Grants and prizes to scientists in Russia

Main article: Science in Russia

Chronicle

2024

The Ministry of Education and Science has launched a mega-grant program for scientists. They will be given up to 100 million rubles a year

In February 2024, the Ministry of Education and Science announced the launch of a new program "Megagrants," which will be aimed at supporting Russian scientific projects and young scientists. Grants will be issued in two areas:

• financing of scientific projects led by the most respected scientists who work in Russian universities and scientific organizations;
• support for young promising scientists.

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Grants in the first direction are allocated in the amount of up to 100 million rubles per year for a period of up to five years and then with the extension of the subsidy by decision of the Grant Council in the amount of 50 million rubles per year for a period of up to three years. The maximum grant for young scientists is 15 million rubles a year for a period of up to 2 years with the possibility of extension for another two years.

An important condition for "postdocs" is the conduct of research in the existing laboratories of "megagrants," or in terms of the tasks of megacyence class installations. We have accumulated tremendous experience, all the necessary decisions were made and approved by the Government - this gives us the right to announce a competitive selection, - said the head of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Valery Falkov.

For both projects led by leading scientists and young researchers, nine fields of science have been identified: mathematics, computer science, and systems science; physics and sciences of space; chemistry and materials sciences; biology, biotechnology and life sciences; medical sciences, agricultural sciences; earth sciences; humanities and social sciences; engineering sciences.

The requirements for leading scientists for the management of scientific projects were approved (including the minimum period of annual full-time presence in Russia - at least three months in the first year of the project, at least six months - in 2025, on an ongoing basis - subsequent years).^[1]

The government allocated 0.5 billion rubles to popularize science in 2024

On February 2, 2024, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia began accepting applications for participation in competitions for the provision of grants to the media, authors of popular science programs, as well as organizers of events that popularize science for a wide audience. The government has pledged 513 million rubles for these projects for 2024, said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

At the last congress of the Movement of the First, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again emphasized the importance of working with the younger generation. The Decade of Science and Technology is also aimed at this, where a number of initiatives are focused on working with schoolchildren. The projects of the Decade will be supported, including as part of a grant competition for popularizers of science. Projects telling about science in the regions will also be supported - this is one of the new directions of the competition, - said Chernyshenko, whose words are quoted by the press service of the Cabinet.

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The grant support program includes two competitions: for authors of popular science works and event organizers, the purpose of which is to popularize science and scientific activities. Authors or author teams working on the creation of television or radio programs, texts for print media and other media content are invited to participate in the first competition. The size of the grant will be up to 5 million rubles. The organizers of scientific festivals and other large-scale projects dedicated to the popularization of science will be able to take part in the second competition. The size of the grant will be up to 30 million rubles.

The office of Dmitry Chernyshenko added that information support of the project in the media and the Internet is a prerequisite for the grant. The initiative is being implemented as part of the federal project "Popularization of Science and Technology."^[2]

2023

Three recipients of the Presidential Prize in the field of science and innovation for young scientists have been identified in Russia

Russia It identifies three recipients of the President's Prize RUSSIAN FEDERATION in Science and Innovation for Young Scientists for 2023. This was announced on February 7, 2024 by the Kremlin press service.

According to the decree, which was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the prizes were awarded:

• Susanna Gordleeva, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor of the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "National Research Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N.I. Lobachevsky" - for the development of models and technologies of neuromorphic artificial intelligence based on biophysical neuron-astrocytic network models for memristic electronics;
• Sergey Pavlushin, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science "Institute of Taxonomy and Animal Ecology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences," for the discovery of new mechanisms for regulating outbreaks of mass reproduction of insect pests of agriculture and forestry;
• Olga Yakubovich, candidate of geological and mineralogical sciences, associate professor of the federal state budgetary educational institution of higher education "St. Petersburg State University," - for the development of the isotope-geochemical method as an effective tool for finding deposits of strategically significant metals - gold and platinum.

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The prize has been awarded since 2008 to young Russian scientists for their significant contribution to the development of domestic science, the development of samples of new technology and technologies that ensure the innovative development of the economy and social sphere, as well as strengthening the country's defense capability. The size of each award is 5 million rubles.^[3]

Putin instructed to increase scientific "megagrants" from 90 million to 500 million rubles

The President Russia Vladimir Putin instructed to increase scientific "megagrants" 5.5 times. The relevant information was published on the Kremlin website in early September 2023.

[Поручено] increase the maximum amount of grants from the Government of the Russian Federation for state support of scientific research, conducted under the guidance of leading scientists in Russian educational organizations of higher education, scientific institutions and state scientific centers of the Russian Federation, up to 500 million rubles for Russian scientists and up to 250 million rubles for foreign scientists, providing for the possibility of conducting research using grants for five years and extending the specified period, - said in an order to the Government of the Russian Federation, which will be fulfilled by October 15, 2023.]

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Putin appointed Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin responsible for considering issues to simplify the procedure for using grants for research. The program of "megagrants" is part of the structure of the national project "Science and Universities."

The mega-grant program was launched in 2010. Since then (by the beginning of September 2023), nine competitions have been held, thanks to which 345 world-class laboratories have opened.

Thus, the grant was received by an employee of Tomsk Polytechnic University Vladimir Tolmachev, who is working on the study "Development of targeted molecules based on framework proteins for the diagnosis and therapy of malignant neoplasms: a theranostic approach."

A similar grant went to the scientist Mark Konrad from the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, who presented the project "Directed activation of ferroptosis, a new type of cell death, as a strategy for the therapy of intractable and metastatic tumors." Jean-Paul-Roger Tieri from the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov received funds for the study of "Theranostics in Urological Oncology."^[4]

Putin announced the resumption of a mega-grant program for researchers

On July 13, 2023, the president Russia Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of the megagrant program for scientists. He instructed to provide for its financing until 2026 and extend the implementation period.

According to the head of state, many want to work in Russia, participate in research projects, including in the mega-grant program, which allows you to collect strong research teams and solve interesting scientific problems.

Vladimir Putin

This offer is fully supported. I ask the government and the State Duma to provide in the federal budget for the planning period until 2026 the necessary funding for the mega-grant program, as well as to amend the parameters of the program so that its conditions become even more attractive for researchers, the Russian leader said.

Putin added how important it is to support large scientific projects of compatriots and leading foreign researchers. He noted that in five years, a scientist in total should receive half a billion rubles for his project, provided that he is ready to work in Russia on an ongoing basis.

The Scientific Mega Grant Competition from the Government was established in 2010. This is an open public competition to attract scientists to Russian universities. The goal of the program was called "the creation of world-class research laboratories in Russian universities and scientific organizations under the guidance of leading scientists." Among the tasks that it is designed to solve are the involvement and training of qualified personnel in science, assistance in conducting breakthrough research, stimulating the influx of youth into the scientific environment, and creating sustainable ties with the world's leading scientific and educational centers.

The program can be attended by Russian universities and scientific organizations together with foreign or Russian leading scientists who occupy leading positions in a certain scientific field.^[5]

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