skoltech life.

The elections were held with a serious approach: all candidates presented their views and plans on how they would develop their areas of responsibility if they won at the elections.

In the long run, after the votes were cast, the winners were announced: Aliya Khairullina – vice-president of the Council, Artiom Nikitin – treasurer, Aliya Sharipova – event committee chairperson, Hripsime Matevosyan – PhD students representative, Pavel Sukhov – graduate students representative, So Puniapat – foreign students representative, Kirill Syrkin – representative of Energy Technology track students, Oleg Grinchuk – representative of IT track students, Divya Shankar – representative of Space Technology track students and Roman Shirochenko – innovations representative of Skoltech!

Congratulations, guys and girls!

By the way, here’s the first result of the work of the Council – the ballroom dancing club, directed by our students, is open! Dance, Dance, Dance. Swing & Shout.

OctOber 2014

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The 13th meeting of the Skoltech Board of Trustees was held On September 23, 2014 in the office of MIT-Skoltech Initiative in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

The meeting was chaired by Arkady Dvorkovich, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Participants at the meeting included Аlexander Abramov, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of EVRAZ Group, Аrden L. Bement, Director of the Global Policy Research Institute of the Purdue University, Victor F. Vekselberg, President of the Skolkovo Foundation, John M. Deutch, MIT Professor, Alexander Galitsky, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Almaz Capital, Herman Gref, President and CEO of Sberbank, Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, Alexander Kuleshov, Director of the Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nikolay Kudryavtsev, Rector of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Alexander Povalko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Chris Skirrow, Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Skoltech Board of Trustees, as well as members of Skoltech and the Skolkovo Foundation management.

Members of the Board of Trustees discussed the key issues of the Institute’s development: realization of the Skoltech quantum initiative and collaboration with the Russian Quantum Center, formation and financing of the Skoltech Center for Energy Systems, functioning of the Skoltech International Advisory Board, as well as raising industry and grant funding.

Natalya Kasperskaya, co-founder of Kaspersky Lab and CEO of InfoWatch Group which focuses on developing solutions for confidential corporate data loss prevention, was elected member of the Board of Trustees. During the ten years of Ms.Kasperskaya’s administration, Kaspersky Lab evolved from a young antivirus startup into a leader of the global IT industry with

annual turnover of 500 million dollars. In 2010 InfoWatch Group in collaboration with Ashmanov and Partners founded Kribrum service aimed at analyzing reputations of institutions, brands and individuals in social media and World Wide Web.

Since 2013 Natalya Kasperskaya is also a member of the Grant committee of the Skolkovo Foundation.

Participants of the meeting also approved the inclusion of the Russian Quantum Center into the Skoltech. The Russian Quantum Center (International Center for Quantum Optics and Quantum Technologies, RQC) is a research institution, created under the aegis of the Skolkovo Foundation.

The main area of activity of RQC is the fundamental and applied research in the field of quantum physics. In 2013 scientists from RQC and the Laboratory of superconducting meta-materials of the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" under the direction of professor Aleksey Ustinov carried out measurement of qubit for the first time in Russia. In the nearest future Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, in collaboration with the Russian Quantum Center will develop projects of Skoltech research centers referring to the Quantum Initiative.

Members of Skoltech Board of Trustees approved the development plan and budget of Skoltech Center for Energy Systems, presented by its director Janusz Bialek.

Alexander Tropsha, professor at North Carolina University (Chapel Hill, USA), was elected co-chairman of the International Advisory Board.

Pekka A. Viljakainen, advisor to the President of the Skolkovo Foundation, was elected member of the International Advisory Board.

After the meeting the members of the Board of Trustees met with the Skoltech students who currently study at MIT under the Flex program especially developed in the framework of the collaboration between Skoltech and MIT.

Official Sources@Skoltech

Natalya Kasperskaya, co-founder of Kaspersky Lab and CEO of InfoWatch Group is an elected member of the Skoltech Board of Trustees


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Skoltech is one of the key drivers to rebuild the education system in Russia. Traditionally, universities educated people generally, but never taught students the profession of a scientific job. Skoltech marks a paradigm shift and now professors are giving students various tools to become professionals. - Alexander Galitsky, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Almaz Capital

Official Sources@Skoltech Official Sources@Skoltech

A lot has been achieved. Ed Crawley, Skoltech President, did a great job in developing a concept and putting it into practice. The university developed CREIs (Centers for Research, Education and Innovation), recruited students and faculty and developed contacts with the best institutions. - Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Secretary General of the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO)

The success of a new university built from scratch can be achieved only with active support by the government. I’m very high on the potential in Russia for economic development. Skolkovo and Skoltech are feeding talent into that economic engine. - Alexander Kuleshov, Director of the Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute)

Skoltech has become an operating global institute with officers, faculty and students recruited against the highest standards from around the world. Both the new faculty and the students have received special training in innovation and entrepreneurship at MIT. Through Skoltech’s Centers for Research, Education and Innovation program, Skoltech will discover new technology concepts and generate intellectual properties that will have high market value in world markets. - Arden L. Bement, Director for the Global Policy Research Institute at Purdue University

The Skoltech effect will be much larger than its size, because Skoltech is inspiring other domestic universities and builds strong international networks. - Jan-Eric Sundgren, Senior Adviser to the CEO, Volvo Group

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In Focus@Skoltech

On October 2 in Hypercube representatives of the top management of the Skolkovo Foundation and the Tel Aviv University signed a collaboration agreement, in the presence of the Skoltech employees.

Alexei Sitnikov, Vice-President, Institutional and Resource Development, Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees, – Skoltech, delivered a presentation and told the guests from Israel about the concept and achievements of Skoltech.

Victor F. Vekselberg, Skolkovo Foundation President

Aleksei Sitnikov, Skoltech Vice-President,Institutional and Resource Development

Prof. Joseph Klafter, Tel Aviv University President and Victor F. Vekselberg, Skolkovo Foundation President

Liliya Boyko, Skoltech PR Director

Alexander Chernov, Skolkovo Foundation Vice-President


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Industry@Skoltech

Three industrial projects of Skoltech won funding from the Federal grant program “Research and elaborations”

Three syndicates formed by Skoltech received granting from the Federal budget as part of the Federal grant program “Research and elaborations of the priority areas of development of science and technology complex of Russia in 2014-2020” for the next 3 years with subsequent creation of production prototypes in the following 2 years by industrial partners of the syndicates.

1. Comprehensive study of “Bazhenov’s suite” – a group of untraditional petroliferous strata of rock formations (suites) revealed in the territory of approximately one million square kilometers in Western Siberia, estimation of characteristics of hydrocarbon accumulations and prospective technologies of their development. The project will be carried out by the Skoltech Center for Hydrocarbon Recovery in cooperation with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, and JSC Gazpromneft;

2. Elaboration of a federated system of computer-aided design and engineering for additive manufacturing of light and solid composite constructions for key high-technology industries. The project will be implemented by the Skoltech Center for Advanced Structures, Processes and Engineered Materials in cooperation with St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISPMS SB RAS), Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences, National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" and United Rocket and Space Corporation;

3. Elaboration of new quantum materials and photon devices based on them in the framework of optoelectronic technologies (photonics) development. The project will be carried out by the Skoltech Center for Quantum Materials

in collaboration with St.Petersburg University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, Novosibirsk State University and JSC Ruselectronics.

“The syndicates were formed in connection with cutting-edge prospective lines of development of science in order to create fundamentally new products and technologies. We plan that the attained results will allow to significantly enhance competitive positions in the world markets of the Russian companies involved in the syndicates, and will be later passed on to other Russian companies», – Alexey Ponomarev, Skoltech Vice President for the government programs and cooperation with industry, said.

*Grants competition was organized by the Ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation. The main objective of the competition is to select applied scientific research projects aimed at creating products and technologies in priority fields. The competition was held in six areas of science: living systems; nanosystem industry; rational use of natural resources; energy efficiency and preservation; nuclear energy; information and telecommunication systems; transport and space systems.

Alexey Ponomarev, Vice President forIndustrial Cooperation and Public Programs, Skoltech

Aleksei Sitnikov, Skoltech Vice-President,Institutional and Resource Development

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As part of the continuing collaboration between Skoltech and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 28 Skoltech students are currently studying for a semester at MIT through the Flex Program. Flex was jointly created by the MIT Skoltech Initiative and Skoltech faculty to expand and enhance educational opportunities for Skoltech students.

For example, at MIT, the students gain first-hand knowledge of the innovative MIT Cheetah Robot, the fastest untethered quadruped robot in the world. The picture below was taken when MIT researchers unleashed the Cheetah Robot and allowed it to run in front of the campus main building. Run, Cheetah, Run. At a great speed. What would Olympic champion Usain Bolt say? Skoltech students offered the following insights on their MIT experience.

Irina Zhelavskaya

The MIT atmosphere is incredible. Being here I totally understand why MIT is considered to be one of the best universities in the world. Every day I am listening to lectures of prominent professors. Some of them were the pioneers in their fields, and still continue doing amazing

things. For example, I take classes from Prof. Tomaso Poggio, a pioneer in understanding visual processing and in many other fields of machine learning and neuroscience, and from Prof. Edward Boyden, a distinguished neuroscientist and inventor of neurotechnologies who was featured in the Wired Smart List "50 People Who Will Change the World". This is so inspiring even to be close to those people not to say about working with them. And what is even more amazing that they are very open to students. They refer to us as equals, and that makes me feel so great. I am very proud that I can say that at Skoltech I feel exactly the same attitude towards students. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Skoltech for giving us that unique opportunity to participate in the Flex program and to study at this amazing place.

Andrii Omelyanovitch

I've been engaged in the research on photovoltaics for a while, and I must admit that MIT is the place like no other in this regard. I was quite lucky to get into the Grossman Group to do my thesis research. Group meetings tend to be quite informal, but also structured with limited time duration. Such attitude fosters rapid dissemination of knowledge about group activities among group members. Here I was able to get access to many great minds and great equipment. I make my measurements also at Harvard which has agreement with MIT on common facility usage. The life doesn't focus on academics only. There are so many exciting events that it's sometimes very hard to decide which one to attend. Culture of entrepreneurship, open-minded people, and great facilities, all of this create unforgettable atmosphere which can be overwhelming at times. However, I do enjoy being overwhelmed once in a while.

MIT@Skoltech

Watch the video: see the MIT Cheetah Robot running

The Cheetah Robot unleashed andset free - on the MIT campus lawn


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Aidana Nurzhanova

At MIT I take classes at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. This is the best university of the world and it provides all conditions for learning and development of students. I really like it. At the university there are students from all over the world, you can get acquainted with people of totally different cultures. MIT has an idea, a philosophy that make this university so successful. I would like to acquire as much knowledge as possible and understand this culture from the inside.

MIT@Skoltech

No doubts: our student Andrii Omelyanovitch (the one with the thumbup) is delighted with his studies at MIT

Photos posted by our students on Instagram give us a lively idea of their stay in Cambridge, MA

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I don’t agree with the statement that oil is ‘black gold’. That’s not right. I prefer this kind of comparison: oil is the blood of the country and the oil pipelines are the veins, which carry this blood, nourishing the nation.

Viewpoint@Skoltech

Iskander Akhatov,Director, Skoltech Center for Hydrocarbon Recovery58 years old,Skolkovo

Interviewed by Alexander Zolotarev


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I have never been inside the ‘Oil’ expo-hall at the VDNKh (All-Russian Expo Area). I was at the VDNKh only once in my life, when I was a student of the Moscow State University Faculty of Physics.

I lived in America 13 years, and I am again getting accustomed to living in Russia.

When you get oil from the ground, it’s all mixed with water or dissolved gas. That’s why oil should be cleaned. If you get several millions tons of oil, some percent of it is water. Your customer won’t be really happy, as he pays for water the cost of oil.

You know, I am a real gourmet. However, I don’t stand in awe of the recent import embargo for some types of products. I grew up in a country where there were just three kinds of cheese, including the Rossiiskiy one, and two kinds of wurst. Or call it sausage.

I worked in the University of North Dakota for many years. I would say: it’s more comfortable to live in America, but it’s more interesting to live in Russia.

Tremendous changes have happened in Russia in the past years. It’s a totally different country today.

I was born in Ufa and I really like the prominent Bashkir honey. Every time I came to Ufa, they presented me huge tars of this honey, and I was then thinking how to bring them over the border.

When I was a student, I played badminton. It was the most affordable kind of sports. I also played acoustic guitar in the amateur music band at the MSU.

Everyone knows where North Dakota is located: it’s somewhere over the South Dakota, right?… But believe me, hardly anyone can say where Ufa is situated.

In the Soviet times my father was building all the big oil pipelines, transferring oil from Siberia to the West. So I am an oiler by origin,

but on the side of science. My mother was a lawyer – this is the humanitarian part of my descent.

A tragedy occurred in the Mexican Gulf, but it doesn’t mean one should stop producing oil. It means that we should constantly perfection the technology in order to prevent this kind of accidents in the future.

Cavitation includes milliards of micro bubbles that keep fluctuating. When bubbles collapse, they can destroy the surface. For instance, the ship propellers can be ruined by this activity. This is a well-known issue, which even Lord Rayleigh was researching in his time.

Aerosol particles fly from the vein with the diameter of 100 microns. If we manage to focus them, these particles would be able to fly along the central line of the vein as bullets from the gun… I don’t use too complicated terms, do I?

Russia is now mentally closer to Europe. I remember that in the past times it was like this: on leaving the plane in Sheremetyevo you immediately smell tobacco in the air. Now, as smoking has been significantly limited and banned in public places, it looks more decent.

I would love to go to Baikal and Far East.

I believe that science is not affected by politics.

In the Soviet times we got a habit of sitting in our kitchens and criticizing everything around, but now the state officials are really racking their brains about how to advance science. I recently spoke at the conference in Saint Petersburg, and after that we had a dinner with Dmitry Livanov, Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, and discussed the future of the Russian science. It was a very useful conversation.

In the past issue of Skoltech Newsletter my colleague Zafer Gurdal said that in Turkish his name, Zafer, means ‘Victory’. I believe my name, Iskander, also means Victor or Winner in Persian. It’s quite finny, right?

Viewpoint@Skoltech Viewpoint@Skoltech

OctOber 2014

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On the night of September 19/20 Skoltech students took part in the RoboNight – a broad-scale night gathering of robot fans or simply “geeks”. The event that was attended by more than 1400 people was organized by the Skolkovo Foundation and the Skolkovo Open University.

In the course of the RoboNight Skoltech students presented their project “Robo-spiders” that showed all those who were interested how to work with Arduino, the open-source electronic prototyping platform, and fast prototyping technologies. Robo-spider is a four-legged robot that can stand up, walk and lie down. It is operated by means of Arduino platform, and it’s easy to assemble and program.

On the open Skoltech stand one could see a few kinds of such robots, packed up in fanciful “shells”: there were spiders with 3D-printered cases, designer cases, carved with the help of a laser printer and cases made of wooden

ice-cream sticks. Mini-spiders were running around the ground, dancing, performing stunts, amusing the RoboNight visitors.

The robotics novelty was a stunning success: both school kids and experienced geeks were willing to assemble or operate robo-spiders. The team of Skoltech students under the guidance of Nikita Rodichenko and Anastasiya Uryasheva demonstrated the prototypes and taught the visitors how to assemble such robots.

As the organizers stated, “the RoboNight is for the generation of Digital Natives — those who were born in the Internet era and were kids when the first iPods came on surface, those who perceive robotics as a normal and indispensable part of life”.

Rodichenko and Uryasheva agree: “The event is truly grand, wonderfully organized, intelligent and exciting! We were glad to participate in it, and to do it successfully – thanks to our Skoltech team”.

RoboNight@Skoltech

The full house at the RoboNight was no surprise, right?


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RoboNight@Skoltech RoboNight@Skoltech

OctOber 2014

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Skoltech participated in EAIE 2014 – the biggest international education conferenceWritten by Svetlana Maslova

EAIE 2014 is one of the key events in the area of education. Mikhail Myagkov, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and International Relations, presented the Skoltech education model to the international community, and negotiated academic collaboration with foreign partners.

Skoltech – expert of the "5-100" Program

The EAIE conference is a platform for dialogue with both international partners and Russian higher education institutions. Thus, Skoltech participation was marked with more than one important events, for instance, "5-100" Program, where Skoltech acted as an expert. The project is aimed at significantly improving positions of the leading Russian universities in the global market of educational and research programs. Skoltech gives expert support to 15 Russian higher education institutions. As a result, five universities should enter the list of the hundred best higher education institutions of the world by 2020. At present Skoltech professors are working out guidelines for the universities participating in the program. By the end of 2014 twelve priority areas of scientific research will be selected, and

the main operation in these areas will start.

Alexander Povalko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, visited the Skoltech stand and reviewed the current project’s status. At the end of the first day of the conference Mr. Povalko also met with representatives of Russian and foreign higher education institutions, answered their questions about the project and spoke about the role of Skoltech in the implementation of the program.

“The role of Skoltech expert knowledge is an important contribution to the development of the "5-100" Program. Comprehensive expertise and experience in international collaboration are indispensable to the Russian universities in order to achieve

their ambitious goals”, – Povalko said.

International cooperation

The second important objective of Skoltech at the EAIE conference was to build relationships with the international academic community: the team led by Mikhail Myagkov, Vice-president for academic affairs and international relations, met with representatives of more than 20 higher education institutions, including both current and potential partners of our university. Among the most significant were meetings with representatives of the University of California, Irvine (USA), University of Warwick (UK), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, KAIST (Korea), Singapore University of Technology and Design (Singapore) and Israel Institute of Technology Technion (Israel).

Participants of the meetings discussed opportunities of student academic exchanges, cross-relationships in educational and research programs, and participation in scientific events.

Skoltech experience for the international community

Under the aegis of the conference, on September 14th and 15th 2014, a panel discussion of the university presidents was held, organized by the European Association for International Education in cooperation with the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP). The key topic was “the price of failure”: why is it necessary and important for a university to make mistakes in order to develop successfully? As exemplified by Skoltech, Prof. Myagkov spoke about creating and developing a university, about the first difficulties, and current and potential achievements.

“I believe that it is very important that Skoltech with its 3 years of existence is perceived on equal terms by long-standing universities with over a century of history. We are seen as potential partners by many foreign higher education institutions, and many leading world universities have already expressed their interest in academic and scientific collaboration with us” – Mikhail Myagkov said.

Conference@Skoltech


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On September 17-19 'Design and Manufacturing of Advanced Composite Structures for Automated Production' international workshop was held in Hypercube.

The purpose of the workshop was to reflect on the state of the art in automated manufacturing of composites, recognize future challenges and opportunities, and identify major directions for the scientific community to move forward in a coherent and expedient manner.

Conference@Skoltech Conference@Skoltech

Zafer Gurdal, Director, Skoltech Center for AdvancedStructures, Processes and Engineered Materials, was one of the main organizers of the conference

OctOber 2014

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Visualization@Skoltech


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Visualization@Skoltech Visualization@Skoltech

On September, 1 all planned MSс programs were opened at Skoltech: Information Science and Technology, Space Science and Technology, Energy Science and Technology, Biomedical Science and Technology. Illustrator, known as May Trillo, depicted the Skoltech educational tracks in crayon.

OctOber 2014

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3 Questions…@Skoltech

…to Mikhail Myagkov, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and International Relations, Skoltech

Mikhail, you have recently visited the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. What are your impressions of this visit?

I have lots of impressions, of course, and they are wonderful. It was my second visit to FEFU, and I was very impressed by its new campus. This time I have

managed to see the new medical center that is in fact the first normally operating hospital within a university in Russia. In my opinion, it is an innovation for both Russian academic system and public health service, as it never happened before, although it’s a common international practice.

In what areas will Skoltech collaborate with FEFU?

We have ambitious plans here. For Skoltech, collaboration with the Far Eastern region in general is one of the priority goals for many reasons: it is Russia's gate to Asia-Pacific region, where Skoltech has already established partnerships with several universities.

The Russian politics are now quite evidently focused on developing both Far Eastern and Asia-Pacific regions, taking into consideration the Russia's alliances. That is why we will be present there, we will have a branch and an office there, will enlist students and will have joint programs with FEFU. We have already signed an agreement of collaboration. We will develop our joint research and educational programs as part of our Center for Energy Systems.

We will have a joint program on innovation training, based on the Skoltech program for training innovators.

Why was Skoltech chosen as the expert institution of the "5-100" Program, and what steps are being taken now in this regard?

When it comes to collaboration of Skoltech with other Russian higher education institutions and the Russian Academy of Science institutes, one of the main value propositions of Skoltech is that at present the university is efficiently developing international relations, in particular, with the Russian academic "diaspora" abroad. And this point is very important.

Collaboration with the Russian academic diaspora is an opportunity to involve scientists of Russian origin as experts in helping Russian universities to develop various scientific fields, academic courses, within the framework of the “5-100” Program.

Another advantage of Skoltech is that since Skoltech was founded in collaboration with MIT, and MIT is a world leader in shaping the visiting committees, their experience here is invaluable. MIT will make a difference. In general, Skoltech demonstrates an innovative approach to the development of academic environment in Russia, and we are very glad that we were selected as an expert institution within this program.

Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, and Mikhail Myagkov, Vice-president for Academic Affairs and International Relations, Skoltech, at the meeting with Sergey Ivanets, FEFA Rector, in Vladivostok


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Forum@Skoltech

Open Innovations Forum and ExpoTECHNOPOLIS MOSCOW Conference Center42 build. 5, Volgogradsky Ave., Moscow Skoltech professors and students will participate in the Open Innovations Forum, October 14-16, 2014:

OCTOBER 14• Entrepreneurs Track, panel discussion

“Entrepreneurs Culture”, expert – Ilia Dubinsky, Director of the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 9:30 – 10.45 a.m., hall 2.8;

• Chief Technology Officer Summit, speakers– Igor Seleznev, Director of Research of the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Max von Zedtwitz, Associate Professor, Skoltech, Director of GLORAD, the Center for Global R&D and Reverse Innovation; Mikhail Spasyennykh, Deputy Director, Skoltech Center for Hydrocarbon Recovery. 9:30 – 10:45 a.m., 1:30 – 3 p.m., 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., hall 1.2;

• EducationTrack,paneldiscussion‘Dynamicsin Education: New Players and Models of Disruption’, moderator – Edward F. Crawley, Skoltech President; speaker – Alexey Sitnikov, Skoltech Vice President for Institutional and Resource Development. 1:30-3 p.m., hall 2.9;

• Enterprises Track, panel discussion “HowGood Leaders Foster Healthy Disruption”, moderator – Maxim Kiselev, Director of Leadership Programs, Skoltech. 1:30 – 3 p.m., hall 2.4;

• ScienceTrack,CreativeDisruption.InScienceand Research, speaker – Edward F. Crawley, Skoltech President. 3:30 – 5.00 p.m., hall 2.2;

• Russia-China Cooperation on Innovations,participant - Edward F. Crawley, Skoltech President, 5:15-6:15 p.m., hall 1.3.

OCTOBER 15• Mineral Resources Track, panel discussion

“Innovative Approach to R&D in Geological Exploration and Hydrocarbon Production”, speaker – Iskander Akhatov, Director of the Skoltech Center for Hydrocarbon Recovery; 1:00-2:30 p.m., hall 2.10;

• Green Technologies Track, panel discussion“Smart Energy”, speakers – Alexey Ponomarev, Skoltech Vice President for Industrial Cooperation and Public Programs, and Janusz Bialek, Director of the Skoltech. Center for Energy Systems. 3:30-5:00 p.m., hall 2.9;

• Transport and Infrastructure Track, paneldiscussion “Energy Storage Innovations”, speaker – Keith Stevenson, Director of the Skoltech Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage. 5:30-7.00 p.m., hall 2.8;

As well as• Presentationofservicesforcommercialization

of technologies in educational and scientificactivities by members of the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; October 14-16, main expo hall

• Skoltech students Nikita Rodichenko and Anastasiya Uriasheva participate in the exhibition as standholders with their student project “Unmanned convert-plane”. October 14-16, main expo hall

• Skoltech students Dmitry Smirnov, Anastasiya Uriasheva, Alexander Ivanov and Yekaterina Kotenko participate in the Youth program “A Hundred Innovators”. October 14-16.

For more details visitwww.forinnovations.ru

OctOber 2014

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Strive for wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is the past. Wisdom is the future.Ancient Indian proverb

Engineering education for innovators is a tool for achieving the desired result, not a goal in itself

Upbringing of innovators is the most important challenge modern universities face. Unfortunately, most schools approach this task within the "leftovers" principle, using the tools and approaches from the past. How to teach students to think for themselves and not be afraid of making decisions? Is it possible to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in a grown-up person? What are innovative skills and how does one teach them? Ilya Dubinsky, director of the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, reasons on this and many other topics.

What does it mean - fostering innovators?

We at Skoltech have wonderful students - well-educated, talented and interested in creating something really useful for the society. On joining Skoltech they expect to acquire knowledge necessary to do that, and for almost every one of them education usually begins with rethinking the

most basic concepts - what leadership is, how to pose and solve problems, how to get and use the knowledge and skills, how one’s attitude affects the ability to create, and so forth.

"The higher education system in many countries and, in particular, in Russia is aimed at teaching students a specific set of knowledge. Successful professional activities and especially successful employment of innovation and entrepreneurship call not for general knowledge, but for the ability to quickly obtain knowledge needed to solve the problem. Extremely important are both the ability to think and make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, the skills of setting and solving problems and a correct, constructive attitude towards the very process of innovation as being difficult and full of risks. This is what we at Skoltech tried to teach the students in the first place ", - highlights Ilya.

So what do we teach our students and how do we do it?

One of the most valuable assets available to our students both during and after their studies are their fellow students. That is why from the very start we structure the learning process so that each student gets to know everybody and works in one team with the highest number of classmates during the first month. Innovative activities are a "physical sport" that requires many people with diverse knowledge and skills to be involved in the process. Leadership skills and ability to work in a team play a vital role and are one of the basic elements of learning at Skoltech.

Being an innovator is a round-the-clock job. People engaged in innovation professionally must have a habit to keep their eyes open, notice the needs of the society, opportunities in the market and relate them to available technological solutions. Setting the problem is one of the most complex elements of the innovation process. A successfully posed problem combines both the market demand, the possible technological solution, the path from technology to product and the attributes of a successful solution.

Unfortunately, in most cases, innovation is taught by business school professors and teaching is aimed at management studies. We at Skoltech primarily teach to engineers and natural science students, which is a major difference and a significant advantage, because our students do not consider technology to be a "black box". During the studies at Skoltech they will learn and understand from their own experience that the process of innovation is a non-linear process of permanent interdependent changes in technology and market/consumer problem, which form the solution together. They understand that the "technology push" and "market pull" are simplified models which allow to describe the process of innovation theoretically, but do not help whatsoever to understand its nature and learn to apply it in practice. At Skoltech, each student goes through the whole cycle of the innovation process at least a couple of times during the courses. The result is obvious - even the most simple student projects bear the imprint of a mature creativity of experienced innovators.

Innovations@Skoltech


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Innovations@Skoltech Innovations@Skoltech

Skoltech is a unique university, probably the only one in the world today, where innovation is the corner-stone. Each student must take a minimum of basic courses in engineering innovations. Education at the University begins with the "Innovation Workshop" course: lectures, master classes, workshops, practical exercises and projects. The "workshop" ends with a 2-week project in which each student team presents a problem, defends their solution and demonstrates a working prototype. This course teaches the students to formulate and solve real problems with technology in an environment as close to real life as possible. And, of course, the course gives a huge psychological charge for the whole next year.

One of the most important aspects of learning is to convince students to take the responsibility for themselves, for their education, life and work. Studying at Russian universities does not make one accustomed to taking initiative, leading the dance and original thinking. From the first step we try to convince students that they are responsible for themselves and success is in their hands. During the "Workshop of innovation" every school day begins with the question "What do you want to do today?" The question is not senseless - by the end of the day we go back to it and show that whatever they wanted, we were able to cover during the day. Students begin to feel responsible and supervisory about

what and how they learn. This is a small example, but it shows how seriously we take the upbringing of the students - those with an active lifestyle, an interest in changing the society for the better. All of the above and more - how to raise the institutional financing, how to make the winning design, how to build a company from scratch etc. is what we teach at Skoltech.

The first results

We are already able to speak about the first results of Skoltech educational approach today. Starting from their first year, students begin to actively participate in the innovation process - they start and actively build their own projects. Many see their future in entrepreneurship and innovations and, even before graduating from the University, work on their ideas and start-ups. "We started getting the results almost immediately" - not without pride adds Ilya, who leads the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and helps students with their projects. "Now more than half of our students are involved in their own startups. Many have long passed the stage of the first prototypes and are already working with suppliers, partners, customers, and consumers. Our success can be seen today, however, I'm sure that we have our main victories awaiting ahead"- concludes Ilya with a smile.

Ilya Dubinsky, Director, Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Employees and friends of the Skoltech Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the main event of the summer - StartUp Village, June 2014

OctOber 2014

24


Vladivostok: the Trubatch OdysseyWritten by Alexander Zolotarev

I am crawling inside the well-known S-56 submarine, marooned in the Vladivostok harbor docks, and turned into a museum. It’s a perfect moment for a proper Facebook check-in to let my virtual friends know I am here in a dainty submarine which is a true soul of Vladivostok, the essence of the town. And even here, in the boat, you can hear the songs of Mumiy Troll: Ilya Lagutenko, leader of this Russian band, and the native of Vladivostok, is the local Tchaikovsky in this city.

On the banks of the Russkiy Island Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, enjoys the company of Mikhail Myagkov, VP for Academic Affairs and International Relations, Skoltech and prominent neurologist Vladimir Zelman, who flew here from California. The newly built campus of the Far Eastern Federal University is a masterpiece. It has recently hosted the leaders of APEC member countries, and in the cascade cottages where the heads of the APEC states lived, now dwell the invited FEFA professors, Russian and International ones. Here, on the island in the Pacific Ocean, it feels like you are indeed at the cross-road of cultures and mentalities, and the neo-scientific future is here, too. ‘Russkiy Island beach is the best spot for swimming around Vladivistok, - the FEFA Press Office employee tells me. – Though a jelly-fish might be a nuisance’.

Citizens of Vladivostok are lucky not only cause they had a chance to observe the full lunar eclipse, the so-called ‘Bloody moon’, on October 8th this year, but also as they often savor trubatch, a local seafood delicacy. ‘When I have a lunch at a restaurant in a seaside town, - says Edward Crawley, Skoltech President, - I always order local fish, as I know it’s definitely fresh’. Our hosts in Vladivostok, President of the Far Eastern Federal University Sergey Ivanets and his deputies, are great. Earlier on today they greeted us at Russkiy Island by the gate of the University, and after an essential negotiations session, we found ourselves in one of the most spectacular city seafood restaurants overlooking the bay and the harbor, with the red-brick church spires and the masts of the dreaming vessels.

‘For Skoltech, says Mikhail Myagkov, Skoltech Vice President for Academic Affairs and International Relations, - partnership with the Far Eastern region and the FEFA, is one of the top priorities. We will soon have a representative office in Vladivostok, - claims Prof. Myagkov. – It’s our gateway to the Asian-Pacific region’.

Indeed, Vladivostok’s orientation to the East is very peculiar. By the ‘Mumiy Troll’ music bar, the city’s entertainment magnet, rolls an arcade pathway decorated by the tablets with the names of the sister cities of Vladivostok. As strangers and pedestrians can see, most of the mentioned towns are located in China, Korea and Japan. Niigata, Pusan, Wonsan… And yes, Tacoma and San Diego – the ones I know. ‘70% of all our international students are Chinese, - says FEFA Rector Sergey Ivanets. - We have continuing collaboration with 35 Chinese Universities, – he adds, biting a pink-blue calamari’. Vladivostok is a magnetic territory, an attraction for one raised in a big city like Moscow. Some say Vladivostok reminds San Francisco, but to me, it evokes memories of Istanbul. With newly woven bridges and the density of the Pacific growth, the city quickly jumps on top of my favorite Russian city list.

In the hotel lobby a blonde woman approaches me, and presents herself. She turns out to be Maria Solovienko: ‘Once upon a time I was an ordinary reporter in the ‘Fisherman of Kamchatka’ newspaper, – says Maria. – But these days I am editing a paper in Vladivostok. And it’s not a dubious achievement. Here’s a story about Skoltech. I am also prominent on the web, - the woman claims.

Seconds after taking off and swirling into the blue blackness of the Vladivostok sky, the Aeroflot pilot promises that the flight to Moscow takes exactly 7 hours and 40 minutes, half of which a baby girl, frightened by the spells of some light turbulence, keeps crying out loud. It’s nighttime, and the bewildered parents of the baby can hardly handle the situation. Flying high, I get the earphones on, and Miles Davis overlaps the baby crying. Time to sleep.

Essay@Skoltech


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Over the last few decades various powerful nations have realized that outer space is where they can and should cooperate. International collaboration on space projects is driven by the dream of further exploration. But there is also the need to forecast hazardous events such as solar storms or high radiation levels – and prepare for those. And this is where Skoltech professor Yuri Shprits and his team of researchers come into the picture. The Moscow based scientists have developed a Space Forecast project, titled PROGRESS. Along with colleagues from seven European countries, they landed a grant from the highly competitive European Union’s Research and Innovation program “Horizon 2020".

The funding is aimed to support the creation of a space weather forecasting framework. It highlights Skoltech’s growing role in the development of innovative technologies for space data processing, and the importance of global partnerships. Russia is not a member state of the EU. However, non-member states can be included in the H2020 grant if they contribute essential expertise that is not available anywhere else in Europe.

Shprits, who worked at UCLA and consulted students and scholars from Norway, China, Australia and the US, feels well positioned to foster collaboration.

“I think the most exciting thing about PROGRESS is that we will combine the efforts of a number of international teams”, – he says.Outer space is an extremely challenging environment for sensitive electronic devices. When outside of the protection of atmosphere, devices are exposed to a constant stream of high-energy particles originating mainly from the Sun and trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field. Hence the importance of magnetospheric reconstruction and space forecasting.

Prof. Shprits: “We will take the knowledge that was obtained over recent decades about the Sun, the solar wind and near Earth environment and transfer it into applications. The aim is to combine a number of computer codes and

observations to develop real time prediction of the hazards to satellites and humans in space radiation environment”.

Professor Yuri Shprits, Skoltech, specializes in space forecast and magnetospheric reconstruction.

The intensity of radiation can vary, depending on solar wind conditions as well as on processes inside the magnetosphere. In order to determine where and when space equipment might fail, researchers and space agencies must constantly monitor the space environment with research satellites. The Skoltech professor, along with peers from UCLA and MIT, has recently published his findings in the field in the Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR), Space Physics.

“PROGRESS” aims to significantly contribute to the creation of new services for high accuracy space weather forecasting, which will be relevant for various space agencies, research groups and private companies. The prominent feature of the new method it offers is that it makes it possible to determine both the uncertainties of the physical model of near-space environment and of the satellite observations. Thus, it allows to combine those in an optimal way to achieve reconstruction with guaranteed precision.

The Horizon 2020 grant request and research proposal were submitted by a consortium of seven European countries. Grantees include the universities of Sheffield and Warwick (UK), the Finnish Meteorological Institute, University of Michigan (USA), the Space Research Institute of Ukraine (Ukraine), National Center for Scientific Research (France) and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics.

The project’s schedule foresees implementation within 3 years.

Research@Skoltech

Professor Yury Shprits

OctOber 2014

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Lecture@Skoltech

Dr. Sergei Krikalev’s lecture at Skoltech

on September 11 is a pleasant and unique event: the university was visited by a legend, namely a cosmonaut, world gliding champion, founder of a new trend in art photography — space 3D-photography taken from the near-

earth orbit. In Skoltech Sergei Krikalev gave a talk, answered questions of professors and students and, of course, spoke about space and everything connected with it. His listeners would not let him go.

First, we should note that cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev made 6 spaceflights and spent more time on orbit than anyone else: 803 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes. This is an absolute record. During his first two spaceflights Krikalev spent more than 15 months in space and performed seven spacewalks. He started spaceflying in 1988, and on October 11, 2005 he completed his last, sixth flight, having returned to the earth from the International Space Station in a descent vehicle of Soyuz ТМА-6 spacecraft, after spending half a year on orbit.

Sergei Krikalev has innumerable decorations, insignia and honorary titles received for his distinguished service to his Motherland and the world.

Krikalev started his lecture at Skoltech with a question to the audience: “Who came here today – professionals or amateurs?”

– Both! – was the answer from a Skoltech professor, who smiled and looked around at graduate and post-graduate students, young scientists and members of staff. In fact, questions from the audience showed various levels of preparation.

From the very start it was clear that the listeners were not shy to make bold questions.

Students asked questions concerning the cosmonaut’s personal experience and technical features of various problems.

Thus, Divya Shankar and Punyapat Saksupapchon, first-year students of MSc in Space Science and Technology, from India and Thailand respectively, asked the cosmonaut about mistakes he had made and priceless knowledge he had gained from them, and about his rises and falls – of course, in the figurative sense of the words.

Krikalev himself took up a rather hard, but fair line towards the young generation: “First of all, you need to study hard, to reach your goals.” To evolve one’s powers in the space industry, according to the cosmonaut, is possible only by analyzing what has already been done: “Look at what has been achieved before you, improve it and, most importantly, pay attention to gaps – create something that was never done before you!”

Other students asked Krikalev about the possibility to qualify for spaceflights and preparation for this hard test. Vestibular training, compression chamber, simulation of working in outer space are only a few of the new experiences that future cosmonauts have to go through. Still, Krikalev managed to inspire

An eyewitness narrating about space: the lecture of cosmonaut Sergey Krikalev impressed Skoltech students and employees


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the students rather than frighten them with the hardships of the process. Who knows, probably one of our students will repeat Sergei’s feats or even excel him?

Professors were interested in implementation of robots in spaceflights. Krikalev definitively claimed that robots should be used, however, at present he sees it rather as a necessary addition to human efforts. “Now it’s better to send robots in spaceflights along with well-prepared astronauts. This combination only can yield good results”, - Krikalev confidently stated.

At the very end of the lecture, a victorious question was asked:

– How much would you have paid to fly into space as a tourist?

– In fact, it’s hard to say. After all, I got paid to fly to space, not vice versa. However, if I had not been a cosmonaut, I would have given all my savings to make a spaceflight.

Lecture@Skoltech Lecture@Skoltech

A good reason for taking pride: Dr. Sergey Krikalev spent more time in space than any other earthling

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