The award ceremony for the annual Sber Science Prize took place in Moscow, according to the bank’s press service. The total prize fund stood at 60 million rubles, underscoring the program’s significant commitment to recognizing outstanding scientific work across Russia.
The prize program is designed to support researchers based in Russia who are actively advancing their fields and pushing the frontiers of science and technology. This season saw 92 scientists put forward for consideration, with nominations coming from a wide range of institutions including universities, research centers, technology firms, and development bodies. The breadth of participation reflects a robust ecosystem where academic excellence intersects with practical innovation, and where institutions strive to foster a culture of inquiry and discovery.
According to Sber, the finalist lists in each nomination were compiled by scientific councils chaired by respected members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Final decisions about the year’s award recipients were then made by the prize committee, which is jointly chaired by the head of Sberbank and the rector of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, both noted figures in Russian science administration. This collaborative leadership underscores a shared commitment to upholding high standards of peer review and transparent selection processes in recognizing scientific achievement.
The winner of the Life Sciences category was a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a Doctor of Biological Sciences who leads the Entomology Department within the Biology Faculty at Moscow State University. The laureate, known for fundamental research into the miniaturization of animals and the development of practical model organisms for biological study, represents a bridge between rigorous theoretical work and its application in understanding living systems at multiple scales. This recognition highlights the importance of exploring how body size influences biological processes and how compact models can illuminate broader scientific principles.
In the Physical World category, the prize went to a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences who holds a Doctor of Chemical Sciences degree and directs a laboratory focusing on metal complexes and nanosized catalysts. The recipient has contributed to the discovery of a dynamic catalysis phenomenon and has advanced the study of reaction mechanisms, offering new insights into how catalytic processes can adapt and respond under varying conditions. This work has implications for materials science, industrial chemistry, and the design of more efficient catalytic systems.
Within the Digital Universe nomination, the award honored a distinguished member of the Russian Academy of Sciences who directs a leading institute focused on computational mathematics. The laureate has developed innovative matrix and tensor methods that enable advanced modeling and data compression for solving extremely large and high-dimensional problems. These methodological advances have broad relevance across data-intensive disciplines, including science and engineering, economics, and information technology, where handling enormous datasets is a daily challenge.