Mathematics, Computer Science, and Information Technology

Research Adviser

Yurii Nesterov

Doctor of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics, Research Professor at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science, Full professor of Computer Science at the Catholic University of Louvain
H-index: 25

ACADEMIC Leader

Ivan Arzhantsev

Doctor of Sciences in Mathematical Logic, Algebra and Number Theory, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science
H-index: 9

Strategic Academic Unit Structure and System

Mathematics, Computer Science and Information Technology Strategic Units falls into the first category of HSE Strategic Academic Units.

Management Committee (Heads of key units):

Yurii Nesterov

Strategic Unit Academic Supervisor

Ivan Arzhantsev

Strategic Unit Head, Dean of HSE Faculty of Computer Sciences

Vladlen Timorin

Dean of HSE Faculty of Mathematics

Sergei Lando

Tenured Professor at the HSE Faculty of Mathematics

Sergei Obiedkov

Deputy Dean for Research and International Relations at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science

Sergey Aksenov

Deputy Dean for Research at MIEM HSE

 International Advisory Council:

• Pierre Deligne, Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA, Abel Prize Laureate 2013;
• Sergey Fomin, Professor at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Michigan, USA;
• Bernhard Ganter, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany;
• Susanne Graf , Research Director at VERIMAG/CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France;
• Tetsuji Miwa, Full Professor at the Department of Mathematics of Kyoto University, Japan;
• Mark Novotny, Professor and Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Mississippi State University, USA.

To build an ongoing research cycle and educational trajectory 'from fundamental mathematics via computer science to applications in information technologies and contemporary engineering' that will produce scholars, practitioners and researchers highly competitive at the national and international markets. 

Main Objectives:

• Breakthrough research in the top globally evolving fields of study: algebraic geometry and mathematical physics, data analysis and machine learning, mathematical and computer modelling;
• Supporting research in the following interdisciplinary fields: number theory, representation theory and dynamical systems, mathematical logic and theoretical computer science, mathematical methods of optimization and stochastics, system and software engineering;
• Development of mathematical tools and computer technologies for use in social science, economics and humanities;
• Development of English-taught Master’s programs in mathematics and software engineering, implementation of educational programs in partnership with leading Russian and international research centers in fundamental mathematics and data science;
• Regular adjustment of educational programs’ curricula and teaching methods based on professional demands and the requirements of the IT labor market. 

Main Anticipated Deliverables:

• New research areas: biological and medical informatics, neuromathematics, use of machine learning methods in social and humanitarian studies, operating systems and compilation technologies;
• World-class results in the study of the geometry of algebraic varieties in collaboration with Steklov Mathematical Institute; in data analysis with applications of the processing of experimental evidence produced by the Large Hadron Collider; in the area of information retrieval, computer vision and recommendation systems in partnership with Yandex;
• Practice-oriented model for educational programs based on the integrated interaction system 'faculties – research laboratories – academic institutes – high-tech companies', implemented in coordination with Yandex, the Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute) and the Institute for System Programming. This model, on the one hand, will ensure that recent academic achievements and technological solutions are used in the study process. On the other hand, the model facilitates the transfer of technologies developed by Stategic Academic Unit project groups and laboratories to the open market, with support from partner companies (Yandex, JetBrains, CROC, etc.);
• Bachelor’s and Master’s programs with an enhanced interdisciplinary component, such as Applied Mathematics and Informatics with exclusive concentrations in deep learning, neural networks, image and video analysis;
• Elective tracks at the undergraduate-master level and master-doctoral level, designed for students from different fields of study; for students of HSE doctoral schools in mathematics, computer science and technical sciences, a thesis topic should be related to Stategic Academic Unit’s current research or applied projects;
• The University’s international academic reputation has been evidenced by its entering the Top-150 in the QS Subject Ranking for Mathematics, the Top-300 in the QS Subject Ranking for Computer Science & Information Systems and the Top-200 in the ARWU Ranking for Mathematics.

Key Subdivisions and Associated Units:

• Faculty of Mathematics;
• Faculty of Computer Science;
• Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM);
• International Laboratory of Algebraic Geometry and its Applications;
• HSE – Skoltech International Laboratory of Representation Theory and Mathematical Physics; 

  International laboratory for Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms; 

• International Laboratory of Theoretical Computer Science;
• International Laboratory for Intelligent Systems and Structural Analysis; 

  Center of Deep Learning and Bayesian Methods

• Laboratory of Process-Aware Information Systems;
• Laboratory of Methods for Big Data Analysis;
• Laboratory of Mathematical Methods in Natural Sciences;
• Laboratory of Simulation Modelling.

Partner:
International Laboratory of Algorithms and Technologies for Network Analysis (headed by Panos M. Pardalos)

Roadmap

 Grant Proposal (PDF, 692 Kb)

 Roadmap (DOCX, 174 Kb)

Key Educational Programs and Their Development

Strategic Academic Unit is responsible for seven Bachelor’s programs, 15 Master’s programs and one Specialist program (about 3000 students, including more than 150 international students).

The Unit’s partnership and close collaboration with external organizations is a distinctive feature of its educational programs. It partners with both academic institutes specializing in fundamental mathematics and large IT companies. Experts from external organizations are also involved in the development of programs and the teaching process, while students participate in research projects and take part in internships at partner companies.

Educational programs offered by the Faculty of Mathematics in fundamental mathematics are offered in partnership with the Steklov Mathematical Institute, Lebedev Physical Institute, Kharkevich Institute, Leiden University, University of Tokyo, University of Luxembourg and Osaka University. Students may take part in research projects on algebraic geometry, representation theory, mathematical physics and theoretical computer science. The graduates are in high demand among Russian (Sberbank, Central bank of Russia, Vympelkom, Sibur, etc.) and international (Zurich Insurance Group, KPMG, Geometry Global, RadiumOne, etc.) employers. Those of them who wish to pursue a PhD degree normally continue their education at Russian and international universities (Harvard University, Princeton University, MIT and others).

 - Undergraduate program in Mathematics under the supervision of Professor S.M. Khoroshkin, Doctor of Sciences, includes courses in fundamental mathematics and its application in physics, economics and computer science. Furthermore, the program offers a broad variety of elective courses and individually-designed study plans. It also attracts the best applicants in Russia. For instance, in 2015, 3 winners and 4 awardees at the final stage of the All-Russian Olympiad of Secondary School Students in Mathematics and 2 winners and 1 awardee in Physics were enrolled in the program. After graduation, some students choose to continue their studies at leading international universities such as MIT (3 undergraduate students entered MIT in 2015), СalTech, and ETH Zurich, while others immediately enter the workforce, taking jobs at the Central Bank of Russia, Bank of Moscow, Otkritie Bank, AT Consulting, SIBUR Holding, KMPG, etc.

- Master’s program in Mathematics is provided in English under the supervision of Professor Y.S. Ilyashenko, Doctor of Sciences. This program trains two kinds of specialists: prospective researchers in mathematics and other exact sciences and prospective experts in knowledge-intensive applications. In regards to the first type of expert, emphasis is placed on research and teaching internships, while the second category particularly focuses on fundamental training in mathematics.

 - Master’s program in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics is supervised by Professor I.M. Krichever , Doctor of Sciences. This program includes a block of courses in physics in addition to a broad selection of courses in mathematics. This enables students to acquire in-depth knowledge of the fundamental models of contemporary theoretical physics, while also giving them an opportunity to find employment at leading research centers in Russia and abroad. This program covers all current developments in mathematics and is aimed at training skilled researchers, as well as experts in applied mathematics and physics.

Educational programs in applied mathematics, informatics and software engineering offered by the Faculty of Computer Science have been developed and are being implemented jointly with Yandex, as well as in partnership with the Institute for Systems Analysis of Russian Academy of Sciences (ISA RAS), Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISP RAS), Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems (IITP RAS), IBM, Luxoft and Kaspersky Lab. For instance, students take part in research projects related to machine learning and data mining, theoretical computer science, compiler technologies, software verification, information systems analysis and simulations. Moreover, the program’s curriculums include project work under the supervision of experts from leading firms like Yandex, JetBrains, EMC, etc.

- Undergraduate program in Applied Mathematics and Informatics is supervised by Associate Professor A.S. Konushin, Candidate of Sciences (PhD). This program is modelled after leading programs in computer science offered at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (Switzerland) and Stanford University (USA). Thirteen to fifteen winners and awardees at the final stage of the All-Russian Olympiad of School Students are admitted to the program every year. The program focuses on training researchers, engineering experts and software developers. 

 - Undergraduate program in Software Engineering supervised by  Professor V.V. Shilov, Candidate of Sciences (PhD), is aimed to train the best technical specialists, highly qualified software developers and software architects, quality assurance managers for software products and software development. The program covers the mathematical, methodological, economic, legal, marketing and managerial aspects of software production. In 2011, the program received the IBM Faculty Award and is currently undergoing international ABET accreditation.

- Master’s program in Data Sciences is supervised by Professor S.O. Kuznetsov, Doctor of Sciences. This program is delivered in partnership with Kharkevich Institute, Skoltech, and Yandex School of Data Analysis. It is particularly devoted to Big Data processing and trains data-scientists who are now in high demand on the global market. Student mobility programs are now being implemented jointly with our international partner universities. Moreover, a double degree program with transfer of academic credits is now available in partnership with Blaise Pascal University.

- Master’s program in System and Software Engineering  supervised by Professor D.V. Aleksandrov, Doctor of Sciences, is delivered in English and trains specialists in the industrial production of software. The program’s offerings are fully in line with the Integrated Software and Systems Engineering Curriculum – the established international guidelines for Master’s programs in software engineering. Furthermore, a double degree program is now available in conjunction with Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland).

 - Master’s program in Statistical Learning Theory  supervised by Professor V.G. Spokoiny, Doctor of Sciences, is delivered in English and trains specialists, who are able to engage in both high-end and basic research projects, as well as deal with complex practical issues in one of the most promising fields of science – Machine Learning Theory. This area, along with mathematical statistics, optimization, information theory, complexity theory, etc., is a field where mathematics and computer science intersect. With this in mind, students take part in intensive research work as members of teams while they prepare their Master’s papers. Leading specialists from Skoltech and HSE, as well as globally renowned researchers and visiting scholars, deliver courses under the program. The list of the program’s partners includes Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems (IITP RAS), as well as leading firms like Datadvance and Telum.

- Master's program in Data Mining in Biology and Medicine  under the supervision of Professor M.S. Gelfand, Doctor of Sciences, aims to train specialists in bioinformatics who will be able to develop computation methods and apply them to solving tasks in various areas of biology and medicine. The key advantage of this program is that it offers interdisciplinary education with in-depth knowledge of both mathematical tools and biological systems. Bioinformatics is extremely popular among undergraduate students at Russian universities; however, only 5 such programs are currently being delivered throughout the whole country. Program partners include Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology MSU, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Shemyakin - Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow School of Bioinformatics, and Litech, Knomics, Atlas, Biomed Group, and iBinom companies.

- Master’s program in System Programming under the supervision of  Professor A.K. Petrenko, Doctor of Sciences, focuses on training engineers and researchers, who are able to develop cutting-edge technologies for the creation of system software and instruments for analysis, transformation and design of programs, as well as hardware and software systems. The program’s curriculum encompasses a wide range of research and engineering disciplines, including formal program development methodologies, construction of compiler programs and operating system kernels, text and data-flow analysis, etc. Furthermore, the program is based on the achievements of the very unique school of system programming, developed by the esteemed academic V.P. Ivannikov.

Educational programs under Tikhonov MIEM HSE (Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics) in applied mathematics and modelling are offered in partnership with Dorodnicyn Computing Center, Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences, Space Research Institute, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics. Students have an opportunity to take part in research projects in mathematical and computer modelling.

- Undergraduate program in Applied Mathematics supervised by Associate Professor L.A. Manita, Candidate of Sciences (PhD), trains specialists who can tackle a wide range of tasks in the field of IT and contemporary engineering. This program is focused on providing a fundamental education in mathematics and physics, as well as training participants in information sciences and software engineering, technical design and professional communication. Graduates have excellent career prospects working for multinational companies (Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, etc.).

- Master’s program in Mathematical Methods of Modelling and Computer Technologies supervised by Professor M.V. Karasev, Doctor of Sciences, is aimed at developing interdisciplinary competencies in mathematics and its applications in promising technological areas: supercomputer clusters, distributed computations, complex networks and statistical systems, diffusion waves and phase transitions. In 2015, Professor V.V. Stegailov, a senior lecturer in the program, received the Russian Presidential Award for Young Scientists in the Field of Science and Innovation.

- Master's program in Quantum Information Technologies supervised by Professor K. Yu. Arutyunov, Doctor of Sciences, is taught in English and aimed at training highly qualified and competitive specialists, who will be able to offer their skills on both the Russian and international job markets in regards to cross-cutting issues relating to the transfer, storage and processing of information based on quantum-information technologies. Such specialists are able to both use and take part in the development of the most advanced, breakthrough technologies. Upon graduation, most alumni continue their studies at leading Russian or international universities, or work as top specialists in the IT and high-tech sectors.

- Master’s program in Materials. Devices. Nanotechnologies is supervised by Associate Professor D.A. Bograchev, Candidate of Sciences (PhD). The main goal of this program is to train highly qualified and competitive specialists in materials engineering, micro- and nanoelectronics, as well as nanotechnology, for both the domestic and global labor markets. Students are expected to master modern theories and experimental techniques that are essential for working in the nanotechnologies field. In particular, they have an opportunity to study the most advanced industrial materials and devices, as well as key analytical and numerical methods for mathematical modeling of new physical phenomena and processes. Furthermore, Master’s students not only have an opportunity to gain insight into the latest developments in these areas, but also learn how to conduct theoretical research and experiments independently. 

Key Research Projects and Their Development

HSE’s Faculty of Mathematics has brought together a unique research team of leading mathematicians from all over the world. Their research projects are closely linked with cross disciplinary studies, which are essential in modern mathematics. For example, 13 out of 21 the plenary speakers invited to the International Congress of Mathematicians (Seoul, 2014) work in geometry, representation theory, dynamical systems, mathematical physics and number theory. Russia was represented only by four section speakers, three of whom are involved in the STRA-U’s research projects.

 The Faculty of Computer Science was created with the direct involvement of Yandex. This is a prime example of full-scale collaboration between the university and a leading company (something that is rare for Russia). Since 2015, a research team from the Laboratory of Methods for Big Data Analysis has been involved in the LHCb experiment (one of the four experiments conducted at the Large Hadron Collider). In addition, personnel from academic institutes and developers from leading IT companies are engaged in teaching within the faculty.

 Established in 1962, Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (Tikhonov MIEM HSE) merged with HSE in 2012. Several its research schools in various fields of applied mathematics, IT and engineering have become legendary. Several very prominent scholars work at Tikhonov MIEM HSE, including the academician V.P. Maslov, one of the leading experts in mathematical physics, and A.S. Holevo, an expert in quantum informatics and the winner of the 2016 Claude E. Shannon Award, alongside other outstanding experts.

 The integration of these three university divisions within the framework of the unified STRA-Us will generate a substantial synergistic effect. In order to share research results and identify promising areas of study that might even lead to breakthroughs in cross-disciplinary fields, the Strategic Academic Unit has launched a regular joint research seminar. This seminar is held on an alternating basis at the Faculty of Mathematics, Faculty of Computer Science, and Tikhonov MIEM HSE. The first meeting of the seminar was held on February 13, 2017 at Tikhonov MIEM HSE.

Key research projects:

1. Algebraic Geometry, Representation Theory and Mathematical Physics.

2. Mathematical Methods in Theoretical Computer Science.

3. Machine Learning and Data Mining with Applications in Information Technology, High Energy Physics, Biology, Medicine and Neuroscience.

4. Process Mining: Modelling and Analysis of Information Systems Based on Their Real Behavior.

5. Mathematical and Computer Modelling.