On November 29th, Russian Science Foundation announced the results of the Small individual research team projects competition. Through this competition, grants are allocated for basic research and exploratory research in 2023-2024. The grants are up to 1.5 million roubles annually.

The key objective of the competition declared by RSC is to promote thematic areas novel for the research bodies and to build research teams. The stipulated team size is 2 to 4 persons.

The winning RSF small research team projects of applicants from KarRC RAS are:
• «Design and study of mathematical models in aquaculture» (Leader Evgeny Ivashko, Cand. Sci. (Phys. & Math), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Digital Technologies in Regional Development, Department for Interdisciplinary Research KarRC RAS);
• «Development of hybrid dynamics methods in problems of mathematical modeling of biological communities with variable structure» (Leader Alexander Kirillov, Dr. Sci. (Phys. & Math), Leading Researcher, Computer-based IT Laboratory, Institute of Applied Mathematical Research KarRC RAS);
• «Intrapopulation competition for space: 3D territoriality in song birds in limited-resource circumstances» (Leader Maria Matantseva, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Researcher, Zoology Laboratory, Institute of Biology KarRC RAS);
• «An integrated study of the natural regeneration of Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. on xylolytic substrate» (Leader Ivan Romashkin, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Researcher, Laboratory of Boreal Forest Dynamics and Productivity, Forest Research Institute KarRC RAS);
• «Acoustic signaling in birds as a social driver of the nesting ground and breeding strategy selection» (Leader Nikolai Lapshin, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Leading Researcher, Zoology Laboratory, Institute of Biology KarRC RAS);
• «Molecular-genetic and biochemical indicators in estimating cage-farmed trout growth rates under supplementary illumination during rearing in a southern region of Russia» (Leader Maria Kuznetsova, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Researcher, Ecological Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Biology KarRC RAS);
• «Adapting the double-rotation system of cultivating containerized Scots pine seedlings to a short growing season. Acquiring frost tolerance» (Leader Nadezhda Chernobrovkina, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Leading Researcher, Forest Biotechnology Laboratory, Forest Research Institute KarRC RAS);
• «Agglomeration effects on economic development of a region at large» (Leader Pavel Druzhinin, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Head of Department for Regional Development Modeling and Forecasting, Institute of Economics KarRC RAS);
• «The digital divide and local administrations: a view through social media» (Leader Egor Prokopyev, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Researcher, Department for Regional Development Modeling and Forecasting, Institute of Economics KarRC RAS);
• «Establishing and developing the innovation system of the Russian Arctic under recent development collisions: structural import replacement in a multi-tiered space» (Leader Sergey Tishkov, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Secretary for Science at the Institute of Economics KarRC RAS).

We congratulate our colleagues on winning the project competition and wish them productive research!