Students of the Sociology Faculty at Samara University are consistently representing their university with distinction at prestigious academic conferences and competitions. In April 2026, members of the Student Research Society (SRS) secured numerous awards, publication recommendations, and expert recognition for research spanning pressing contemporary issues—from urban landscapes and esports to social entrepreneurship and cultural spaces.
Success at University and Regional Forums
The LXXVI Youth Scientific Conference, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic spaceflight, served as a powerful launchpad for emerging scholars:
- Maksim Medvedev and Daria Namychkina presented “In the Footsteps of the Mius Dune: Snow as an Actor of Urban Spatial Transformation” in the “Empirical Sociology” section, earning publication rights in the Bulletin of Young Scientists and Specialists of Samara University.
- Maksim Medvedev also claimed 1st place in the “History of Sociology” section with “Edward Soja’s Concept of Thirdspace,” receiving the same publication recommendation.
- In that same section, Timur Kusmanov won 1st place for his presentation on “Maurice Halbwachs’ Theory of Collective Memory.”
- Oleg Gnutov took 1st place in “Sociology of Labor and Management” with “McDonaldization of Education: The Case of Online EGE Prep Schools.”
- Elena Suprun earned 2nd place in “Socio-Humanitarian Cybernetics” for “Anthropology of Esports.”
- Karolina Levina secured 1st place in “Social Work Practices with Diverse Populations” with “Factors in Enhancing Professional Competence of Social Workers.”
At the Samara Regional Student Scientific Conference, the faculty’s students shone equally bright:
- Irina Gorbova won 1st place in Sociology with “Discourse Analysis of Online Publications on the Role of Philosophy in Science and Public Life.”
- In the “Social Work and Youth Engagement” section, Yegor Filipenko took 2nd place, Karolina Levina — 3rd place, and Danil Pronin also received a publication recommendation.
- In “Culturology,” Oleg Gnutov claimed 1st place, Elena Suprun — 2nd place, and Elizaveta Kirdyasheva received a recommendation for thesis publication in the conference proceedings.
National and International Recognition
Samara sociologists have successfully stepped onto the federal and global stage:
- Maksim Medvedev and Daria Namychkina presented “Letitsnow: Leisure Practices in Winter Urban Landscapes” at the XXIV International Young Scientists’ Conference “Vectors-2026” (Shaninka, Moscow). Their work sparked lively discussion, with experts inquiring about practical municipal applications for snow resource management.
- Oleg Gnutov was awarded first prize in the XXII All-Russian N. I. Kareev Student Competition in Sociology for his study “Rationalization in Max Weber’s Sociology of Religion.”
- Maksim Medvedev also participated in the XXXIII International Lomonosov Forum at Lomonosov Moscow State University with “Patriotism Among Contemporary Youth Amid Global Social Transformations” (supported by RSF Grant No. 25-28-02578). Despite fierce competition—including bachelor’s, master’s, PhD students, and early-career researchers—his paper passed two rigorous selection rounds and was honored with an award for Best Presentation in the Political Sociology subsection.
Excellence in Online Olympiads
Digital platforms proved no less competitive:
- Maksim Medvedev won 1st place in the International Online Olympiad in Jurisprudence and 2nd place in Sociology.
- Yegor Filipenko earned a bronze medal in Russian History and placed 3rd in the Best CV Competition.
From Achievement to Publication
Many of these successes are evolving into scholarly publications. For instance, Karolina Levina is preparing articles based on her research “Learning Through Service as a Mechanism for Developing Youth’s Professional-Personal Potential” for submission to:
- the LXXVI Youth Conference,
- the All-Russian Student Conference “Social Problems of the Region Through Students’ Eyes,”
- and the IV International Interdisciplinary Youth Forum “Human. Sign. Technology.”
These accomplishments reflect the collective spirit of the Student Research Society, the unwavering support of faculty mentors, and the intellectual passion of sociology students. The Faculty of Sociology proudly celebrates its rising stars—and eagerly anticipates even greater heights ahead.
Text:
Timur Kusmanov, Chair of the SRS, Group 5302-390301D
Yulia Vaskina, Head of the Department of Sociology and Culturology, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor, SRS Faculty Supervisor
