Research Seminar: Assembly Point of Science
Research seminars are not merely a formality but a driving force of science. Where do research projects come from? How do students become equal collaborators? And why can a whiteboard in a seminar room sometimes matter more than a formal conference presentation? In this interview for Schola, Alexander Nesterov and Konstantin Sorokin discuss the internal research seminar of the International Laboratory of Game Theory and Decision Making.
— What was the idea behind the seminar when it was established? What objectives was it meant to address? Have these objectives changed over time?
Alexander Nesterov, Deputy Dean of the St Petersburg School of Economics and Management, Head of the International Laboratory of Game Theory and Decision Making
— Our regular internal seminar has existed for as long as our laboratory itself, and its objectives have remained the same. Science advances through communication among scientists. In the past, this took the form of correspondence, when researchers sent letters to one another describing their findings. Later, periodicals and conferences became channels for scientific communication. Today, we hold seminars in both offline and online formats.
The offline format is preferable, because many things are conveyed only through subtle signals: you can see how your idea is perceived and what kind of response it evokes from the audience.
During a seminar, there is often a remarkable sense of participants being attuned to the same wavelength, and in this atmosphere new research projects and new research questions can emerge. Of course, this is hardly possible online. Science thrives where there is live scholarly communication.
Therefore, the practice of holding a regular research seminar is one of the best indicators of the quality of a university’s research environment. If there is a set schedule and interesting speakers are coming, it means the seminar is relevant, resources are available, and people are motivated to participate. As organisers of research activities in the laboratory and at the faculty, we believe such a seminar is essential, and we strive to make it as high-quality and engaging as possible.
Konstantin Sorokin, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics, Deputy Head of the International Laboratory of Game Theory and Decision Making
— We post recordings of all seminar meetings, which in effect serve as a showcase of our activities. Colleagues who have watched these recordings note that we cover a remarkably diverse and vibrant range of topics.
Another objective of the seminar is education and knowledge sharing. As the mathematician Alexander Kirillov once told me, people learn in different ways: from books, by solving problems, or through communication. Research seminars provide an opportunity for structured communication and learning.
In addition, our seminars serve several specific functions. First, a seminar presentation is a way to test fresh, cutting-edge ideas even before a preprint. Colleagues from related fields can listen, evaluate the work, and ask the author questions that are sometimes non-obvious. Second, seminars help our students and interns learn how to express their ideas clearly and concisely in front of a friendly yet critical audience. Third, they provide an opportunity to invite colleagues from other institutions and learn about the latest scientific advances, thereby broadening the horizons of both colleagues and students.
— What role do seminars play in your research laboratory?
Alexander Nesterov
The seminar day is the central day in the life of the laboratory.
Everyone gathers on that day. You know that if you need to discuss something with a colleague, you can meet them there next Tuesday, on the day of the seminar, without even having to arrange it in advance. It functions as a kind of gathering place—almost an assembly point.
— Can you tell us about the largest laboratory projects that have been implemented thanks to the seminar?
Alexander Nesterov
— All our research projects benefit from the seminar. I’ll share a recent example. Last year, I attended the first seminar in September and outlined several ideas I had developed over the summer. They were still very raw, but I received support and feedback, which allowed me to launch several research projects. Now, these projects are already at the preprint stage.
Early communication, even about multiple ideas at once, in a safe and friendly environment, greatly contributes to successful launch of a project.
Konstantin Sorokin
— The interim results of many laboratory projects have been discussed at the seminar and, of course, all final results are reviewed there in detail.
— Are there any features specific to seminars in economics?
Alexander Nesterov
— If you attend our seminar, you might think it’s about mathematics—after all, we are theorists. Most of what you’ll see are formal models, axioms, assumptions, and theorems. Sometimes it even resembles a computer science seminar, with calculations and simulations. But how is economics different? Economists pay a lot of attention to motivation. At the start, they spend about five minutes (which is a lot!) explaining why the problem is important, interesting, and novel, and what contribution their work makes toward solving it. They often illustrate this with recent cases from practice, usually large-scale and fascinating. For economists, the utilitarian value of the work is important, unlike mathematicians, who tend to appreciate the elegance of a solution in the first place.
Konstantin Sorokin
— We try not to venture too deeply into the abstract realms of pure mathematics or computer science. It’s important for us to support every listener and keep them engaged in the topic, so we take great care of our audience.
— How do you measure the success of a research seminar?
Konstantin Sorokin
— In my opinion, there are two key criteria: a stable audience and regular attendance.
If people remain interested in the seminar over a long period—and in our case, that means months and even years—then we are doing everything right.
After all, attending a seminar is optional, yet colleagues continue to participate because they find it truly valuable.
Alexander Nesterov
— I’ll add a note about long-term metrics. In research articles, authors often acknowledge their colleagues, interlocutors, and participants in conferences and seminars in the footnotes on the first page. The more such acknowledgments mention our seminar in articles written by our laboratory staff or other colleagues, the better. It shows that our seminars and discussions have genuinely contributed to their work.
— What are the advantages of the seminar as a form of academic life?
Konstantin Sorokin
— I would take issue with the wording of that question. It’s not about the seminar having advantages; rather, it is an additional form of academic life that helps colleagues work more effectively.
Alexander Nesterov
— If we had suddenly forgotten about the existence of research seminars, we would have reinvented them within about a month.
From spontaneous conversations at the coffee machine or water cooler, the need to meet in a specific place at a set time would gradually emerge. Soon, someone would bring a whiteboard to visualise their ideas, and eventually, people would start preparing for these meetings in advance. In short, this is a form of academic life that arises naturally.
— How is student involvement in research seminars organised?
Konstantin Sorokin
— Our students and interns are required to attend research seminars.
Even if they are only temporarily affiliated with our laboratory—for example, as part of a pre-graduation internship—attending seminars is one of their responsibilities. This helps interns integrate quickly and effectively into the team, while also broadening the horizons of others. We have had students who came for a pre-graduation internship, stayed with us long-term, became our employees, and went on to conduct successful research.
Alexander Nesterov
— Organising student attendance at HSE University isn’t easy. Students have varied and busy schedules, especially in St Petersburg, where classrooms are occupied from 9 am to 9 pm. Such a packed timetable can make regular seminar attendance difficult. We record seminars for those who can’t attend, but it’s hardly the same as participating live. It would be ideal if we could carve out a three-to-four-hour window each week, free of classes, at least for students of pre-graduation years who could benefit from a few hours of academic networking.
— How do you ensure the regularity of the seminar?
Konstantin Sorokin
— Regularity is maintained by having a sufficient number of speakers.
We always make a point of attending each other’s presentations. First and foremost, it’s a matter of respect for our colleagues, but it also reflects genuine interest.
We are all required to present regularly. In addition, candidates for laboratory or department positions often present at the seminar. Sometimes, when we know that friendly professors from other universities are visiting St Petersburg, we organise a seminar specifically for them. We also occasionally invite guests from abroad. This way, we never have a shortage of speakers.
Alexander Nesterov
— I’d like to comment on the word 'respect.' Our internal seminar is not a place where the speaker can expect agreement out of respect—quite the opposite.
The speaker comes prepared to face criticism, and they are judged not by past achievements or personal charm, but by what they have presented today.
Economists have a long-standing tradition of being very critical during seminars. The famous seminars at the University of Chicago, where most speakers don’t even make it to the end of their presentation, are an extreme—and sometimes harsh—example of this practice. Our seminars maintain a demanding atmosphere, and while it may feel uncomfortable at first, it ultimately strengthens our work.
Read the interview in Russian on Schola.