![‘The Defence Was Both Interesting and Nerve-Wracking’ Illustration for news: ‘The Defence Was Both Interesting and Nerve-Wracking’](/data/2025/02/18/1963495276/20241224_154523.jpg)
‘The Defence Was Both Interesting and Nerve-Wracking’
Ana Livia Araujo Esteves, from Brazil, lecturer at the HSE School of International Regional Studies, has recently defended her PhD at HSE University. In her interview with the HSE News Service, she talks about her research into Brazilian–Russian relations, the difficulties of the thesis defence process, and her further plans in academia.
![Scientists Identify Fifteen Key Motives Driving Human Behaviour Illustration for news: Scientists Identify Fifteen Key Motives Driving Human Behaviour](/data/2025/02/18/1963712094/1iStock-2121029847.jpg)
Scientists Identify Fifteen Key Motives Driving Human Behaviour
Researchers at HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have identified 15 key motives that drive human behaviour. By analysing people's views, preferences, and actions through an evolutionary lens, they demonstrated how these motives intertwine to shape habits and interpersonal relationships. The findings have been published in Personality and Individual Differences.
![HSE Neurolinguists Create Russian Adaptation of Classic Verbal Memory Test Illustration for news: HSE Neurolinguists Create Russian Adaptation of Classic Verbal Memory Test](/data/2025/02/18/1963706075/3iStock-490433128.jpg)
HSE Neurolinguists Create Russian Adaptation of Classic Verbal Memory Test
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain and Psychiatric Hospital No. 1 Named after N.A. Alexeev have developed a Russian-language adaptation of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. This classic neuropsychological test evaluates various aspects of auditory verbal memory in adults and is widely used in both clinical diagnostics and research. The study findings have been published in The Clinical Neuropsychologist.
![Mirror Laboratory of HSE and UTM Shares Its First Achievements Illustration for news: Mirror Laboratory of HSE and UTM Shares Its First Achievements](/data/2025/02/17/1963932024/iStock-1132739919.jpg)
Mirror Laboratory of HSE and UTM Shares Its First Achievements
In autumn of 2024, a delegation from Malaysia, led by Minister of Higher Education Zambry bin Abdul Kadir, visited the HSE campus in St Petersburg. One of the key topics of discussion was the initial results of the mirror laboratory, a joint initiative between HSE University-St Petersburg and the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM).
![Tickling the Nerves: Why Crime Content is Popular Illustration for news: Tickling the Nerves: Why Crime Content is Popular](/data/2025/02/14/1963206631/3iStock-472285507.jpg)
Tickling the Nerves: Why Crime Content is Popular
Consumers of content about serial killers watch and read it to experience intense emotions that are often lacking in everyday life and to understand the reasons that drive people to commit crimes. However, such content does not contribute to increased aggression. These conclusions were drawn by sociologists from HSE University. The results of their study have been published in Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal.
![Winners of Student Research Paper Competition 2024 Receive Awards Illustration for news: Winners of Student Research Paper Competition 2024 Receive Awards](/data/2025/02/14/1963455380/085-20250210-16-35-28-resized-%20WIL.jpg)
Winners of Student Research Paper Competition 2024 Receive Awards
On February 10, the award ceremony for the winners and laureates of the 2024 Student Research Paper Competition took place at HSE University. Out of the 1,916 students to submit projectsto the competition, 320 participants became winners and laureates and were awarded in four categories: social sciences, economics and management sciences, exact sciences, humanities and creative industries.
![HSE Researchers Prove the Existence of Nash Equilibrium for a New Class of Problems in Game Theory Illustration for news: HSE Researchers Prove the Existence of Nash Equilibrium for a New Class of Problems in Game Theory](/data/2025/02/06/1979489650/4iStock-475448040.jpg)
HSE Researchers Prove the Existence of Nash Equilibrium for a New Class of Problems in Game Theory
Researchers at HSE University's St Petersburg School of Economics and Management have been exploring methods for the efficient allocation of resources in systems involving multiple players. The scientists have proven the existence of strategies for optimal decision-making in competition for limited, discrete resources in four different cases. The developed mathematical model can be applied in various fields, ranging from education and medicine to managing networks and computing power. The paper has been published in Games and Economic Behaviour.
![New Science: How Early-Career Researchers Reach New Heights Illustration for news: New Science: How Early-Career Researchers Reach New Heights](/data/2025/02/04/1979096932/2028-01-29_16-18-21_DP.jpg)
New Science: How Early-Career Researchers Reach New Heights
In the context of increasing global competition, countries arestriving to ensure technological sovereignty. Those who can ensure economic development and concentrate intangible assets and human capital are emerging as leaders. The growing demand for qualified staff leads to an increase in the role of universities and the demand for early-career scientists. The challenges and opportunities for prospective specialists in the scientific community were discussed at the ‘StratPro Platform’ strategic session at HSE University.
![Researchers at HSE Centre for Language and Brain Reveal Key Factors Determining Language Recovery in Patients After Brain Tumour Resection Illustration for news: Researchers at HSE Centre for Language and Brain Reveal Key Factors Determining Language Recovery in Patients After Brain Tumour Resection](/data/2025/02/03/1976198120/3iStock-1351646522.jpg)
Researchers at HSE Centre for Language and Brain Reveal Key Factors Determining Language Recovery in Patients After Brain Tumour Resection
Alina Minnigulova and Maria Khudyakova at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have presented the latest research findings on the linguistic and neural mechanisms of language impairments and their progression in patients following neurosurgery. The scientists shared insights gained from over five years of research on the dynamics of language impairment and recovery.
![Neuroscientists Reveal Anna Karenina Principle in Brain's Response to Persuasion Illustration for news: Neuroscientists Reveal Anna Karenina Principle in Brain's Response to Persuasion](/data/2025/02/03/1976176202/9iStock-1028802810.jpg)
Neuroscientists Reveal Anna Karenina Principle in Brain's Response to Persuasion
A team of researchers at HSE University investigated the neural mechanisms involved in how the brain processes persuasive messages. Using functional MRI, the researchers recorded how the participants' brains reacted to expert arguments about the harmful health effects of sugar consumption. The findings revealed that all unpersuaded individuals' brains responded to the messages in a similar manner, whereas each persuaded individual produced a unique neural response. This suggests that successful persuasive messages influence opinions in a highly individual manner, appearing to find a unique key to each person's brain. The study findings have been published in PNAS.