, SeptemberSepSeptember 1166

HAT SSOO THAT’STHAT’S WWHAT , MEPHI! YYOU’REOU’RE LIKE,LIKE MEPHI! 2 WORLD of MEPhI 2016

THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE LIKE, MEPhI!

On September, 1 MEPhI has held a festive matriculation It should be mentioned that ceremony of freshmen. this year festive events was or- An intensive program was awaiting for new MEPhI students in ganized not only for bachelors the museum-reserve “Kolomenskoe”. The weather perfectly but also for Master’s degree stu- matched the festive mood. dents and post-graduates. MEPhI rector M.N. Strikhanov MEPhI rector M.N. Strikhanov won the World Choir Games in said that the offers congratulated freshmen on the Sochi. large opportunities for Master’s Knowledge Day, saying that it Freshmen also had an oppor- degree students and post-grad- is a great honor to be a MEPhI tunity to listen to songs of our uates on getting scientifi c expe- student. “You have successfully rock laboratory, Quanto di Stella rience as a part of participation passed one of the most impor- vocal studio and chamber choir in the Program of competitive- tant exams in your life when you of our university, watch the ness enhancement. This com- entered our university, which is dancing of the Ballroom dance prises participation in large in- one of the best in . MEPhI ensemble ESTA, have fun at a ternational projects, internships is always in the top 5 of the best humorous performance, watch in leading scientifi c educational of our country, and MEPhI sports and cultural uni- centres, dual diplomas and the- in the past years – in the top ties’ shows. ses defenses. 40 of the best universities of the Traditionally new students Vice-rector V.V. Uzhva spoke world in physical sciences. You were congratulated from the about peculiarities of organiza- will be given good education; depths of the centuries by the tion of the educational process your student years will be full of Emperor Peter the Great, Gen- for them. The main difference is hard work, sports competitions, eralissimo Alexander D. Men- in the curricular: the higher the participation in creative unities.” shikov, Kolomna boyars and stage of education, the more Then the fl oor was given to mathematician Leonty Mag- time is paid to the independent the honorary guests. nitsky. They admonished the research work. The offi cial part was followed freshmen, and Museum’s fal- by the performance of the most coners set a proud falcon free We congratulate the freshmen famous creative group of the as a symbol of high-flying to and wish them good studying, university – MEPhI Academic the heights of science of the bright student life and success- male choir. This year the choir future bachelors. ful passing of the fi rst exams! September 2016 WORLD of MEPhI 3

Every year student family of MEPhI becomes more and more international. For So that foreign first-year students will be able to quickly example, over the past three years the number of foreign students has increased adapt, we asked Abeer Abu Dan from Palestine, which is three times and now the university has about a thousand of citizens from 34 already studying in MEPhI for two years, to give a few tips countries. So this year, on the fi rst day of the academic year there are new faces, for beginners: foreign freshmen become part of the friendly student group. Of course, it will not – The main thing is to attend be easy because most of them don’t speak Russian. At fi rst the guys from other all classes. Lecturers remem- countries have to learn and only then they will begin to study ber those, who always attend classes. He knows that you in the chosen specialty. come, listen to lectures, home- Foreign students gladly shared fi rst impressions with a correspondent of the work is always done. So he will newspaper “World of MEPhI” Anastasia Balakireva. be able to help a student both if there is a problem and at the Koffi Abdoulaye, Togo: end of the semester, when you – Why did you choose have to pass the exams. Russia and why MEPhI? So, attend classes, always do What are you going to homework – this is the fi rst! study? Second, don’t be ashamed of – I have entered training the poor knowledge of the lan- program “Applied mathemat- guage. My fi rst semester was ics and physics”. I think that very diffi cult. I cried due to the Russia has advanced science, fact that I wanted to speak Russian, but couldn’t. I worried that and it is better to learn it here people would have laughed if I had said something wrong. And then so that to become a good sci- a friend supported me, she was very helpful. Now I can speak and entist. I heard that in MEPhI answer in classes. there are professors who You should watch movies in Russian, it will also help to learn the teach very well. So I entered language. MEPhI. – What do you do be- Bagganim Zeinadilova, Kazakhstan: sides study? – Why did you decide to – Play football with friends study in Russia? – foreigners and Russians. – I just came to the Admissions offi ce of MEPhI and decided to Vu Duc Dung, Quach Van Tien, Le Huynh Duc, Vietnam: try my hand, see the tasks. And I passed with fl ying colors. At fi rst – Why are you studying here, in Russia? I had thought about the Moscow – We are here upon the programme of interstate relations be- State University, I applied to sev- tween Russia and Vietnam. eral universities but in the end I’m – What do you think of Russia? What do you like? – It’s cool in Russia. People are very kind and friendly. here. Parents are happy that I’ve – We are in Moscow for two weeks, there are many places for been enrolled in this University be- walking, but Moscow is an expensive city. We managed to see little, cause they wanted it too. most of the time was spent on the registration. – What fi eld of study did you – What do you do except study? choose? – I would like to play football. – Nuclear physics and technol- – I only study. ogy, undergraduate study. – I run, but so far only around a dormitory. – How long have you been in – How do you like the dormitory? Do you live together? Moscow? Do you like it? – Yes, the three of us in one room. It’s comfortable, the neighbors – I arrived on August, 25, so it’s almost two weeks. It’s nice here, are pleasant, also Vietnamese. lots of buildings. In Almaty we have mountains, you can get into na- – Have you already make friends? ture, arrange a hike. But in Moscow there are museums, galleries, – Yes, with students from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. historical heritage – all this is very interesting. 4 WORLD of MEPhI September 2016 STUDENT OF MASSACHUSETTS : NEW KNOWLEDGE AND NEW EXPERIENCE In the framework of the MIT- I’m writing a code, that’s analyzing one semester, so I knew our Nuclear Russia program students of these images that the interferometer science Professors. the Massachusetts Institute of produces. I’m hoping that what I’m – Was it your choice to go to technology (MIT) are trained doing now, would help others, not Russia? in various educational and like I was only just looking at my – Well, Russia because I’ve studied commercial organizations of screen [smiling]. And the second, Russian since January. It’s not very Russia, including MEPhI. I’m building a GUE – graphical good but I can order a coffee in A 3rd year student of the faculty user interface, around the more Russian or have a short conversation. “Electrical Engineering & Computer mathematical part. That’s been very I’m interested in nuclear fusion, Science” MIT Leah Goggin is fun, I’ve never done that before. things like that, so that’s what undergoing an internship at the That part’s working reasonably well. brought me in this lab. Laboratory of Laser Diagnostics, Unfortunately, the results are not – What’s your impression of Institute for Laser and Plasma fi nal now, but there is still time. Russia in general and MEPhI? Technologies (LAPLAS). – What do you hope to achieve – I had a tour to the neutrino Under the guidance of the LAPLAS by the end of your program? detector facility, that was really cool, head Professor A.P. Kuznetsov – It would be great to make a very hardcore, very impressive- and Candidate of Physical and working program. It’s not total looking. As for the academic life, Mathematical Sciences K.L. Gubskiy nonsense; it works sometimes, just I think over the summer there are she develops software for the only sometimes. It’s such a shame to not many students around. At fi rst I analysis of experimental results in have 2000 lines of code, that are not had 6 weeks of Russian lessons and will come in 15 minutes, whereas out of 3 classes you have to take one, studies of powerful shock waves totally useless, but are not reliable I was introduced to your Professors here, if you miss it, the next one but you can take them whenever you generated by the laser pulse. enough to really serve their purpose, and some Turkish students. I don’t will be there in 30 seconds. People want whereas there, as I understand Leah agreed to answer several our so I’m working on it. think I’ve got to know many Russian there dress a lot more nicely. That’s there is like “this semester you take questions: – How did you learn about the students very well, cause, I guess, pretty much what I wear every day this, and the other semester you – Could you speak more program? my Russian is not very good. [pointing at T-shirt], so I feel there a take this”. specifi cally about what you are – I’m here at an MIT program, Russia in general... It’s hard to say. bit underdressed. – Do you live in the dormitory? doing here? which is a general study-abroad. I’m I keep feeling like I understand what’s – If it’s possible, could you – Yes, that’s this nice building – I’m working in the Laser Physics at MEPhI specifi cally because MIT’s going on, but then I think I don’t. make the comparison of MIT where foreign students are usually lab, but I’m actually computer sent there students before. Some The bread is very good in Russia, I’m and MEPhI? put. My dormitory here is defi nitely science major and what I’m doing Professors at MIT know people enjoying that. The public transit is – I feel like I don’t know MEPhI more modern. The one that I live in there is connected with software. in MEPhI. There actually were very good, the metro stations are so very well. I know just from what I’ve MIT was built in 1929, and having my – Are there some specifi c students from our Nuclear science beautiful. It just keeps striking me – heard, that curriculum here seems to own kitchen and bathroom is great. results at the moment? Department, which would make like in Boston if you’re coming down be a lot more structured. Like to get In MIT there is one hall for 30-40 – Well, right now there are sort more sense for them to be here. I the stairs and the train is leaving, a degree in MIT there is a checklist people, one kitchen, few bathrooms, of 2 parts of what I’m doing. First, was a Nuclear science major for like it’s heart-breaking, because the next but there is a lot more fl exibility like you fi ght for the stove [smiling]. FIRST INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON ENGINEERING COMPUTER MODELLING OPENED IN MEPhI

For two weeks 13 students fr om Belarus, the Czech Republic, In MEPhI I got pretty much infor- Italy, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Vietnam will be attending mation about the reactor which I specialized lectures and conducting practical tasks on math- need for my PhD study on ALFRED ematical modelling of physical processes with the usage of Rus- thermo-hydraulics. In MEPhI my re- sian program codes. The participants will work out the ques- search is more about benchmark for tion of simultaneous modelling of different physical phenomena ALFRED reactor. I can say that edu- (multiphysics). The fi rst half of the school will be dedicated to cational systems of our countries are theoretical tasks on MCU, FlowVision and Fidesys programs, similar but at my university only 20 which will be followed by the second part where participants will students study nuclear physics. We be solving multiphysical individual tasks. have no experiment facilities, and in that way your university provides The fi rst program, with which the Alessandro Tassone, Italy: many more opportunities to study. participants got acquainted, was I was offered to go to Russia by Before I went to Russia the only MCU, created in the Kurchatov In- my university (Sapienza University, thing I had learnt about this country stitute. For this purpose one of pro- Rome), which is a member of the was information from the Internet, gram developers Denis Shkarovskiy ENEN (European Nuclear Education and there it was not always good came to the First International Sum- Network) consortium CIRTEN, and [smiling]. It turned out to be a fun mer School on Engineering Comput- I decided to apply. And I would like place, although it rains a lot. When er Modelling. to say thanks to both universities we came here it rained pretty much It should be mentioned that for because I always wanted to visit It’s the seventh week (out of 9) in my knowledge here; it is a great every day. some participants the School will be Russia. of my internship, and I feel that it’s life experience. Besides, I’ve man- The only thing I do not like is that the end of their 2-month internship My research is dedicated to the been a nice opportunity to expand aged to meet my distant relatives signs are not in English. The names in MEPhI, conducted on the basis of development of benchmarks for the my knowledge, and great personal like my half cousin. With these guys of the streets, the map of the city, the INPT Laboratory of Engineering fourth generation Fast Reactor for experience. As for the university, (pointing at Alessandro and Adrian) the museums – here everything is Computer Modelling. During their coupled neutronics and thermal-hy- there has recently been a discus- we’ve been on the Red Square, in in Russian! Also we went to Yuriy stay in the university they were draulics calculations, so this intern- sion with representatives of Thermal Kremlin, VDNKH, Park Pobedy, As- Gagarin’s museum, but we can’t go working out test tasks for verifi cation ship is helpful for me. Physics Department, and they were tronaut Museum, the Bolshoi The- sightseeing every weekend because of programs of physical processes’ I received good life experience, al- positive about future cooperation atre. We mainly go together there, we do not have enough time. modelling in active zones of nuclear though sometimes things get hard. between our two universities, even when we have time on the weekend. I‘d like to come back here, but as reactors. Three PhD students – Ales- You have a very diffi cult alphabete, though of signing an agreement. Adrian Filip, : It all a tourist, with a guide. I’d recom- sandro Tassone from Italy, Filip Os- and I practically did not know it be- Filip Osuský, Slovakia: It is not started when my Professor from Bu- mend foreign researchers coming uský from Slovakia and Adrian Filip fore I came here. So it wasn’t that my fi rst time in Russia. Last year I charest who needed to fi nd students to Russia to be open-minded and from Romania – have told why they easy, especially at fi rst, even in the was in Obninsk, wh ere possibilities for the internship program asked me have a dictionary with them. They came to Russia and shared impres- supermarket. But I think I’ll come of the internship were discussed. if I wanted to go to Russia, and I should also learn Russian, at least sions about MEPhI. again to Russia. One of my supervisors was among agreed. alphabet. the participants of the discussion so he proposed me to take part in it. I think Russia is pretty much like Slovakia, our mentality is similar. But for me it is hard to judge because my mother is Russian. My overall impression of MEPhI is quite good. You have a reactor which is not in operation, but you can do some physical experiments on it. It is a good opportunity for people involved in industry. My work is connected with neutronic analysis of gas fast reactor during the tran- sient states, so I have a lot of things for my research there. I think I’ve been pushed forward