MEPhI opens a new experimental master's program "Software Engineering and Data Analysis for High Energy Physics", which combines nuclear physics and information technology to train interdisciplinary specialists. The program was developed with the support of the Priority 2030 project.

The NIKA collider in Dubna is one of the possible jobs for graduates of the new program
 

Already this year, bachelor's degree graduates in technical specialties, entering the master's program, will be able to choose a new educational program "Software Engineering and Data Analysis for High Energy Physics", which combines training in elementary particle physics with obtaining in-depth knowledge and competencies in the field of information technology. The new program will allow the Institute for Nuclear Physics and Technology of the MEPhI to produce masters in the specialty "Nuclear Physics and Technology" with an additional qualification "Software Engineering".

There is every reason to believe that the new master's program will be in demand. Modern particle physics is based mainly on large-scale experiments that operate on large amounts of data. Work at mega-science facilities in the field of high-energy physics is associated with the widespread use of information technologies. Specialists in this field should not only know physics, but also have many IT competencies. Therefore, the new master's program includes the study of methods for processing and analyzing the results of physical experiments, the basics of system administration, and machine learning algorithms.

Along with this, students will master the methods of registration of the interaction of radiation with matter, the basics of nuclear electronics, nuclear physics and elementary particle physics. It is assumed that practical and graduate work aimed at solving urgent IT problems in experiments on mega-science facilities will be carried out in leading Russian and international scientific organizations that are partners of MEPhI.

According to Yevgeny Soldatov, Associate Professor of the Department of Elementary Particle Physics of the MEPhI, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research has already become interested in the idea of a new master's program at the University, where specialists with similar competencies are eagerly awaited to work at the NICA collider - it is planned to be launched at the end of this year. Graduates of the master's program will also be able to work as data analysts, who are especially in demand in the banking sector, IT companies, and large industrial holdings.