Society

Unexpectedly, one of last year’s trends was…mushrooms. Several startups have shown that mycelium is a suitable material for eco-friendly fabrics, fashionable foods and the manufacture of drugs to treat clinical depression. ‘Prototyping Future Cities’ Master’s Programme graduate Anna Budnikova took the mushroom trend one step further by inventing a building material she calls ‘mycokarst’. She tells Success Builder what the difference is between eco- and bio-materials, why to make water from air and design ‘passive homes’, and who urbanists are and how they are changing our cities.

Ksenia Totmyanina, graduate of the HSE University Faculty of Economic Science and the current Managing Director of the Sberbank Data Research Competency Development Center, talks about the importance of case studies for students, what it feels like to be a ‘woman in IT’ and why the people at Sberbank are not afraid that artificial intelligence will replace humans.

Maxim Oreshkin, Russia’s former Minister of Economic Development, was appointed Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, following Vladimir Putin's decree of January 24.

Through her work, Polina Chernomordik — graduate of the HSE WEaIA Faculty and trainer of the Lightning Process technique — gives new meaning to the concept of success. After all, only the ability to identify and live by your own values — and not doing what everyone else does — enables you to develop in your profession and as a member of society. Ms. Chernomordik also knows how NGOs work in Great Britain, the purpose of a good education, and why we chase after phantoms even though inner peace is more important than career.

Sergey Pavlovsky combines a top management position at Renova with teaching at the Moscow State University Faculty of Economics, coupling his academic knowledge with the realities of the investment industry. What does an investment director do? How to start a career in finance? How do graduates contribute to HSE’s future? Sergey Pavlovsky answers these questions from the portal’s news service.

After graduating from HSE University, Dmitry Borisov and Yury Goldberg followed different paths. Dmitry built a career at KPMG and Deloitte while Yury became an entrepreneur. They joined forces in 2016 to launch a business. How did they manager to ‘Uberfy’ the chaotic home remodeling and construction market? Has it been difficult helping people overcome their aversion to remodeling? What’s the point in helping your alma mater? They answered these questions and more in an interview with the HSE portal.

How to wed economics with technology, break down stereotypes of women in IT and master the intricacies of corporate dress code? Victoria Korzhenevskaya, head of digital strategy for IBM Russia, explains this and more to the HSE University News Service.

What is wrong with today’s global political market? How can a spam letter change your life? Why do Russians consider New Zealand nothing but boring pastureland, and how can you conduct business there without once setting foot in a tax office? Valeria Kuznetsova, a graduate of the School of Political Science (now the Faculty of Social Sciences) who organizes tourism to New Zealand, told our correspondent this and more.

How a university makes a complete person out of you, how a CFA changes your life, and why an economist should never stop developing professionally — SIBUR Chief Expert for Investment Activity and Project Management Nikolai Tlekhgulov explains this and more.

Faculty of Management graduate Roman Malov is the director and owner of the V.I. Chapaev Chuvash horse ranch and the Yadrinmoloko factory whose products we buy every day in Moscow stores. He told the portal’s news service how experience on the KVN comedy team has proven helpful in agricultural work, how he brings his master’s degree knowledge down to earth in the fields of Chuvashia, why he isn’t ashamed of running a ‘collective farm’ business and how he plans to elevate Russian horse breeding to the international level.