A scene from the upcoming “Science in the North Caucasus” series.
A new popular science documentary series, “Science in the North Caucasus,” is currently in production at the North Caucasus Federal University (NCFU). This ambitious project, slated for release in the autumn of 2025, aims to spotlight the region`s leading scientific institutions and inspire local high school students to pursue careers in research and innovation.
According to Lyudmila Sokolova, the film`s producer and NCFU`s director for information policy, a key objective of the series is to enhance opportunities for scientific tourism within the North Caucasus and actively engage young residents in scientific endeavors.
“It often seems to us that science thrives only in major metropolitan areas like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, or Tomsk. However, here in the North Caucasus, we have developed our own significant scientific schools and research directions. We want to open the eyes of young people, especially those in grades 9-11, to the fact that they can engage in science right here in their own region. Our popular science series explains in accessible language the research and developments undertaken by our scientists. Perhaps these topics will spark an interest in students, encouraging them to join our universities and laboratories and dedicate their lives to science,” she explained.
The inaugural episode, titled “Astrophysics: How and Why Distant Galaxies are Studied,” will feature the Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.
“Every scientific field has its golden age: there was the era of great geographical discoveries, and a revolution in physics primarily occurred during Einstein`s lifetime. Currently, astronomy is experiencing a period of rapid flourishing. About 50 years ago, our civilization ventured beyond Earth, gaining the capability to explore the boundless universe not only through visible light but across its entire spectrum of emissions – from radio waves to X-rays and gamma rays,” commented Igor Karachentsev, a scientific expert on the project, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, and chief researcher at SAO RAS`s extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology laboratory.
Future episodes will delve into a diverse range of scientific topics and institutions across the region. These include the creation of novel materials at NCFU`s “Clean Zones” Research and Laboratory Complex; advancements in balneology by the Center for Biomedical Technologies of the North Caucasus Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia; research in additive manufacturing technologies at the H.M. Berbekov Kabardino-Balkarian State University; and the study of the Nart epic at the A.A. Tibilov South Ossetian State University.
The series will also showcase innovations in the oil and gas industry, highlighting the advanced engineering school established at the Academician M.D. Millionshchikov Grozny State Oil Technical University. Additionally, a dedicated episode on Dagestan will explore extensive archaeological research focused on the ancient Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent.
The “Science in the North Caucasus” series will be broadcast on regional television as part of “Scientific Guide to the North Caucasian Federal District” events, where scientists meet with schoolchildren. A wider release on federal television channels is anticipated in autumn 2025.
This initiative is part of the “New Route” scientific and educational festival, supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, and aligns with the Decade of Science and Technology, as declared by the President of the Russian Federation.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth