News & Analysis physicsworld.com Celebrating a century of progress Physics Uspekhi was set up 100 years ago to support the fledgling physics community in the Soviet Union. A century later, the journal’s current editor-in-chief Valery Rubakov talks to Matin Durrani about the future of Russian physics How did your interest in physics began to pick up and the country has begin? been spending about 1% of its gross I studied physics at Moscow State domestic product on research and University, graduating in 1978 and Rubakov Valery development. Do you think this then was awarded a PhD at the is enough? Institute for Nuclear Research of If I compare today’s situation with the Russian Academy of Sciences the 1990s then we are a lot better off in 1981. I have been affiliated to now. However, doing fundamental both institutions ever since, work- science is still difficult. I have no ing in areas such as quantum field idea of the share of fundamental sci- theory, elementary particle physics ence in overall research and develop- and cosmology. ment spending, but I definitely feel that fundamental science is either What has been your most notable underfunded or funded improperly, achievement? or, most likely, both. Hard to say, but what I am probably best known for is the idea of baryon In 2014 Russian president Vladimir number non-conservation in the Putin called for all state research early universe within the Standard funding to be distributed via a Model of particle physics and its competitive grants system. What extensions. This result, obtained happened to this plan? together with Vadim Kuzmin and Serving the starts contracting, then stops before I think it is impossible to distrib- Mikhail Shaposhnikov, was initially community a hot expansion begins. But are there ute all state research funding via a widely debated because under condi- Theoretical physicist theoretically consistent models that grants system. Therefore such a pro- tions that can be reached in the labo- Valery Rubakov is agree with existing observational posal could not work – and indeed ratory this effect is totally negligible. editor-in-chief of the data? And can one discriminate it didn’t. In fact, this idea would be Yet we claimed that it becomes rele- reviews journal between different scenarios on the very destructive, especially in view of vant at extremely high temperatures Physics Uspekhi. basis of future observations? a large network of research institu- that were most likely present in the tions in Russia. And I think it would very early universe. Today this idea So what’s your verdict? be destructive anywhere: fighting is widely accepted in the community It appears that the answer to all these for grants instead of doing science is and is a basic ingredient towards questions is yes. I find it fascinating not a good use of a scientist. On the explaining the matter–antimatter that observations at cosmological other hand, it makes sense to distrib- asymmetry in the universe. A review scales can tell, at least in principle ute some, fairly substantial, part of on this topic (Physics Uspekhi 39 and most probably in reality, what state funding in the form of grants. 461) was published in the issue dedi- the universe was like at these very Today, there are two foundations in cated to the 75th birthday of Andrei early times at extremely high energy fundamental science that do this in Sakharov who, among other things, density and high expansion rate. Russia: the Russian Foundation for pioneered the study of matter–anti- This is a rapidly developing area, and Basic Research and the Russian Sci- matter asymmetry. we regularly publish reviews on this ence Foundation. Overall, I think and related topics in Physics Uspekhi. the balance between institutional What are you currently working on and grant funding is reasonable in that you find most exciting? After communism, science in Russia Russia. I emphasize the balance, I think studying the “extremely suffered badly and many researchers rather than the amount of funding early” universe is very exciting, i.e. moved abroad. Were you ever or the ways the money is spent. the time just a tiniest fraction of a tempted to leave? second after the Big Bang (possibly Yes, I seriously considered various Is Russian physics competitive? 10 –35 s). Observations of the cosmic offers from the US and Europe in My experience with Physics Uspekhi microwave background (CMB) une- the 1990s and 2000s. But in all cases shows that physics in Russia is rea- quivocally show that the hot cosmo- I found that I felt a lot more com- sonably healthy and may become logical epoch was not the first one – it fortable in Moscow. It paid off. I am even more competitive internation- was preceded by another epoch in If I compare now a member of an excellent group ally in the foreseeable future. which matter density inhomogenei- today’s of theorists at my institute and have ties were generated. What was that situation with several former students worldwide Are you happy with the amount of epoch? The best guess is inflation, the 1990s then with whom I keep in contact. international collaboration Russian but this is not yet proven. There are physicists have with other countries? competing theories such as a “bounc- we are a lot Research funding plummeted in I think the level of international col- ing” scenario in which the universe better off now Russia in the early 1990s, but slowly laboration is very uneven. It strongly 12 Physics World November 2018 physicsworld.com News & Analysis depends on the topic, institution and If I want How does the journal serve the we certainly continue our efforts to even the research group in the insti- to learn Russian physics community? remain even more relevant. tution. Sometimes the collaboration I think this journal still has a place is very strong, but often it barely something not only in Russian science but also Do you think the journal will still be exists. Overall, I think Russian phys- beyond internationally. After all, it is a good around in another 100 years? And, if icists should take more advantage of my current review journal that publishes excel- so, what changes do you envisage? international partnership. lent authors. Yes, they are mostly I think Physics Uspekhi has a good expertise, I’ve Russians, but they are writing for the future for another 100 years and Physics Uspekhi was founded in 1918 always turned whole community. Physics Uspekhi is more but its role will change. The shortly after the First World War had to Physics one of a few Russian physics journals journal per se will no longer be a ended for the Soviet Union. What Uspekhi, as that sets the standard and, I hope, major source of information and that role would you say the journal has also at international level. is already partially true today. The played in Russian physics over the well as to other When I was starting my career, it easiest way to retrieve a paper will last 100 years? review journals was my dream to publish in Physics be through arXiv, with the journal If I want to learn something beyond like it Uspekhi, and I am confident that serving as a quality stamp. The role my current expertise, I’ve always having a review paper published in of review journals, including Physics turned to Physics Uspekhi, as well as the journal is still considered pres- Uspekhi, will increase, I think. As to other review journals like it. The tigious. The journal also serves the amount of information will grow, fact that it is a Russian journal is, the Russian physics community searching for good authors and per- of course, important as well. In the in various other ways such as by suading them to write reviews for the Communist era, publishing abroad, publishing biographical notes and benefit of community will become especially review papers, was quite conference proceedings. more important. As for content, I difficult, so the journal served as expect many more interdisciplinary a bridge between Russian physics When Physics Uspekhi celebrated its papers and technological advances and the outside world. Indeed, this 90th birthday, then editor-in-chief will be incorporated too such as 3D year we are celebrating not only 100 Vitaly Ginzburg called on the images and animations. years of the journal, known officially editorial board to commission more as Uspekhi Fizicheskih Nauk, but papers to ensure the journal stays Would you still study physics if you also 60 years of its English transla- “relevant”. Were his wishes fulfilled? were a student again? tion. The English-language version One can never be satisfied with Yes. But I think I would try to be was originally entitled Soviet Phys- what is done, but I think Ginzburg’s more diverse. Besides studying parti- ics Uspekhi before being renamed wishes did become reality. In the cle physics, astroparticle physics and Physics Uspekhi in 1993 and is last 10 years we have attracted more cosmology, I would try to become an now published in partnership with quality papers and the current list of expert in condensed-matter physics, IOP Publishing. accepted papers is impressive. But biophysics and other areas. Publishing Study reveals up to 17% citation boost for physicists who move abroad Physicists who migrate receive up to Happy travellers tions, Petersen claims. 17% more citations than colleagues iStock Going abroad could Published in the Journal of the who stay at home, an analysis of the boost your citation Royal Society Interface, the study also careers of more than 26 000 phys- record by as much as finds that physicists move around a ics researchers has revealed.