‘We Will Develop the Sports That Staff and Students Are Fond of’
The HSE Corporate Academy has established the Sports Community Support Centre, headed by Olympic rowing champion Sergey Fedorovtsev. He spoke with the HSE News Service about his career, university sports, and the centre’s work.
— How did you become an athlete? Why did you choose rowing?
— I was born in Rostov-on-Don, and I was an active child. I tried out many sports, showing good results and the potential to become a talented athlete, but my professional career started in rowing. First, I wanted to be the best in the group, then the best in city competitions, and then in 1996 I decided that I wanted to become a professional athlete and go to the Olympics.
Academic rowing is a unique sport—the only one in which you move with your back towards the finish line. It can be either an individual or team effort, and rowers use all muscle groups. Competitions are held on the water and outdoors, and the locations are constantly changing.
— How did your sports career develop?
— I became a champion in young men’s competitions, and then the adult champion of Russia. In the spring of 2000, together with senior athletes, we assembled a great team to go to a qualification regatta, and then to the Olympic Games. But I fell ill unexpectedly and was diagnosed with a complicated condition. The doctor advised me to change my sport, but I decided not to. This was followed by the most difficult period of physical training in my life, including an unbearable workload and endless workouts. In 2001 I won silver in the Russian championship and returned to the national team. In 2003 I qualified at the World Championships, then in 2004 I won the Olympic Games in Athens. I was the youngest in the team, and I was assigned the leading role in the rowing crew.
Our victory in the Olympics came as a surprise to many people, but we prepared very intensely both physically and psychologically. Although there were other victories after the Olympics, that one remained the most important for me.
— You came to work at HSE University in 2022 at the Department of Physical Training. How did that happen?
— Quite by accident. An HSE student called me and said he would like to train with me. I didn't know this student, but he somehow managed to persuade me to join the training. There were two teams there, a men's and a women's team. Now we train all year round, both on the water and on rowing machines in winter, and the teams show good results.
— How did you come up with the idea of creating the Sports Community Support Centre?
— During a Sunday jog with HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov, we discussed possible trajectories for developing sports at the university.
There are a lot of fans of various sports among the students and staff of HSE University. There is a Running Club—a community of running enthusiasts headed by Anna Kozyreva, Head of the Promotions and Communications Unit of the Faculty of Computer Science. I am very glad that she agreed to work part-time at our centre.
— Who else among your colleagues is actively involved in sports?
— It’s well known that HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov is fond of sports: he constantly participates in runs, setting an example for others. Vice Rector Shamil Akhmetov is fond of football, Dmitry Zemtsov does fencing, and Alexey Koshel plays chess (we once played a couple of games, and I lost both). I hope that other colleagues will find an opportunity to join university communities in their sports.
The HSE Department of Physical Training headed by Oleg Bulykin, a great leader and former successful athlete, has also contributed to the development of sports communities at HSE University.
— Does the Sports Community Support Centre have a plan for the next five years? How many employees and students do you aim to involve in sports?
— Two years ago, at the Russia–Country of Sports international forum, President Vladimir Putin said that 70% of Russian citizens should be regularly involved in sports by 2030. I think our university can also focus on this indicator. We will develop the sports that staff and students are fond of.
The Sports Community Support Centre aims to create a favourable environment for the development of sports and physical education and strengthen ties between various teams. Sports and active recreation are a good way to overcome stress, achieve psychological and emotional relief, and maintain and strengthen health—and everyone has the opportunity to try it.
Today, for many people, HSE has become a university that not only provides high-quality education, but also pays great attention to sports. We will strengthen and develop this image.
See also:
Biologists Discover 'Molecular Fingerprint' of Preeclampsia
Researchers at HSE University employed a new method to model hypoxia in placental cells during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and identified molecular markers of tissue hypoxia. Since hypoxia is one of the key mechanisms underlying preeclampsia, these findings are important for a more accurate and timely diagnosis of the disease and for the development of effective treatment methods. The paper has been published in Placenta.
‘Hedgehog’ Versus ‘Relatives’: Researchers Measure How the Brain Responds to Unexpected Words During Natural Speech
Russian neurophysiologists, including researchers from HSE University, have demonstrated the feasibility of using event-related fields (ERFs) to study brain activity during natural speech perception. The researchers showed that this approach can be applied not only to individual words but also to continuous speech. Their findings indicate that words whose meanings differ significantly from the preceding context require longer processing times. The study also reveals that the brain processes function words in two stages: first, it identifies their grammatical role and then uses this information to predict the next word. The study has been published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Scientists Develop Algorithm for More Reliable Processors in Data Centres
Researchers from HSE MIEM and Samara University have developed the LRF-3D algorithm to automatically bypass idle nodes in three-dimensional networks-on-chip. Thanks to its hierarchical architecture, the algorithm outperforms existing solutions in both speed and path accuracy, improving processor reliability for use in data centres, supercomputers, and AI computing. The source code and test results are publicly available.
Researchers Rank Recommendation Algorithms Using Sports Tournament Model
Researchers from the AI and Digital Science Institute at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science have developed an approach for selecting recommendation algorithms more effectively. Their approach uses pairwise comparisons of algorithms to create a tournament table, with the overall ranking based on their performance across all datasets in the tournament. This can reduce the number of algorithms that need to be tested when developing new services, saving both time and money. The study was presented at the 32nd ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD 2026).
Researchers Develop Method for Direct Generation of Regulatory DNA
Researchers at HSE University have developed a model for generating promoters and enhancers—DNA sequences that regulate gene activity. The model works directly with DNA nucleotides, without first transforming them into a continuous numerical representation. This solution could be useful for applications in synthetic biology and gene therapy. The study results were presented at the ICLR 2026 Workshop ‘Generative AI in Genomics (Gen^2): Barriers and Frontiers.’
Researchers at HSE University and Sber Train Neural Networks to Better Predict User Preferences
The HSE FCS AI and Digital Science Institute and Sber have introduced a new architecture for recommendation systems that combines two classes of models, enabling algorithms to better predict users’ interests and needs. A preprint of the paper has been published on arxiv.org and presented at Urban ML.
HSE Graduate School of Business and Alfa-Bank Hold Summer School for Students from China
Twenty-seven students from Chinese universities took part in the international summer school ‘Digital Product Management’ organised by the HSE Graduate School of Business and Alfa-Bank. Over the course of a week, participants explored the Russian economy and business environment, learned about current technology trends, and worked through the key stages of digital product development step by step—from researching user needs and defining a problem to developing a prototype and presenting their final project.
Physicists Discover What Happens Inside a Stable Vortex
Large vortices with characteristic spiral arms are often observed in the atmosphere and the ocean. Physicists from HSE University have explained how these structures form and why they retain their shape. The researchers found that velocities at points located along the same vortex arc remain correlated even over long distances. At the same time, this correlation weakens rapidly with increasing distance from the vortex centre. These differences help explain the formation of spiral arms and may improve models of atmospheric and oceanic currents. The findings have been published in Physical Review Fluids.
HSE University and the Government of Perm Krai Expand the Development of Creative Industries
HSE University and the Government of Perm Krai have signed a strategic partnership agreement. The document, signed by HSE University President Nikita Anisimov and Perm Krai Governor Dmitry Makhonin, defines new areas of collaboration in the creative economy, education, and human resources in Primakamye.
‘The Peak of Stupidity’ and ‘The Valley of Despair’: HSE Economists Propose an Explanation for the Dunning–Kruger Effect
The Dunning–Kruger effect, which describes a sharp surge in self-confidence among beginners followed by an equally rapid decline as they gain experience, can be explained by the nature of the learning process and the acquisition of new knowledge. This conclusion was reached by Andrey Vorchik of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences together with independent researcher Murat Mamyshev. They developed a mathematical model of learning and demonstrated how subjective confidence is formed and changes as knowledge accumulates, as well as how teachers can reduce the ‘valley of despair’ experienced by learners.