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A study conducted at HSE University shows that despite having the same education and similar starting conditions, the pay gap between male and female recent graduates can be as high as 22%. This is partly because female students often choose less lucrative fields and also because they tend to seek jobs in sectors that offer lower pay but are perceived to have more stable and safer working conditions.

Researchers at HSE MIEM have developed a model for calculating the electrical conductivity of aqueous electrolyte solutions; for the first time, it considers the spatial distribution of ion charges instead of assuming their localisation at a single point. The model remains effective even at high electrolyte concentrations and across a wide temperature range. This breakthrough will contribute to the development of more efficient batteries and enable the calculation of electrical conductivity without the need for experimental testing. The study has been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics.

Sergey Medakin began his career as an art historian by studying Sabaton, a Swedish power metal band, and is now focusing on German studies. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he discusses his favourite Soviet and Western political cartoons, the scientific conference he founded, and the relevance of the past in modern culture.

On January 25, Russian Students' Day, HSE University-St Petersburg will open a new educational space in the building of the Rope Shop of the Red Nailer factory on Vasilievsky Island. The monument of constructivism, which was designed by the prominent architect Yakov Chernikhov, will become a centre for the development of IT, engineering, design and media communications. Approximately four thousand students will study in the building.

In December, the HSE Lyceum held the second ever Big Winter Event, a large-scale celebration combining the themes of the New Year and charity. The event was held in all four lyceum buildings, as well as in the atrium of the HSE University building on Pokrovsky Bulvar. There was something for everyone to enjoy—be it an economic biathlon or a chess tournament, debates or quizzes, master classes or karaoke—while keeping in mind those who need a helping hand.

On January 15, 2025, people dressed in traditional Russian folk costumes and sang carols accompanied by an accordion, rattles, and wooden spoons. The festive event, organised by the HSE Heritage Club at the HSE campus on Pokrovsky Bulvar, was open to everyone, attracting not only students and university staff but also local residents and their children.

Dmitry Koshcheev began his journey in science back in school, but eventually chose economics and tourism over history. In an interview with the Young Scientists of HSE University project, he shared his experiences of researching the Visim neighbourhood in Perm, tourist clusters, and how he mastered analysing 300 sources a day.

A group of Russian scientists led by Professor Natalia Kryzhanovskaya at HSE Campus in St Petersburg has been researching microdisk lasers with an active region based on arsenide quantum dots. For the first time, researchers have successfully developed a microdisk laser coupled with an optical waveguide and a photodetector on a single substrate. This design enables the implementation of a basic photonic circuit on the same substrate as the radiation source (microlaser). In the future, this will help speed up data transfer and reduce equipment weight without compromising quality. The study results have been published in Semiconductors.