Putin asked Fursenko if he had 100 million rubles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the III Congress of Young Scientists in the Sirius Science and Art Park. Photo: Kirill Zykov/POOL//TASS

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin visited graduate students at Camp Sirius to talk to junior researchers at the III Congress of Young Scientists. As is usual in this type of event, the President’s visit began with a visit to the exhibition, where you can see and touch various material embodiments of our scientific achievements. 110 scientific equipment from Russian and Belarusian companies were brought to the exhibition.

The head of the country was also shown the Proryv-Sirius educational and experimental robotics center. It looks like a full-fledged laboratory: many tables with 3D printers and mechanical arms. Aspiring scientists learn programming to first print a few parts and then assemble them using robots.

At the beginning of the meeting with young scientists, Vladimir Vladimirovich explained how to make scientific equipment competitive.

– It is necessary that there is competition for relevant products in the domestic market. There are unique things that can be produced in individual copies, but still, when we talk about some kind of mass production, there must be competition, the Russian leader noted.

The President spoke about how previous requests from scientists are being met. For example, that year graduate students talked about the need to increase their stipends.

– We do that. Now the scholarship (presidential – Ed.) will be 75 thousand, Putin promised.

True, the government decided to refuse small payments: as the head of the country said, “4.5 thousand meaningless.”

Vladimir Vladimirovich, when communicating with young people, was clearly relaxed and did not skimp on brilliant phrases. Here are the president’s notable comments:

I AM NO LONGER A SALES GIRL

– Our current attitude towards genetics, thank God, is completely different, it is not the same as in the Soviet Union. They called genetics the corrupt girl of imperialism, that’s what they said, yes. Like artificial intelligence, it will be the basis of progress in many areas of activity of governments, states and human life in general. Whoever is successful in genetics will obtain fundamental qualitative competitive advantages of a generational nature.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, when communicating with young people, was clearly relaxed and did not skimp on brilliant phrases. Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev/press service of the President of the Russian Federation/TASS

MENDELEEV’S MAP

The young scientists proposed to issue them a special card (graduate students called it “Mendeleev’s card”), which would give them discounts on flights or train tickets. This would help reduce the cost of attending scientific conferences.

– I immediately remembered another form of support for young people – this is the Pushkin card. But if the “Mendeleev Card” is based on the fact that some companies grant preferences, then the Pushkin Card is based on the budget being the source of financing. You said about the “Mendeleev Map”: these are partners, large companies, for them this is an additional expense. But the idea itself is good. “We will think about how to implement it,” the president promised.

Vladimir Vladimirovich mentioned that the “operating mechanism” of these cards is simple.

– Money on the table. We need to tell Siluanov (Minister of Finance – Ed.): “Give me the money.” He will now cry: “There is no money.” But it does not matter.

“We need to find young scientists,” the graduate student asked.

“I assure you,” the head of the country joked.

ANCIENT REMAINS WILL NOT BE STUDY BY THEMSELVES

Unfortunately, modern science requires money, so graduate students returned to the topic of funding more than once. One of the scientists said sadly that the development of paleogenomics (the study of the genome of ancient remains) is impossible without large funding.

– We have accumulated an enormous amount of anthropological material. The collections of remains are waiting for their researcher, said the young scientist.

In response, the president called these studies really important, and not as is usually the case…

– I totally agree with you, because you really hear so much nonsense, so many superficial things that have no basis. In general, they talk nonsense. Now let’s move on to simple pragmatic questions: how much is needed? – Putin asked in a professional tone.

“The project size was 100 million per year,” the graduate student immediately responded.

– 100 million can be found. Andrei Aleksandrovich (Fursenko, presidential assistant – Ed.) apparently has a lot of money,” the president joked.

“I don’t have 100 million, I can know that right away,” Fursenko immediately responded.

– Please check. This is very interesting and very important,” highlighted the head of the country. Apparently there will still be money for paleogenetics.

In total, the Russian leader spoke with young scientists for about two hours. And he all the time gave advice on the best way to implement this or that idea, which companies or officials to contact.