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The 2017 Presidential prizes have been awarded to:

Nikita Bashnin, Candidate of Science (History), research fellow at the Scientific and Historical Archive of the St Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Konstantin Kokh, Candidate of Science (Geology and Mineralogy), senior research fellow at the crystal growth laboratory of the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Maxim Nikitin, Candidate of Science (Physics and Mathematics), head of nanobiotechnology laboratory at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

The prize, established back in 2008, is awarded to young scientists and specialists for their considerable contribution to advancing national sciences, developing new equipment and technology that provide innovative advancement of the national economy and social sphere, as well as the strengthening of the country's defence capability. The aim of presenting such a prize is to promote further research and create favourable conditions for new scientific discoveries.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, friends,

First of all, I would like to congratulate everyone here on Russian Science Day.

Young people’s energy and courage always open new horizons. Such qualities as scientific daring and bravery are especially important.

This year, we are presenting prizes to the best young scientists in the iconic Novosibirsk Akademgorodok. Sixty years ago, young scientists, teachers and graduates from the leading Soviet universities came here inspired by the idea of scientific research. They wanted to create something new. And, in fact, they have created a powerful intellectual centre in Siberia. Scientific discoveries made here are known all over the world.

Young people’s energy and courage always open new horizons. Such qualities as scientific daring and bravery are especially important. Today’s winners have proven this with their talent and the results of their hard work.

We are presenting the Presidential Prizes for Young Scientists for the tenth time. Let me stress that the competitiveness of the projects presented is always high and is constantly growing.

Humanities are also developing at a new level. Young scientists are meeting with success in physics and mathematics and achieving real breakthroughs in cross-disciplinary areas combining the study of chemistry, biology and medicine.

An hour or so ago, before our meeting, I met with students of the Novosibirsk University who graduated from the famous physics and mathematics school at Akademgorodok. They are a bit younger than our winners, but they are as concentrated on and interested in research as you are. I am sure they will become worthy successors to the best traditions of Russian science.

Our young people have enormous intellectual and creative potential, and it is vital that you have every opportunity to fulfil it. We will strive for this, in our country, at our universities and research centres.

Russia is certainly open to sharing knowledge and experience, and to joint scientific research. We need to preserve our talents and give them the opportunity to fulfil themselves. At the same time, this country should be the lodestone for creative, gifted people from all over the world. We will work on this in the very near future. We will create here better conditions for research and a modern, reliable, good infrastructure, convenient for living and working.

Friends, among today's winners there is historian Nikita Bashnin. He deals with the history of the Russian North and its ancient monasteries. Thanks to painstaking work in the archives, he discovered new pages of our country’s spiritual history during the Middle Ages, prepared for publication and published a large array of unique sources.

Russia is open to sharing knowledge and experience, and to joint scientific research. We need to preserve our talents and give them the opportunity to fulfil themselves. At the same time, this country should be the lodestone for creative, gifted people from all over the world.

Maxim Nikitin has made a significant contribution to the creation of a new class of biocomputer nanorobots. They are capable of simultaneously diagnosing and targeted delivery of medicines to affected areas. The results of his research will facilitate the transition to personalised medicine and selection of an individual treatment for each particular person.

Award winner Konstantin Kokh has developed new approaches to growing crystals for high-precision devices used in healthcare, defence and security, and made a major step towards the creation of superfast transistors. They are important for the creation of quantum computers and the development of other high-tech areas.

I want to congratulate all of you, all the winners, and to thank you for your perseverance, for your service to science and for such important, meaningful results of your work.

Congratulations and I wish you all the best.

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Vladimir Putin: Work hard, play hard, people say. And our last winner – just imagine – made his remarkable discovery just as he was going to sleep and then drifted off. Hence, he has a very strong and stable mind. I wish you all health and new successes.

The first winner spoke about the tradition of transferring knowledge and moral values from generation to generation of, as he put it, those taking the monastic vows.

I want to wish all the new monks of Russian science good luck and further success.

Thank you very much.

As you know, we are going to hold a meeting of the Council for Science [and Education]. I invite all our winners to take part in it.

Thank you.

Happy holiday to you again.