On November 20, 2023, as part of the “First Snow” festival, the event "Gradient of Science" was held in a pleasant atmosphere of Howard Loves Craft – a meeting of undergraduate students with alumni and graduate students of the Physics Faculty of Moscow State University. As a first speaker, our graduate student Elena Konnova shared the details of her scientific path, talked about work-life balance, her LIMU laboratory and addressed the concerns of the first-year students who are just choosing their scientific path. Unfortunately, the speech was not recorded but we are providing an excerpt from it below:

“During my studies at the lyceum, I loved Math with all my heart and, after graduation, I wanted to do something where it would be an integral part of the work. At the same time, I was sure that I did not want to program. And now I'm doing programming at the Physics Faculty, and most importantly, I am enjoying it! How did it happen?

At our sophomore year, we all face the important question of choosing the department to go to. And obviously, I was no exception. I was interested in biological and medical fields, I browsed departments and project topics for a long time, but the choice was not made yet. I got acquainted with the LIMU laboratory by chance thanks to a graduate of my lyceum and now a LIMU alumnus. He invited me on a tour to LIMU and offered to meet with the LIMU founders – Vera A. Khokhlova and Oleg A. Sapozhnikov. I was introduced simply: "This is Lena, she knows Math and can program," and that's how my scientific path began at the junction of Math, Physics and programming. It turned out to be so interesting! To analyze physical principles, derive mathematical models based on them and, ultimately, create algorithms for numerical experiment, which is indispensable in the modern world.

I was very lucky to get into this laboratory and work with my scientific supervisors – it was thanks to them that I saw what an active scientific life is in a caring team. Already at my sophomore year, they helped me take part in my first conference, and this year (2023) I was a speaker at an international congress in China! And it was amazing! In addition, our laboratory is actively publishing articles, applying for grants and scholarships, and most importantly, receiving them. Senior colleagues support and guide the younger ones; life goes on actively and positively.

And if you want to engage in interesting and relevant research, too, obtain scientific results, publish, etc., you need to choose the right laboratory and supervisor. Here are a few aspects that are important to pay attention to.

• Study the publications of a potential supervisor and his colleagues in the laboratory. It is important that the publications are fresh and regular.

• Also, explore their participation in conferences and awards/grants received. Those show the research activity, its funding and relevance.

• And, of course, talk to your future supervisor in person! Visit, write, ask, do not hesitate – taste the tasks to find what you will be doing with glowing eyes!”