The first stage of the All-Russian Competition of Scientific Research Projects with International Participation “Ten to the Minus Ninth” has successfully concluded. The contest drew 3,026 school students from across Russia as well as from three foreign countries—Abkhazia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
Of these, 613 participants have qualified for the second round. The passing threshold was set at 84 points, determined by the organizers based on application volume and test performance. These finalists will now embark on independent research projects in the fields of natural sciences and nanotechnology, guided by expert-developed topics.
As an incentive, all finalists will receive 10 additional admission points when applying to Samara University. Moreover, they will gain the opportunity to attend a specialized educational session at the International Children’s Center “Artek”, scheduled for September 1–22, 2026.
The second stage runs from May 6 to July 1, 2026, during which participants will develop original research papers on one of the following 16 cutting-edge themes:
- Adsorption efficiency of natural and synthetic sorbents
- Development of biodegradable composite materials from food waste
- Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plant extracts
- Impact of artificial light spectra and/or acoustic stimuli (varying frequency/intensity) on seed germination and seedling morphology
- Influence of physicochemical factors (pH, temperature, substrate concentration) on enzyme reaction kinetics
- Predicting physicochemical properties of chemical compounds using big data analytics
- Plastic classification via computer vision and neural networks for waste sorting
- Automating experimental data processing: from signal acquisition to machine learning models
- Photonic crystals based on porous silicon and quantum dots
- Silicon nanostructures for cancer diagnostics and therapy
- Tandem solar cells: advantages and limitations of emerging technology
- Bragg mirrors: fabrication methods and modern applications
- Current trends in nanoelectronics
- Future technologies for smart cities
- Monitoring material synthesis with tailored properties via optical spectroscopy
- Nanoporous silicon carbide in electronics
Designed as a dynamic platform for scientific growth, the “Ten to the Minus Ninth” competition empowers students to conduct authentic research, present findings at academic conferences, and receive expert feedback—laying a strong foundation for future careers in science and innovation.
