Russian Science Foundation (RSF)

History

2024

Allocation of 5.5 billion rubles for projects of young scientists

The Russian Scientific Foundation (RPF) in July 2024 announced the allocation of more than 5.5 billion rubles to support projects of young scientists from 2024 to 2027. This decision was made following the results of two youth competitions held within the framework of the presidential program of research projects of the Russian National Research Fund.

According to TASS, 641 youth projects will receive funding, of which 259 are projects of youth scientific groups, and 382 are initiative projects of young scientists. Andrei Blinov, Deputy Director General of the Russian Science Foundation, noted the high level of interest of young researchers in these events, stressing that 3,000 applications were received for the 2024 competitions.

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Supported projects will be implemented in more than 230 organizations from 50 regions of Russia, including the Zaporizhzhya region and the Donetsk People's Republic.

Competitions were open to young scientists under the age of 33 inclusive, as well as youth science groups. Participants could submit projects in all areas of knowledge provided for by RPF regulatory documents.

Among the winning projects are research in the field of mathematics, including the use of neural networks, the search for high-energy neutrinos on the Russian underwater telescope Baikal-GVD, the development of radiation-resistant coatings for the aerospace industry, the creation of biohybrid catalysts based on noble metals and bacteria, as well as new methods of radiation therapy for cancer.

Special attention is paid to projects related to space research. In particular, part of the funding will be directed to the development of systems for future lunar orbital missions. In addition, among the supported projects there are works to create methods for using domestic quantum computers.^[1]

Appointment of Vladimir Bespalov as general director of the fund

In April 2024, it was announced the appointment of a new Director General of the Russian Science Foundation (RNF). He, in accordance with the order of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, became the rector of the National Research University "Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology" (MIET) Vladimir Bespalov. He replaced Alexander Khlunov, who headed the fund since 2013. Read more here.

2022: Issuance of grants worth 32 billion rubles. Every fourth application approved

The Russian Scientific Fund (RPF) for 2022 issued grants for 32 billion rubles against 24.1 billion rubles a year earlier. Every fourth application of scientific teams was approved, the organization said on April 13, 2023.

According to the statistics of the RSF, a total of 18.9 thousand applications were received for the 2022 contests. All applications were submitted to the Fund electronically. 96% of the applications received were admitted to the competitions.

Building of the Russian Science Foundation

In total, researchers from 986 organizations located in 82 constituent entities of the Russian Federation submitted applications for participation in the RPF competitions. The largest number of applications (6.5 thousand, 36%) came from organizations of the Central Federal District, however, their share continued the downward trend recorded in 2021. Also in the leaders (more than 10% of applications) of the organization of the Siberian, North-West and Volga federal districts. In total, 44% of all applications for the 2022 RSF contests were submitted from scientific organizations of these districts.

The leader in the number of applications submitted among organizations was Lomonosov Moscow State University. Researchers from Moscow State University have submitted more than six hundred applications to the Foundation's competitions. At the same time, the total share of applications from researchers at Moscow State University and other nine leading organizations in the country amounted to 16.9% over the past year. On average, in 2022, scientists from 23.6% of Russian organizations performing research and development applied for RPF grants.

According to the results of the examination, 4953 projects became the winners of competitions in 2022, of which 1,057 projects were implemented by leading researchers of the country, including young scientists, within the framework of the Presidential Program. The topic of the vast majority of supported projects (93.8%) belongs to one of the priority areas of the strategy of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation, including advanced digital technologies (30.9%) and personalized medicine (22.7%).^[2]

2021: Increase in funding for projects by 3 billion rubles

In 2021, the Russian Scientific Fund (RNF) financed projects in the amount of 24.3 billion rubles against 21 billion rubles a year earlier. Such data were released in April 2022.

According to statistics cited by TASS with reference to the annual report of the Russian National Fund, the number of projects implemented with the support of the fund increased from 5 thousand in 2020 to 5.3 thousand in 2021, and the number of performers - from 37.7 thousand to 39.6 thousand. The predominant part of project performers, 28.7 thousand (55.4%) - under the age of 39 years inclusive, including more than 6.5 thousand graduate students (interns, residents, adjuncts).

In 2021, the Russian Scientific Fund (RNF) financed projects in the amount of 24.3 billion rubles against 21 billion rubles a year earlier. Such data were released in April 2022.

Grants from the Russian Science Foundation in 2021 received every fifth application. At the same time, the share of winners ranged from 12.1% (competitions for projects carried out at infrastructure facilities) to 59.4% (competitions for extending projects), the report says. In total, in 2021, the RPF held 15 contests, which received 19.3 thousand applications. In 2020, there were 11 contests and 8.5 thousand applications.

97% (18.7 thousand) of applications received were admitted to the competitions in 2021. The main reasons for the non-admission, as noted in the document, are related to the inappropriate execution of a printed copy of the application, non-compliance by the applicants with the conditions for participating in the competition, receipt of printed copies of applications to the fund later than the established deadlines. At the same time, in 2021, the fund decided to completely switch to a paperless application option.

The largest number of projects supported in 2021 was in the field of engineering sciences (18.6%) and chemistry and material sciences (18.6%), as well as in the field of physics and space sciences (14.1%).

97% (18.7 thousand) of applications received were admitted to the competitions in 2021. The main reasons for the non-admission, as noted in the document, are related to the inappropriate execution of a printed copy of the application, non-compliance by the applicants with the conditions for participating in the competition, receipt of printed copies of applications to the fund later than the established deadlines.^[3]

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