The competition of projects of individual scientific groups of the Russian Science Foundation is aimed at supporting fundamental and exploratory research conducted by small teams. The SFedU submitted several applications to the competition, and four of them received a positive expert opinion.

The winners included the following projects:

"Pyrogenic transformation of soils of the Western Caucasus" (project No. 26-16-00269).  The supervisor is Kamil Kazeev, PhD, Professor, Director of the D.I. Ivanovsky Academy of Biology and Medicine of the Southern Federal University.

"The effects of fires lead to long-term changes that can last for years or decades, depending on the intensity of the impact, vegetation types and soils. In the South of Russia, several thousand fires occur per year on an area of more than 10,000 square kilometers. The project aims to assess the short-term and long-term effects of fires on the soils and ecosystems of the Western Caucasus, as well as to identify new ways to rehabilitate and reclaim the soils of the mountain forest zone of the Western Caucasus disturbed by catastrophic fires. A special feature of the research is the separate assessment of the contribution of different factors of pyrogenic effects: fire (low–temperature plasma), thermal effects and smoke," Kamil Kazeev said.

"A new approach to the synthesis of nanoparticles of precious metals and their alloys, and the creation of highly active electrocatalysts and membrane-electrode blocks of a hydrogen-air fuel cell based on them" (project No. 26-19-00210).  The supervisor is Vladimir Guterman, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor, Chief Researcher at the SFedU Faculty of Chemistry, Head of the Research Laboratory "Technologies for the Synthesis of Catalytically Active Materials".

"The project develops the research topic carried out by our laboratory under the program "Priority 2030" (national project "Youth and Children"). It is based on a new promising method for the synthesis of bimetallic nanostructured catalysts necessary for fuel cells and electrolyzers, and an original technique for monitoring the processes of obtaining nanoparticles, a key component of such catalysts. I am sure that the implementation of this project will become an important component in the development strategy of our friendly team," said Vladimir Guterman.

"Innovative potential and diffusion of "grassroots" practices of social participation of the older generation of Russians" (project No. 26-18-00384).  The supervisor is Tatiana Kienko, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Technologies, Deputy Director of the Institute of Philosophy and Socio-Political Sciences of the Southern Federal University for Scientific Work.

"Our project is aimed at the older generation of Russians and their contribution to social life. In modern Russia, there is a rapid transformation of the culture of aging, however, against the background of trends in "active longevity", age inequalities and stereotypes of passive old age persist. At the same time, a huge but informal layer of "grassroots" practices, daily activities of elderly Russians and the innovative potential contained in them remain without due attention, resources and recognition. We attribute this to a scientific problem – there is no foundation for analysis. Together with the country's leading scientists in this field – and our team includes 10 scientists, including the largest specialists in sociology, Dr. Marina Yelutina (Saratov) and Dr. Margarita Astoyants (Rostov–on-Don) - we are working on modeling the processes of the emergence and spread (diffusion) of "grassroots" the practice of social participation of the older generation. The development and verification of theoretical and methodological tools will allow us to assess the scale of the spread of grassroots practices of social participation, as well as identify "structural biases" and "gaps", suggest effective ways to overcome the "invisibility" of the older generation's contribution and wider use of their potential for socially significant tasks," said Tatiana Kienko.

"Psychological and pedagogical conditions for the formation of combat readiness of cadets of military training centers of civilian universities" (project No. 26-18-00441).  The supervisor is Olga Galustyan, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor at the Russian Academy of Education, Acting Head of the Department of Social Pedagogy at the SFedU Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy.

"The current geopolitical situation has led to the transformation of the existing model of organizing the educational process in military training centers of civilian universities. Addressing the problem of developing psychological and pedagogical conditions for the formation of combat readiness for cadets of military training centers of civilian universities in this regard is becoming particularly relevant, and is determined by the need to ensure rapid and successful military and professional adaptation of young officers to military service. Maintaining high combat readiness of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation contributes to ensuring the security and territorial integrity of the state," Olga Galustyan said.

The list of winners is available here.

These studies cover a wide range of scientific fields, from soil science and materials chemistry to sociology and military psychology. The grant support received will allow SFedU scientists to continue developing relevant fundamental and applied problems, strengthen the university's scientific potential and contribute to the development of national science.

The Russian Science Foundation also summed up the results of competitions for the extension of projects, interdisciplinary research and "mega grants". For more information, visit the RNF website.