The annual President’s prize for excellent young researchers open to excellent researchers from all disciplines was established in 2008. The recipients of that Russia's most highly endowed science awards have been chosen for contribution to advancing Russian science, for creating new equipment and technology that can boost the innovative development of the economy and social sphere, as well as for strengthening national defense. Each prize winner will receive prize money of 5 million Russian rubles.
The names of the new laureates were announced at a special news conference on February 7:
Alexander Osadchiev, Senior Researcher, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RSF-funded principal investigator, was awarded for achievements in the study of oceanological processes in the seas of the Russian Arctic, which are important for ensuring economic activity in the waters of the Northern Sea Route.
He described for the first time in detail the mechanisms that control the desalination of three Arctic seas - the Kara, Laptev and East Siberian seas. The dependence of large-scale freshwater transport in the Arctic on external hydrometeorological and oceanographic conditions is also shown for the first time. In addition, he discovered two previously unknown warm currents in the northern part of the Kara Sea. His research helps to understand better one of the key mechanisms of ongoing changes in the Arctic, the interaction of the ocean with land waters. These results are important for predicting and evaluating the consequences of global climate change occurring in the Arctic zone of Russia.
Irek Mukhamatdinov, Senior Researcher, Kazan Federal University (KFU), was awarded for the development of aquathermolysis catalysts for enhanced oil recovery.
It is known, the reserves of hard-to-recover oil are several times larger than the reserves of light and medium oil. Among these natural resources are highly viscous oils and natural bitumen, which are difficult to lift to the surface. The researcher has developed unique catalysts, the introduction of which into the reservoir simultaneously with hot water vapor "activates" them, reducing the viscosity of the oil. In fact, processing does not begin after extraction, but before. This technology significantly reduces the cost not only for the extraction and transportation of fuel, but also for its further processing, since chemical reactions occurring inside the reservoir are already preparing oil for further use and processing into valuable products. Tests have confirmed the promise of using the catalysts proposed by the author.
The researchers from St. Petersburg State University, Irina Timofeeva, RSF principal investigator, and Andrei Shishov, RSF principal investigator, were awarded for the development of materials and methods for instrumental chemical analysis of industrial, natural and biomedical objects.
The researchers created new methods of analysis using the so-called deep eutectic solvents. This allows selective analysis of complex samples that are available in a small volume, quickly and with a minimum amount of additional reagents. These methods are applicable to a wide range of tasks, including quality control of agricultural products, medicine, forensics, analysis of petroleum products, and many other areas.
Ivan Fesenko, a researcher from the Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense, was awarded for the development and testing of complex technical devices that ensure the country's defense capability.
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The review of the nominations for the prize in accordance with the Executive Order of the Russian President was carried out by the Russian Science Foundation, thus ensuring the highest possible level of objectivity in the selection process.
