What is SRA

The Student Research Association or SRA is an organization of students engaged in science, science communication, and helping young researchers with their first steps. Nearly every university in the country has such an organization.

Any ITMO Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Specialist’s student can join the university’s SRA by filling out this form (in Russian; you have to indicate your full name, level of education, ISU ID, and email). You will then need to confirm your application via email. Alternatively, you can join the SRA by visiting one of its open days, where you’ll also get to meet its members (currently, around 300 people).

SRA member’s perks

• Assistance from experienced curators. Among the association’s members are university staff  familiar with the academic process; they can offer advice on how to proceed in various situations. They can also assist you with drafting applications for conferences, scholarship programs, or grant competitions. The association can also help with verifying academic achievements and obtaining recommendations if you’re planning to study or intern abroad. You can ask your questions through direct messages on the community's social media, as well as by email or phone (find all the details here).
• Assistance with finding a supervisor. The SRA organizes meetups where you can learn more about the university’s labs and meet their heads and staff. What’s more, the association has a database of ITMO’s lecturers. The curators will know who should be approached with what topic – and share their contact information.
• Personalized email newsletter with announcements of conferences, grant and scholarship competitions, and open calls for papers. You can also learn about all kinds of opportunities on the association’s social media pages (see above).
• A Mendeleev card. This is a bonus and discount program by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for students who are actively engaged in science. As a member, you’ll be eligible for discounts on educational courses and online libraries, as well as on transportation, hotels, cafes, museums, and gym memberships. Additionally, it offers bonuses at retail chains and pharmacies.
• An opportunity to participate in and organize SRA events. That includes festivals, workshops, and conferences, including international ones. You can join any event not only as a participant, but also as an SMM specialist, designer, scriptwriter, or project manager.
• Personal scholarships from SRA. This year, the association won a 5-million-ruble grant as the best SRA in Russia. A part of this sum will go towards one-time stipends for the association’s most active members.

“At the SRA, you become a part of a great team of supportive people who share your interests and are always ready to help. This feeling gives you a great boost of motivation and confidence. You know that you can change the world around you, if only in small steps. Thanks to the association, I learned to work in a team, take on responsibility, present my ideas, and communicate efficiently. These skills are crucial not only for research activities, but also in everyday life,” shares Anastasia Mamaeva, the head of the SRA.

SRA projects to keep in mind 

One of the biggest events organized by the SRA after its rebranding was the international conference Young Professionals, attended by students from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Italy, India, and several African countries. During the three-day event, young researchers presented their studies to leading scientists and shared their experience of organizing popular science projects.

Another important event for the SRA was the Open Day for Science, a project designed to showcase the university’s labs to the public. Bachelor’s and Master’s students had the chance to learn more about the research done at ITMO, get to know the scientists behind it, and join their projects or find supervisors for their own research. A total of 56 lab tours were held over the course of three days.

This fall, the SRA team also took part in Science Slam. This project has been organized by various universities across the country since 2022 and includes several stages: university, regional, and national. Six ITMO scientists took part in the event, presenting their research in 10-minute sessions. Winners were chosen by a sound meter that measured the audience’s reaction to each talk.

This year, the SRA also held a lecture titled 10 Years with the Russian Science Foundation, a job fair, and a series of workshops for those who are just learning to present their scientific ideas.

The association’s partners offer assistance with finding speakers and organizing projects, including preparing venues and merch. Among them are Sberbank, Gazprom Neft, Antiplagiat, and OMK.