Courses & Workshops

On 7-11 October, the Meshcheryakov Laboratory of Information Technologies (MLIT) hosted the Autumn School of Information Technologies of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR). The event represents the first stage in a series of JINR Schools of Information Technologies, the main goal of which is to involve young specialists in solving tasks that face JINR using high-performance and distributed computing, data analysis methods and algorithms, state-of-the-art information technologies. Over 50 students from 11 Russian universities, including those ones where JINR Information Centers operate, participated in the Autumn School.

At the School, outstanding scientists delivered lectures on general topics to the students. MLIT Scientific Leader V.V. Korenkov presented to the audience a talk on the JINR IT infrastructure and the main projects implemented by MLIT. Vladimir Vasilievich paid particular attention to the history of the IT development, spoke in detail about the creation and development of distributed systems, as well as methods and technologies for processing data in heterogeneous computing environments. MLIT Director S.V. Shmatov discussed the most urgent problems in high-energy physics, including data analysis. Director of the JINR Laboratory of Radiation Biology (LRB) A.N. Bugay delivered a report in which he reflected the key role of information technologies in the development of life sciences, particularly in the tasks solved at LRB. The listeners learned a multitude of useful information about opportunities for students from a lecture on the Institute’s educational programs given by Director of the JINR University Center D.V. Kamanin.

The scientific program was enriched by lectures of invited world-class experts. Professor A.B. Degtyarev, Head of the Department of Computer Modeling and Multiprocessor Systems of St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), spoke about the process of creating, developing and using a virtual laboratory to provide high-performance computing. A.V. Bogdanov, Professor of the SPbSU Department of Fundamental Informatics and Distributed Systems, delivered a talk on novel methods of storing information for Big Data. The School also featured lectures by V.A. Sukhomlin, Professor of the Department of Information Security of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Head of the Laboratory of Open Information Technologies, which were devoted to international standards and basic training courses for IT specialists. A.G. Olshevsky, Deputy Director of the MSU branch in Dubna, enlarged upon master’s programs and their aspects, admission rules and the educational process at the branch. A working visit to JINR was paid by Professor L.B. Sokolinsky, Head of the Department of System Programming of South Ural State University, who spoke about one highly popular method of deep reinforcement learning.

The School’s program was divided into several thematic areas. Within the scientific direction “Distributed and High-performance Computing for the Preparation, Implementation and Support of Experimental and Theoretical Research Carried out within JINR Large Research Infrastructure Projects”, the students listened to lectures by JINR scientists, representatives of collaborations of the experiments of the NICA complex, JINR’s flagship project: O.V. Rogachevsky (VBLHEP) and A.Sh. Petrosyan (MLIT).

The scientific direction “Mathematical Modeling, Numerical Methods and Algorithms for Solving JINR Applied Tasks” was represented by lectures of Yu.L. Kalinovsky (MLIT), E.V. Zemlyanaya (MLIT), A.A. Gusev (MLIT), I.R. Rahmonov (BLTP). The HybriLIT Heterogeneous Computing Group headed by O.I. Streltsova conducted a tutorial within which the students learned to employ a toolkit based on Python libraries and the Jupyter ecosystem in solving scientific and applied tasks.

The program within the scientific direction “Modern Methods and Technologies of Information Processing and Analysis” embraced lectures and master classes. MLIT Chief Researcher, Professor G.A. Ososkov, a scientist who was at the forefront of the creation and use of machine learning algorithms at JINR, shared his experience in applying various methods to high-energy physics tasks. A.V. Uzhinskiy delivered a lecture on machine learning in information processing and analysis tasks, specifically those solved at MLIT. K.A. Chizhov discussed current tasks within the computer modeling of radiation conditions at the NICA accelerator complex. A.A. Artamonov, Head of the Department of Competitive Systems Analysis of the National Research Nuclear University (NRNU) MEPhI, spoke about the practical application of Big Data analytics methods and algorithms, and department assistants E.V. Antonov, M.S. Ulizko and R.R. Tukumbetova demonstrated the capabilities of software for data acquisition, storage and visualization.

A separate session was devoted to the JINR Digital EcoSystem. MLIT specialists S.D. Belov, A.V. Prikhodko, K.V. Lukyanov and I.A. Filizova told the audience about the development of a system that integrates various information and functional modules of the Institute’s scientific, organizational, administrative and service activities, as well as demonstrated the functional features of the system being developed and considered the tasks that need to be solved when creating and developing JINR websites and web services.

MLIT Deputy Scientific Leader T.A. Strizh gave a lecture about the support and development of the JINR Multifunctional Information and Computing Complex (MICC). V.V. Mitsyn (MLIT) considered the urgent problems of setting up and testing various MICC components. A.N. Moibenko (MLIT) discussed distributed hierarchical data storage systems.

The School’s new scientific direction “Engineering Infrastructure: Automation and Monitoring” was represented by A.S. Vorontsov (MLIT), A.O. Golunov (MLIT), I.A. Kashunin (MLIT) and A.O. Golunov (VBLHEP).

Hackathons on mathematical modeling and Big Data analytics added a competitive spirit to the School’s program. At the Mathematical Modeling Hackathon, I.R. Rahmonov (BLTP) and O.I. Streltsova (MLIT) set the students the task of elaborating a parallel implementation of an algorithm in the Python programming language to investigate the stable states of the Josephson junction superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator. The competition was supported by the HybriLIT Heterogeneous Computing Group. The organizers noted the high activity of the students and a multitude of original solutions. It was challenging to single out the best.

Dmitry Vrublevsky, a first-year master’s student at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), was awarded the Grand Prix of the Mathematical Modeling Hackathon for the best and most original algorithm.

First place in the Hackathon was shared by the following teams:

• HSE — Tatyana Konovalova (3rd year), Elizaveta Konstantinova (1st year master’s student) and Kirill Nebroev (4th year) — National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University);
• Evkelada — Irina Brusilova, Anastasia Zamotaeva, Viktor Surzhko and Grigory Shipunov — 4th year students of Dubna State University.

The following teams took third place:

• Mamet and Bodya — Danil Vershinin, Leonid Krasnov, Daniil Shlyk — 3rd year students of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU);
• smart_cookies — Evgeny Ibatullin (4th year), Kirill Glukhov (3rd year) — SPbSU;
• Leon Atupanya Jose Fernando (1st year master’s student) and Dmitry Oshchepkov (3rd year) — Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), Ekaterina Kolosova (2nd year master’s student) — Dubna State University.

The Big Data Analytics Hackathon was conducted by the staff members of the NRNU MEPhI Department of Competitive Systems Analysis: E.V. Antonov, M.S. Ulizko and R.R. Tukumbetova. The students were asked to perform an analysis of organizations and scientific institutions involved in high-energy physics on the basis of the provided data on the publication activity of the People’s Republic of China to identify scientific partners with areas of cooperation. In this Hackathon, teams were formed by drawing lots, which helped the School participants get acquainted with each other better and combine efforts to achieve the set goal.

The winners of the Big Data Analytics Hackathon were four teams:

• 1st place: Viktor Kostenko (3rd year, NRNU MEPhI), Maria Starikovskaya (3rd year, Dubna University), Viktor Surzhko (4th year, Dubna University), Konstantin Petrishchev (2nd year master’s student, Voronezh State University);
• 2nd place: Tatyana Konovalova (HSE University), Elizaveta Konstantinova (HSE University), Kirill Nebroev (HSE University) and Dmitry Vrublevsky (TPU);
• 2nd place: Yuri Volchek (3rd year, Tver State University), Kirill Glukhov (3rd year, SPbSU), Roman Rudykh (4th year, FEFU), Margarita Shcherbak (4th year, RUDN);
• 3rd place: Irina Brusilova, Anastasia Zamotaeva, Grigory Shipunov (4th year, Dubna University) and Maxim Son (2nd year, SPbSU).

On the final day of the School there were held round tables within all scientific directions, where the scientists answered the students’ questions on materials from the lectures and classes. There emerged lively and fruitful discussions on possible topics of graduation theses within JINR research areas. Based on the results of the School, the students selected theses’ topics and JINR supervisors. During the second stage, namely, at the JINR Spring School of Information Technologies, which is planned for April 2025, the students will present the results of joint work with the Institute’s specialists.

One of the most memorable events of the School were excursions. The students visited the NICA accelerator complex, the “JINR Basic Facilities” exhibition and the JINR MICC at MLIT.

At the closing of the School, JINR Scientific Leader V.A. Matveev delivered a speech and congratulated the students wishing them success in their scientific work. University representatives A.V. Bogdanov (SPbSU), A.A. Artamonov and A.I. Cherkassky (NRNU MEPhI) expressed gratitude to JINR and the organizers for holding the School, which contributes to the strengthening of scientific ties and the involvement of young people in science.

We are grateful to Elena Puzynina and Alexey Vorontsov for photos.

October 15, 2024