Spotting snakes in St. Petersburg 🐍

While celebrating the Year of the Snake, we couldn’t help but look closely at the city’s monuments, houses, and street furniture for serpentine motifs. Discover the prominent serpents and the meaning behind them in the urban landscape: from heralds of good trade to triumphs over enemies 🔎

#stp

ITMO student wins robotics competition! 🤖

The team of Natalia Leshchenko, a student at ITMO’s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics, took first place at the China Intelligent Robot Fighting and Gaming Competition in Beijing in the category Visual Confrontation. A total of 1,692 teams from 184 universities took part in the contest!

The hardest part was the language barrier: the competition was held in Chinese. I was lucky to have teammates who spoke English and helped me translate the tasks. I met them at the robotics lab of the Beijing Institute of Technology, where I am an exchange student, and we had great rapport. Even when there were problems, we persevered and kept going. At the competition, I got much more than just a winner’s diploma – there’s the whole experience of participating in an international competition as part of an international team, plus many hours spent at a major lab and, of course, the joy of victory!

A huge congratulations to her on this incredible achievement! Read more here 👈

Winter selfcare tips ❤️‍🩹

With its unpredictable weather and limited sunlight, winter in St. Petersburg can feel more like a season to endure than enjoy. Here are some tips that should make getting through the rest of winter a bit easier.

😴 Dealing with SAD

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition typically experienced in fall or winter and until spring, often caused by lack of sunlight, which affects the body’s internal clock and the production of melatonin and serotonin. Symptoms include prolonged sleep, carbohydrate cravings, low mood, fatigue, irritability, lack of energy, and difficulty concentrating. Here are some ways to combat it:

• Catch even the little daylight there is; try to go outside when the sun is still up and don’t use the blinds until nighttime. Employ artificial light sources.
• Common tips like maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and staying active are also of great help.
• If possible, do a blood test and consult a doctor to see if you have a vitamin D deficiency, which is common in regions where there’s little sunlight.
• Try to avoid self-diagnosing. Only a specialist can confirm disorders like depression and SAD. If experience severe fatigue, anxiety, or despair, reach out for help.

🧤 Dressing appropriately

When temperature drops below zero, your priority is to stay warm. In winter, a warmer coat and winter boots are essential. Same goes for scarves, gloves, and hats – covering your neck and wrists can save up to 20% of body heat!

If you’re into outdoor sports or nature outings, consider dressing in layers:

• The base layer should be made of moisture-wicking fabrics, like microfiber or thin wool, to keep you dry and warm.
• The mid layer should trap heat against your body. Fleece, feather, or synthetic fiber are good options.
• The outer layer should protect you from the weather. Choose a coat and boots that are waterproof.

🏥 Health insurance

Winter can be a season of accidents. Therefore, proper health insurance can be crucial! Read this post to learn what to pay attention to when choosing an insurance policy.

#studentlife

ITMO Culture Fest: registration is now open 🏯

Get ready for an unforgettable celebration of diversity, tradition, and friendship. Explore the world from the comfort of the ITMO campus!

🗓 February 22, 2025

📌 Registration deadlines:
• ITMO students/staff & Russian citizens – February 20.
• Foreign citizens (non-students/staff) – February 6.

For more info, join the event’s Telegram channel 👈

#events

Meet Ege Başar Kasap from Türkiye 🇹🇷

At ITMO, Ege is studying to become a software engineer while embracing all the opportunities that come with living in a big city:

I wasn’t sure if I could adapt to such a big change. But over time, I made friends from many different countries, both inside and outside the university, and that helped me adjust. Spending time with them, learning about their cultures, and exploring St. Petersburg together has been a great experience.

Read Ege’s full interview here 👈

#itmofaces

How time flies… the new semester has begun 🤓

To celebrate, here’s a handy gift: a list of apps and websites that’ll boost your productivity and help you save some time for the fun parts of student life. Check the comments for links to all the resources!

How are you feeling about the new semester?

🤩 — Excited and looking forward to it
🙈 — I need an extra week of holidays
🤯 — Wait, how is it already the new semester??

ITMO needs YOU 👧

We’re looking for a female international student to participate in a promotional video shoot tomorrow at our Lomonosova St. 9 campus!

No acting experience is required – just your enthusiasm and a willingness to represent ITMO!

If you’re interested, please DM us at @itmo_uni_dm.

Upd: The student is found! Thank you for your quick responses.

Classes may be back, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop 😸

From fresh exhibitions to movie nights and live music, here’s your weekly dose of things to do.

🇪🇸 Spanish Groove
• Feb 6 | 8 PM | 500 RUB

A night of Spanish classics awaits as Orchestra 1703 brings tunes by Albéniz, Rodrigo, and Viñao to life.

🗼 Vienna-Paris, and Back!
• Feb 7 | 8 PM | 600 RUB

Enjoy timeless dance compositions at the St. Petersburg Philharmonia.

🩰 The Nutcracker
• Feb 9 | 5:30 PM | 650 RUB

Catch Vasili Vainonen’s take on The Nutcracker on the big screen – no crowds, just pure ballet magic!

🧺 Views of St. Petersburg and suburbs
• Feb 10 | 12 - 9 PM | Free

Discover urban-inspired graphics and a curated literary collection at this exclusive exhibition at Sevkabel Port.

For even more events to fill up your week, visit our article on ITMO.NEWS 👈

#events

Here’s your weekly digest of discoveries, innovations, and exciting events at ITMO 🎒

🧮 ITMO physicist Ivan Terekhov started solving university-level problems in fifth grade; now, he’s an accomplished researcher studying electron interactions in 2D materials.

✨ Scientists from the Faculty of Physics explore how twisted electrons absorb photons in strong magnetic fields, bringing us closer to understanding how pulsar nebulas form around neutron stars.

🕶 Augmented reality is reshaping numerous industries, from engineering to gaming. ITMO researchers break down the history and current challenges of AR.

And now, a recap of this week’s must-not-forget posts:

⏳ A new semester has begun! Check out our list of top apps and websites that’ll boost your productivity and make student life smoother.

🏯 Registration for ITMO Culture Fest is now open. Don’t miss out on a grand celebration of global traditions and friendship!

#newsdigest

How to find your next favorite book in St. Petersburg – in any language 📚

St. Petersburg is paradise for book lovers! From historic libraries to hidden vintage shops and online bookstores, you can find a book in nearly every language – English, Mandarin, and beyond!

Want to know where to start? Check out our ultimate guide 👈

#stp

Share your feedback about the semester 📝

By February 9, you can fill out the survey on ИСУ → Личный кабинет → Образование и наука → ITMO.CoursesAssessment or via the link.

For information on research ethics and handling of personal data (including anonymity), click here.

You can view the results of past surveys here.

Become the manager of your own research📎

ITMO’s International Laboratory “Hybrid Nanostructures for Biomedicine” invites Bachelor’s and Master’s students to join the course Basics of Research Planning and Management of Scientific Research. In this course, you will learn how to monetize ambitious high-tech projects and explore success stories from ITMO scientists.

Course contents include:

• How to write an effective grant application
• How to manage a research project
• How to use AI for scientific literature searches

The course is available in both English and Russian. The Russian sessions will be taught by Anastasia Surkova, while the English sessions will be led by Ali Abbasi, both researchers at the International Laboratory “Hybrid Nanostructures for Biomedicine.”

📅 English group: February 12 – April 24, 2025
📅 Russian group: February 10 – April 22, 2025

Classes will be held once a week.

✏️ To apply and learn more, please write to a.o.orlova@itmo.ru.

#opportunities

Celebrating Russian Science Day with ITMO’s young innovators 🔭

On February 8, we marked the occasion by spotlighting some of ITMO’s many remarkable young researchers. Just yesterday they were in high school – but today, they are shaping the future of science!

From venturing to the North Pole to paving the way for quantum technologies, their scientific careers have already been daring and full of excitement. How did they find their calling, what have they achieved so far, and what does future hold in store? Find out in our feature article 👈

#science

The premier conference on laser & photonics is here 🔥

FLAMN-25 is coming to ITMO University on June 24-27. Scientists, industry leaders, and students will explore cutting-edge laser technologies, AI in photonics, and next-gen innovations in micro and nanotechnologies.

🔍 Key topics:
• Laser-assisted micro & nanotechnologies
• Laser-matter interaction
• Biomedical laser applications
• AI & automation in industrial laser tech
• Optical solutions for science art

Sign up by March 3!

Register here 👈

For more updates, join the event’s Telegram channel.

#opportunities