"Touch a String of Curiosity": ASU Rector Discusses the "Science Around" Project in an Interview with TASS Correspondent

In an interview with TASS, a leading Russian news agency, the rector of Adyghe State University (ASU) discussed the "Science Around" project and its impact on inspiring curiosity among young learners.

The impetus for the interview stemmed from the nearing completion of the All-Russian scientific and educational initiative "Science Around." This project is specifically designed to promote the achievements of Russian scientists in the fields of natural and mathematical sciences, as well as information technology. It is being implemented by ASU with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia as part of the federal project aimed at the "Popularization of Science and Technology."

This is not the first significant undertaking by the university. Under ASU's initiative, various unique mathematical projects have been developed, including the All-Russian shift "Young Mathematician" at the All-Russian Children's Center "Orlyonok," the International Caucasian Mathematical Olympiad, the South-Russian Mathematical Olympiad "Assara" for girls, and the Summer Mathematical School in Adygea. Additionally, the student-led school "Modern Combinatorics and Game Theory" has attracted participants from 68 regions of Russia and 17 countries worldwide.

TASS journalists were eager to learn how the idea for "Science Around" originated and the extent to which it has successfully engaged schoolchildren with the achievements of leading Russian scientists while enhancing the perception of science among the youth.

-The idea for this project emerged from the desire to enhance the university's existing experience and broaden the scope of areas for promoting scientific knowledge. We have been quite successful in popularizing mathematics; in a positive light, we foster a culture that celebrates mathematics. In 2018, one of the first regional mathematical centers in the country was established at Adyghe State University—the Caucasian Mathematical Center. Its primary objectives are to advance and popularize mathematical science. The projects are implemented in collaboration with esteemed institutions such as the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, the Steklov Mathematical Institute, the Sirius Educational Center, the Orlyonok All-Russian Children's Center, the Trajectory Foundation, the Republican Natural Science and Mathematics School, and the Polaris-Adygea Regional Center for Identifying and Supporting Gifted Children. In the Science Around project, we have chosen to highlight the accomplishments of Russian scientists not only in mathematics but also in the natural sciences and information technology. It is noteworthy that these fields actively employ mathematical methods in their research, as emphasized by the rector of ASU during an interview. The full version of the material can be read at thelink.