Why I quit MEPhI

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Annotation: It will be a very difficult story … Because I resigned both voluntarily and involuntarily at the same time. And the story that laid the foundation for this dismissal began much earlier than it was legally formalized. But this is an interesting story that shows how Russia, Russian science and education are arranged now. Therefore, I believe that I must tell it, at least in order to testify about our time and mores. Unfortunately, this story will mention the Russian Orthodox Church, which also became involved in this story. I will try very hard to separate the issues of religion and secular issues here … I think this is important. But I will apologize in advance to everyone who thinks that I did not succeed.

In 2009, the CORONAS-PHOTON spacecraft was launched into the Earth's orbit; the leading scientific organization for this project was MEPhI - the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute. Personally, in this project, I was engaged in the creation of a ground support system for a complex of scientific instruments installed on the apparatus. I was the head of the Center for express processing, accumulation and storage of data, which was engaged in the operational management of all scientific instruments on the apparatus, the reception, primary processing and distribution of scientific (as well as part of the accompanying telemetric and ballistic) information from it. We were engaged in the creation of task plans for receiving complexes, formed management plans for the MCC, coordinated the work of related organizations, cleaned up on our topic before Roscosmos, and so on. I developed this system. What software should be, what hardware should be, how to organize duty shifts, how to interact with organizations … This was the subject of my dissertation. Then I taught the students of MEPhI, who were trained for the role of operators of the entire created hardware-software complex … During the operation of the apparatus, I was a member of the Main Operational Control Group in the MCC. In 2009, I was the supervisor of 5 graduate students at once … That is, I worked like this normally. I didn’t have time to sleep properly, because the device did not behave stable, and at 4 am they could call "on alarm". However, the system that I designed and created the entire flight worked without any remarks. That is, I did my job and did it perfectly, which I am proud of.

I was even awarded for this work. Record in the work book. "A big contribution and blablabla" … It was not possible to spread it on the bread.

But this is prehistory. The story began in March 2010 … MEPhI Rector M. N. Strikhanov, who had previously worked in the Ministry of Education, came to the university and decided to pursue politics instead of education. To be more precise, he decided to invite Patriarch Kirill to speak at MEPhI. And in order to curry favor with him, install a cross on the territory of the main forge of personnel for the nuclear industry, and open an Orthodox church in the basement of the main building. I must say frankly - the whole MEPhI was stunned by such an attack … Since Stirikhanov was sure that politics is the most important thing, he began to act ahead in his ministerial manner. If he had at least a little intelligence, he would have done everything neatly, without irritating the staff and university students. But the poor fellow fell into the mortal sin of pride, and decided that the opinion of the collective was rubbish, while he was the boss. I emphasize this especially - all the activities launched at MEPhI were not the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church, but the initiative of the rector Strikhanov, who decided on the wave of this activity to strengthen his political significance and show his power. This I know for certain from many sources.

Unfortunately, the church did not begin to figure out what the official was trying to get her into … In particular, they had no idea that for the sake of installing the cross, the rector ordered to demolish the symbol of MEPhI - a sculpture of a traveler and the slogan "He who walks the road". To be precise, this composition was transferred to the outskirts of the university student, but in the place where it was before, hastily, by the forces of the engineering service of MEPhI, they began to install the cross. Why by the engineering service? Because at that moment in TSEONHD our supply and exhaust ventilation system deteriorated, and it had to be repaired. We left a request, in the prescribed manner, to the same engineering service. We have already been assigned a time when the specialists will come, and then hastily and unexpectedly canceled everything. The reason was explained quite honestly: "The rector ordered us to urgently put a cross at the entrance - people are all busy there now, we will finish, we will return to the applications." We did not really understand then - in connection with which there was such a rush, because everything became known about the patriarch's visit a little later and at the level of rumors.

They buried the cross in a hurry, they worked almost continuously. On the next day, employees and students came and saw a change in the landscape …

Naturally, such treachery caused great indignation. At the same time, we are announced about the visit of the patriarch to consecrate the temple, which was also hastily erected in the basement of the main building. On the day of the visit, classes are canceled, students are required to come to this ceremony - moreover, some are seated in the assembly hall, and for some they are telecast to large audiences. All questions, and all those who ask questions to the patriarch are filtered in advance, checked, and the sequence is planned. As usual during the show, they forget to turn off the camera in time … So it captures the conversation between Archpriest Chaplin and Rector Strikhanov at the end of this action - the rector admits that the idea of installing the cross has a lot of opponents, and explains to the archpriest that it is necessary to increase the number of supporters carefully …

I was among these very opponents. If the cross were installed somewhere in Sarov - there are subdivisions of MEPhI - a well-known religious center, I would call it appropriate. If all these events were carried out without a pomp, FSO and the expulsion of students by order of the rector - I could keep silent. But we were faced with fantastic arrogance and treachery. The administration was playing politics, the rector, who was forced out of the ministry, wanted to remind about himself. It was not originally a matter of religion or atheism - it was a matter of basic respect.

Therefore, before the visit of the patriarch, I printed out such leaflets, and went to hang them on the territory of MEPhI. Let me emphasize. I am a tolerant person by my convictions, not a God-fighter - but I do not like it when they try to forcibly convert me to their faith, and even for political reasons. It is not at all opposed to anyone who wants to be able to profess any religion, and believe in those gods that he likes best. But I insist that a person retains the right to study at a state university without believing in any gods and not going out of order to meetings with the patriarch.

For this reason, I prepared a statement to the prosecutor's office, asking to find out at what means the religious symbol was installed, to what extent it is legal that the university installed it by its employees during working hours, how legal it is to cancel classes and force students to go to a meeting with the patriarch, how legal is it to allocate the premises of a state university for the creation of a temple. Moreover, I not only drew up the text of the statement, I also distributed it as openly as possible - on forums and social networks. The statements were massive, because many people at MEPhI were against the arbitrariness that rector Strikhanov perpetrated. But the first thing I did was to get the answer not from the prosecutor’s office, but from the administration.

The prosecutor's office, in violation of federal law (Federal Law No. 59-FZ, Article 6), transferred all information about the applicants to MEPhI. The rector demanded the dismissal of employees who dared to write a statement against him

I, an employee who worked regularly, taught students, who created a system for a spacecraft, was told to be fired because I turned to a government body with a request to check the legality of spending the funds of a budgetary organization and the compliance of the actions of its head with the Constitution. The order was given orally. It was said that those who wrote should go and apologize for their behavior, write appropriate statements addressed to the rector. Naturally, I flatly refused this. The administration, in order to excuse himself, urgently put a plate at the cross stating that it was a monument to the dead nuclear scientists, and began to appeal to the decision of the council of veterans of MEPhI that a monument on this topic should be erected. In all the rector's answers, it was emphasized that the Orthodox cross, consecrated by the patriarch, is not a religious symbol. In response to the repressions (the students who signed the statement were summoned to the dean's offices and promised a "fun session"), proposals began to appear on the forums to knock down this cross, if it is not a religious symbol, such vandalism will not offend anyone. In response, the administration set up a video camera, the purpose of which was to monitor what was happening at the cross. This is how "nationwide support" looked like in reality. Additional conversations were held with me, with the aim of hinting that if I do not calm down, other people will also suffer - who now cover me and protect me from dismissal. Simply put, the rector took hostages. Now, when I am not an employee of MEPhI, I can speak about it openly …

I emphasize once again - I have never and with anyone discussed the question of whether there is God in heaven, and how he should pray correctly. I hope that Orthodox believers will understand me - if they start firing employees from universities just because they ask them to abide by the laws of Russia, it will not benefit anyone. In Italy, students went to mass demonstrations, and achieved the cancellation of the visit to the Pope's university. In any civilized country, there could not be a situation in which university employees would be tried to fire because they asked to check the implementation of the country's laws. This is not a question of faith or unbelief, it is a question of morality. This is a question of not breaking into someone else's house and trying to impose your beliefs by force, against the will of the people living there.

I went to the church at MEPhI.. I wanted to see how everything was done there. Renovated basement, spacious enough … When I entered there were two women in headscarves, who were surprised by my visit. They looked like a tour guide, when someone suddenly, for the first time in a year, wanders into the distant hall of the museum. These women were sitting in the corridor and volunteered to help me … I said that I had only come to see. All other rooms of the temple were empty. Probably, I should have come there during the service - I tried to figure out when it should pass, and I learned that once a week (maybe two - now I don't remember exactly) a priest from another church comes there. Honestly, I did not quite understand the meaning of "building a garden", if you cannot find even a priest when you come to the church. Although, probably, I do not understand these issues …

Last fall I was already very sick … A series of sick leaves followed me, and I perfectly understood that such "work" was not useful. I tried to figure out the promising instruments that are now being prepared for a series of meteorological satellites. We discussed the interfaces of yet another device to be installed on the ISS. But I could not provide a stable output. After meeting with the chief, we agreed that I should think about what to do next. It was autumn 2012. Just at the time of my thoughts, Rector Strikhanov decided to open a theology department at MEPhI … For the time of reflection, I took a vacation, because I had not spent it … After leaving my vacation, I wrote a letter of resignation of my own free will.

I didn't look for opportunities to work remotely (although technically, for the development of what I was doing, such opportunities were). Unfortunately, from my point of view, my native university is over. In the reason, I indicated that I am resigning in protest against the process of opening religious structural divisions in the structure of NRNU MEPhI. The personnel department looked at me with horror, and said that the document would not be allowed to go further without a visa from the legal department, and they offered to rewrite it. I did not rewrite; I went to the lawyers. I proved to them that I can write whatever I think is necessary, they agreed in the end. Naturally, my decision to leave was influenced not only by the Department of Theology, but also by the prospect of treatment abroad, an understanding of the difficulties that I bring to my leaders … But still, there was also the last straw in this bowl, which overflowed it. Maybe someone will consider this a flight from positions. For me - this is a slap in the face to the leadership of MEPhI. Small, but what it is. Let them know that scientists are leaving their university because they are hiring priests. This is such a substitution process. It is difficult for science and religion to live under one roof if they were placed there not by a natural historical process, but by the rector's desire to earn political points. MEPhI was established in 1942 as an ammunition institute. It never had any theology, and this department is not a tribute to history, and not a natural process - there is nothing to appeal to Western universities …

In 2011, as usual, I was invited to an open day - to lure schoolchildren, to persuade them to enter MEPhI. I have done this for many years in a row, and then I did it quite sincerely. In 2011, I refused. I explained to the responsible officer from the department: "I'm afraid not to resist and tell them - you saw a cross at the entrance? If you want science, go where there is no cross at the entrance." So then I once again remained silent.

Today I can no longer be silent, corporate ethics does not hold me.

Dear applicants, now you will decide where to apply. You don't have to go to MEPhI. I graduated from this university, I finished my postgraduate studies there, I graduated many graduate students there. And I know what I'm talking about. MEPhI fell victim to politics, the rector of MEPhI, Strikhanov, treats all students and staff as his puppets. This is a vile and immoral person. The Academic Council of MEPhI is very dissatisfied with his policy, but the gray-haired professors are afraid to speak about it differently than in behind-the-scenes conversations. These are cowards. And a scientist cannot be a coward. Neither cowards nor politicians are capable of discovering new knowledge - they are only capable of working with a weather vane. You could learn this from them, but honestly - not worth it. Without this knowledge, your life will not be very simple, but it will be interesting. Do not waste your youth on uninteresting things, do not turn the learning process into a formality. Do not go to MEPhI. There is no such university in the country anymore

And everyone can pass now to the Democrat and sign a statement demanding the closure of the Theology Department at MEPhI. This appeal was signed by 90 academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Signatures continue to arrive. That is why I decided to write this post. This is not fighting against God, this is the protection of what is dear to me. That is why I urge people to sign this statement - regardless of their religious beliefs. MEPhI should teach nuclear physicists, not theologians. And this is not a question of religion, not a question of faith or without faith - this is all a personal matter of each person, it is a matter of common sense. This is a question that concerns everyone.

I would be grateful to everyone for the maximum dissemination of this information.