Science
Fun fact: the invention of holography predates the first mention of holograms in sci-fi by only three years. Another fact: one of the chief pioneers of this branch of optics studied and taught at ITMO University! Even today, the name of Yuri Denisyuk is well-known to any scholar of the subject. Recently, ITMO.NEWS talked with the academician’s son, Igor Denisyuk, himself an accomplished researcher at ITMO, about the two’s research journeys, their work, and the role of legacy in science.
Read more: 2D into 3D: Optical Holography Founder Yuri Denisyuk and His Legacy
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See also: What To See at ITMO’s Museum of Optics This Winter Break
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From Pakistan to Germany to Russia – Muhammad Ali Abbasi’s scientific drive has taken him on a journey across the globe. Now a member of the ITMO Fellowship program, he is involved in truly crucial research: the development of purification and filtration tech that could help deal with the burning issue of medical and cosmetic contaminants in wastewater.
How does this technology work? Where is environmental science heading these days? And what connects Russian and Urdu? Answers to these and other questions – in Dr. Abbasi’s ITMO.NEWS interview.
Muhammad Ali Abbasi in the lab. Photo by Dmitry Grigoryev / ITMO.NEWS
Artificial intelligence
Have you heard of molecular machines? What sounds like the name of a really fun toy franchise is, in fact, an equally cool concept from the field of nanotechnology. These tiny (a massive understatement) devices can be used to interact with chemical reactions and molecules at the most precise scale – and are incredibly useful on the cutting edge of medical science.
This is why a new laboratory at ITMO is set to use AI tools in order to develop such devices and, perhaps, even make sense of this relatively new and chaotic field by establishing a digital platform that’ll bring together all of the relevant knowledge and tools.
Read more: New Lab at ITMO: Using AI to Build Molecular Machines for Therapy and Diagnostics
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See also: AI to Bring Parity in Science: Alexander Boukhanovsky on Developing Fundamental AI Models
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PhD student Ammar Ali is truly a Renaissance man – for the past three years, he has seemingly succeeded in everything he set his mind on. A multiple-time winner of Sberbank’s AI Journey contest (including a triple-prize solo sweep in 2022) and several other competitions, he is certainly one not to underestimate. We recently spoke to Ammar about his sporting philosophy, his choice of subject, and what drives him to win.
Read more: Learning Through Winning: A Conversation With Ammar Ali, Winner of Multiple AI Contests
