The KSTATI National Science Festival Wraps Up

 

The “KSTATI. Coordinate system” science festival wrapped up on April 21st in Chelyabinsk, held in the city for the first time. South Ural State University became the largest venue for this huge event, holding the opening ceremonies for KSTATI and one of the most interesting events within the festival.

 

Festival organizers included the Chelyabinsk ISAE with support from the Rosatom State Corporation and the Office of Youth Affairs for the Chelyabinsk City Administration. Over four days, from April 18th through 21st, city residents enjoyed the festival’s rich program which included pop science lectures, master classes by leading researchers and specialists, a video conference, a show, and a reading of a scientific play about the life of Igor Kurchatov.

The festival’s experts included leading specialists, researchers, and science advocates from Russia: senior researcher of the P.K. Sternberg State Astronomic Institute Vladimir Surdin, professor of the Department of Petrology of the Faculty of Geology at MSU Pavel Plechov, junior researcher of the Laboratory of Computer Design of Materials at MFTI Valeriy Royzen, researcher of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine from SO RAS Daniil Gladkikh, head of the Radiogynecological Division at the Chelyabinsk Regional Clinical Oncological Clinic Tatyana Sharabura, head of press office management at Akkuyu Nuklear AO Vasiliy Korelskiy, head of the Early Engineering Development of Children project of the ROSNANO School League Anatoliy Shperkh, head editor of the pop science almanac metkere.com Ilya Kabanov, head of the Council of Young Researchers and Specialists of SPBSTI Andrey Akatov, the co-founder and chief data scientist at BrainGarden Ivan Drokin, and many more.

Guests’ biggest interest at the festival was towards the non-standard format for popularizing science: the science fiction show Superhero Trial, the “Science. Tasty” talk show, a theremin and piano concert, Creative Breakfast, Science Drama, and also the pop science talk show “Examine down to the atoms”.

During the opening of the first Superhero Trial in Chelyabinsk, participants examined popular comic and film characters from a scientific point of view: Wolverine, Thor, and Master Yoda. After discussion by researchers, all three were determined not guilty.

The hero of Creative Breakfast on April 19th was head of press office management at Akkuyu Nuklear AO Vasiliy Korelskiy. The specialist shared his secrets for achieve golds and his personal and professional experience with Chelyabinsk residents.

The “Science. Tasty” talk show was unusual for Chelyabinsk residents. Sergey Sapozhnikov, SUSU professor, participated. In the show it was revealed that archeologists found the remnants of Chinese noodles not eaten 4000 years ago; the healthiest pasta was prepared al dente, and they received advice: you can only eat pasta in the first half of the day, “otherwise it will go to fat”.

A theremin and piano concert was held at the Square for Pioneers and Students on the third day of the festival. Pyotr Termin, the great grandson of the creator of the electric musical instrument, performed pieces by Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Gershwin, Henri Mancini and other composers under accompaniment by Nataliya Gushina.

“I envy Chelyabinsk residents – over four days they saw many amazing events in various formats. I also got to know some fantastic researchers and broadened my world view. We will have to repeat this next year,” said the festival expert, head editor of the pop science almanac metkere.com Ilya Kabanov, sharing his impressions.  

 

Senior researcher of the P.K. Sternberg State Astronomic Institute Vladimir Surdin commented, “The organization was impeccable, all of the technology worked excellently. The public in Chelyabinsk is full of life. I was happy. Thank you to all of the organizers.”

 

“I was pleasantly surprised that the festival had its own atmosphere – this doesn’t happen at every event, especially at such huge events. But the unified rhythm and style of various formats, professionalism, and courage of the organizers allowed the experts and audience to exist in a single emotional plane. It’s very important that the audience is interested in listening and the experts are happy to present. As a result, the festival had an atmosphere of kindness and curiosity,” said researcher of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine from SO RAS Daniil Gladkikh.

“KSTATI” is a national science festival which the ISAE network holds in different cities of Russia and abroad. Since the 2014 more than 200 events have been held within this festival already, whose audience has included more than 40,000 people. Around 4000 people attended the festival in Chelyabinsk.

 

 

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