Our Advisors

Konstantin Novoselov

Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov FRS is a physicist best known for co-discovering graphene—a revolutionary two-dimensional material—for which he was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. He graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), earned his PhD at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, and began his research at the University of Manchester in 2001. He continues to hold a part-time role as Langworthy Professor of Physics and Royal Society Research Professor at Manchester. In 2019, he joined the National University of Singapore as Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor and Director of the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials. In recognition of his contributions to science, he was knighted by the United Kingdom in the 2012 New Year Honours.

Outside the lab, Sir Konstantin is actively involved in education and science outreach. He often emphasizes the importance of learning broadly, telling students: “You need to expand your horizons and study a wide range of subjects in school – that’s your last chance to learn broadly, to understand your intrinsic priorities.” He contributes to curriculum development, gives lectures, and regularly works with students around the world. Known for treating young learners as equals in conversation, he helps them explore science not just through facts, but through questions, dialogue, and curiosity-driven thinking.

Sergey Lando

Sergey Lando is a renowned mathematician with expertise in algebraic geometry, singularity theory, low-dimensional topology, and combinatorics. He is a professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), where he also made history as the first dean of the Faculty of Mathematics from 2008 to 2015.

In addition to his role at HSE, Sergey has held academic positions at several prestigious institutions, including Moscow State University, where he earned his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor V.I. Arnold. His academic career also includes visiting scholar positions at universities across Sweden, the UK, France, Germany, the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Sergey Lando was one of the co-authors of the famous ELSV formula (named after Ekedahl, Lando, Shapiro, and Vainshtein), which establishes a deep connection between Hurwitz numbers and intersection theory on the moduli space of curves. In parallel, his research on Vassiliev knot invariants contributed significantly to the combinatorial and algebraic framework that underpins these finite-type invariants, helping to clarify how chord diagrams and weight systems capture the subtle properties of knots.

A prominent figure in the mathematical community, Sergey is Vice-President of the Moscow Mathematical Society and a member of the American Mathematical Society. His leadership and mentorship have helped shape the mathematical landscape in Russia and beyond.

Kirill Stupakov

Kirill Stupakov is an experienced teacher in mathematics passionate about providing a high-quality education. As a teacher and maths program coordinator at one of Moscow’s most prestigious schools, he helped students majoring in mathematics, computer science, economics, and biology gain admission to top universities in Russia and abroad. Under his guidance, students developed strong problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and a curiosity for learning.

In addition to his work at school, Kirill has taught undergraduate courses for mathematics, computer science, and economics majors at leading institutions such as the Australian National University, the Independent University of Moscow, and the Higher School of Economics. He is also actively involved in extra-curricular mathematical activities, including organisation and marking of mathematical competitions and teaching at summer schools for high school and university students.

Besides teaching, Kirill has first-hand experience with academic research. During his bachelor's and master's programs at the Faculty of Mathematics at the Higher School of Economics, he conducted research in pure mathematics and theoretical physics as a member of a research-study group.

Outside of mathematics, Kirill enjoys reading non-fiction, playing chess, hiking, and listening to classical music.

Ivan Stanic

Ivan Stanic is a dedicated theoretical physicist and physics educator with a passion for nurturing young scientific minds. With a strong background in mathematics and physics, he has been a teacher at one of the best high schools in Serbia and Europe since 2010. Over the years, he has guided his students to remarkable success, securing more than 80 medals in prestigious international competitions such as the International Physics Olympiad, European Physics Olympiad, and International Junior Science Olympiad.

Beyond his role in the classroom, Ivan is actively involved in shaping physics education. He co-authored a high school physics textbook and has played a key role in organizing the Mathematical Grammar School Cup for the past ten years, an international STEM competition for young learners. His academic contributions extend to research and published papers at Physics Faculty of Belgrade University as well as Yale University during his bachelor and masters studies, reflecting his deep engagement with the subject.

Ivan’s teaching expertise spans international settings, having served as a lecturer and teaching assistant at Yale University from 2006 to 2009, as well as providing upper-secondary Physics tutoring in Belgrade since 2020. Committed to professional development, he has participated in CERN’s High School Teacher Programs and frequently leads teams at international physics competitions.

With fluency in English and advanced knowledge of multiple languages, he is well-equipped for an international teaching environment. As a yoga instructor in his free time, Ivan blends academic rigor with holistic well-being, making him a well-rounded educator eager to inspire the next generation of physicists.

Sonja Čukić

Sonja Čukić obtained an equivalent of a Master's degree at KTH in Stockholm and completed her PhD in combinatorial topology at ETH Zurich in 2006. After several years of postdoctoral research and assistant professorships in Belgrade, Binghamton, and Berlin, along with multiple publications in journals (including the Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society), Sonja transitioned from a research-focused career to one dedicated to teaching. Since 2008, she has been teaching "Analysis with algebra" at the Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade. This transition was no coincidence: Sonja graduated from the same school ten years earlier, and her father was both a graduate and later a teacher there.

The Mathematical Grammar School is renowned far beyond Serbia, and Sonja has contributed to its reputation in recent years. Her students have won six gold, and more than twenty silver and bronze medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad; eight medals at the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad, and many other awards.

However, Sonja's interests extend far beyond competitive mathematics. As a student, she enjoyed participating in volleyball competitions with her team. She sees as her mission — and passion — to reveal the beauty of mathematics to her students and prepare them for advanced studies.

Her graduates have continued their education at Cambridge, Oxford, MIT, Princeton, and Yale for undergraduate studies, and ETH Zurich, Stanford, and TU Berlin for graduate studies to name just a few. In recognition of her work, Sonja has received the Award for Outstanding Dedication to Students from Yale University and the Inspirational Teachers’ Award from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Valeriia Starichkova

Math Teacher

Valeriia Starichkova completed her Master’s degree in Mathematics at Paris-Saclay University (Université Paris-Sud and École Polytechnique) and her PhD in Number Theory at the University of New South Wales. She later worked as a postdoctoral researcher at UNSW, where she combined research with university teaching and student supervision.

Over the years, Valeriia has taught students at many different stages, from middle school to postgraduate level. Her school teaching experience includes standard and advanced mathematics programmes, as well as enrichment classes exploring topics beyond the regular curriculum. At university level, she has taught number theory, cryptography, mathematical analysis, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and calculus. She has worked at the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, the Higher School of Economics, Moscow State School No. 57, and Technology Leaders of the Future.

Valeriia’s interests include number theory and cryptography, and the former’s connections with dynamical systems and probability theory. She believes that mathematics plays an important role in shaping the way students think and approach new challenges, both in education and beyond.

Before joining Technology Leaders of the Future, Valeriia gained experience in both industry and educational technology, working with Huawei, Yandex, and the OECD PISA project.

Elena Kayasheva

Economics Teacher

Elena Kayasheva is an experienced Economics educator with a strong academic background in Economics. She graduated with honours from HSE University (National Research University Higher School of Economics), earning both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Economics.

Elena has 15 years of experience as an Economics lecturer at HSE University, with a strong focus on developing analytical and critical thinking.

She also has experience teaching Economics within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) in both Moscow and Cyprus. In 2025, she earned the IB Certificate in Teaching and Learning from the University of Bath, UK.

Elena brings together university-level academic experience and international teaching practice, with a particular focus on helping talented young people develop the intellectual independence and economic intuition needed to understand complex real-world problems.

Vladimir Šarić

Math Teacher

Vladimir Šarić is a mathematics educator and academic leader with more than 20 years of experience teaching advanced and olympiad mathematics. He currently teaches at the Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade and Technology Leaders of the Future, and serves as Chief Learning Officer at Constructor Talent School. He is also a member of the Serbian high-school mathematics olympiad problem committee.

Throughout his career, Vladimir has taught mathematics at some of the strongest academic institutions in Russia and Serbia. His experience includes the Lyceum “Second School”, the Kolmogorov School at Moscow State University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Higher School of Economics, where he has taught courses including Number Theory and mathematics education. He has also held senior educational roles at Foxford and worked on mathematical competitions and academic programmes at Yandex.

Olympiad mathematics has been a central part of Vladimir’s work for more than two decades. He has taught at numerous mathematics camps, developed and organised competitions, and served on juries at national and international olympiads, including the International Mathematical Olympiad. His professional interests span combinatorics, number theory, problem solving, and the design of educational programmes for mathematically talented students.

Vladimir studied Mathematics and Mechanics at Lomonosov Moscow State University and later completed a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at MIPT. He is a four-time laureate of the Dynasty Foundation awards for mathematics educators — twice as a “Young Teacher” and twice as a “Mentor of Future Scientists”. Outside mathematics and education, he enjoys chess and travelling, including hiking and outdoor expeditions.