Giorgi Takadze is a second-year PhD student in physics at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of Tbilisi State University, who successfully combines his scientific and research work with extreme activities such as off-roading...

The young scientist works at the Neutron Cosmic Ray Observatory of Tbilisi State University, which is part of the N. Nodia Institute of Geophysics at TSU; he is also the President of Young Minds Georgia, the Georgian branch of the European Physical Society. He also works as a software engineer in a Spanish company, is an independent level 2 expert in technical diagnostics and delivers lectures at Alte University. This is his main activity, which he has been doing for years. His relationship with Tbilisi State University goes back to his school days.

 TSU Junior’s student and “lecturer”

“I was an active student at TSU Junior [Children’s University]. My interest was driven by the lectures there, which went beyond the school program, as well as by the experiments that the public school unfortunately did not have the opportunity to conduct. After some time, when I had gained some knowledge after attending there, I decided to share my experience with others. I offered Ramaz Lomsadze, the coordinator of TSU Junior, to give lectures on topics that I was interested in, and he agreed. I gave a total of three lectures, both as a lecturer at TSU Junior and as an undergraduate student.” Giorgi’s lectures covered topics such as: 1. Practical application of radiation and ultrasound methods, 2. Detecting the quality of defects in a substance using physical methods, 3. How is the universe today?

Since I wanted to continue my studies in physics, I enrolled in TSU because it was a highly competitive university with great potential. Physics has always been one of the strongest fields at TSU. In addition, the physics curriculum was better structured compared to other curricula, and naturally, the Children's University also played a role.

Why STEM subjects?

“There are many phenomena that are still unexplained, although scientists are systematically working to solve them. For example, years ago the phenomenon of gravitational waves was only a theory. In 2015, however, it was experimentally confirmed. Also, the matter-antimatter asymmetry created after the Big Bang is being studied at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. There are still many questions to be discovered, studied and determined. In fact, what happens around us, on Earth or in the Universe, still goes back to the exact and natural sciences. It is difficult to find a field where exact and natural sciences are not used for research. 

From my point of view, physics or even computer engineering are specific subjects that help a person solve certain tasks every day. After completing my bachelor’s degree, working in software engineering also had a big influence, because in the companies I worked in, I had to work on different tasks every day. Of course, the knowledge of physics helped me. You may ask what the connection is between physics and programming. When I was studying physics, we had practical work to which we devoted a lot of time, both at the university and at home. Such work helps a person develop logical thinking, solve certain tasks easily, etc. The same thing happens in programming. When the structure and architecture of an application needs to be created, it should be simple. It is the logical thinking skills acquired and developed in physics that help me in programming. Of course, I advise the next generation to continue their studies in physics and software, especially working in programming, because a large part of the results obtained in science are processed through software. 

Today’s technologies are the result of multiple iterations. The simplest example is the light bulb, which required 10,000 attempts to be developed by Edison.

As I mentioned earlier, I completed my second master’s degree in software engineering. Of course, the knowledge I gained there helped me a lot in my work, gave me a great resource and huge opportunities for advancement. In turn, the knowledge I gained at TSU helped me continue my scientific work and present the results of my experiments to various laboratories.

The main topic of the PhD thesis - Cosmic Rays

I obtained a master’s degree in software engineering from the Schaffhausen Institute of Technology in Switzerland. Due to the Covid pandemic, I had to undertake my studies remotely, which was quite unfortunate for me, as I was unable to attend lectures physically. I then spent a short time in the United States, at the University of Texas at Dallas, as part of my PhD thesis. Here I presented the first results of my research. As part of the project, I had a supervisor there who helped me present my research properly. An article on the results obtained during this period will also be published as part of the collaborative work. I also participated in several international conferences, both in Georgia and abroad.

I work in the field of high energy physics and am a member of the international KM3NeT experiment. The KM3NeT (Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope) experiment is an innovative scientific project aimed at discovering and studying neutrinos. The KM3NeT detectors are located at a depth of more than 3000 meters in the Mediterranean Sea. A neutrino is an electrically neutral elementary particle with a very small inertial mass compared to the mass of an electron.

There are two main parts of KM3NeT, located along the Italian and French coastlines. Each side has a specific scientific focus. The Italian side is primarily concerned with the study of neutrino oscillations, defined as the phenomenon in which neutrinos undergo a transition in type as they traverse space. The investigation of this process is of paramount importance to our understanding of the fundamental properties of neutrinos. Conversely, the French side is studying the detection of high-energy cosmic neutrinos. The study of cosmic rays holds significant value in Earth sciences, especially in terms of seismic activity and oceanography. A network of underwater sensors can detect sound waves and other signals, providing crucial data on the structure of the Earth and the behavior of the oceans.

My thesis will address the subject of cosmic rays. At this point, the exact nature of the thesis has yet to be determined. However, the focus will be on the study of cosmic rays, their predictions, and the analysis of their trajectories. KM3NeT is a European project involving researchers from different countries. The experiment exemplifies the collaborative nature of modern scientific research by pooling resources and expertise.

Cosmic ray prediction involves predicting the dynamics and quantitative changes of high-energy particles, including protons, electrons, and other subatomic particles, as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. This is an important field in astrophysics and Earth environmental sciences, because the dynamics of cosmic rays affect many processes. In space weather, cosmic rays interact with the solar wind, the magnetosphere, and the Earth's atmosphere. Their prediction helps predict space weather events, such as magnetic storms. Technological infrastructure - cosmic rays affect satellites, power grids, and aviation systems. Predicting them also helps protect these systems.

Scientific game as a startup

Imaginary is a startup that offers users three-dimensional scientific games. At this stage, the development of the games is underway, new functions and logics are gradually being added, and tasks from physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics are embedded in them. At this stage, there is a physics game – “Lever Game”, where the user can understand the principle of the lever, balancing various objects. The functionality of the game allows the user to read the principle of the lever - the theory with its formulas in the form of short notes. As for chemistry - in the game we have the concentration of solutions, where the user can distribute different solutions among themselves in percentages in order to get a certain reaction, which is given by the conditions in the game. We, as a startup team, are trying our best to make science subjects easier and more fun, so that the next generation does not have a certain fear/tension towards natural science subjects. We believe that by playing games we will get good results. Similar practices work abroad and are approved by users. We have already tested our games in several private and public schools in Tbilisi and have received good and interesting feedback from our users.

As the President of Young Minds of Georgia, a branch of the European Physical Society (EPS), I am personally aware of the significant challenges facing today’s youth, especially in the STEM and IT fields. In general, a persistent problem is the lack of proper equipment and resources in schools, which hinders the development of students’ skills. Many schools across the country do not have STEM clubs or functioning laboratories where students can conduct experiments that would help them develop their interest in science and technology.

This lack of resources directly impacts the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential for careers in STEM and IT. When a student embarks on a project - whether it is solving a problem or developing a software algorithm - they engage in a process of trial and error. This process strengthens their ability to think creatively, consider multiple approaches to solutions, and make decisions based on careful trial and testing. This not only helps individuals improve their technical skills but also promotes cognitive development and prepares them for the challenges of the modern workplace.

By partnering with EPS, Young Minds of Georgia is strengthening its mission to promote STEM education, which remains the same: to make STEM subjects more accessible and attractive.

To fulfill this mission, we have held several events, among which I would like to highlight the Symposium on Robotics and Electronics in 2023 and 2024. These symposiums were attended by students from public and private schools from all regions of Georgia. The projects presented were not only innovative, but also practical – from smart homes and smart robots to smart equipment for farmers. These projects demonstrate that Georgian schoolchildren, given the opportunity and the right resources, have enormous potential to contribute to the development of technology and society.

While I have numerous plans for the future, the present focus is on the timely and successful completion of my doctoral studies.

A little bit about “off-roading”

“Off-roading” is one of the most distinctive activities in my life. It is a means of relaxation, rest, and socializing with people who share an affinity for automobiles.  I am a member of the Off-Road Club Georgia. The club’s trips are often posted on social media. We mostly go to places that are virtually impossible to get to in a standard, unprepared 4x4 vehicle. In addition, various off-road competitions are held. The last competition in November this year was in GPS orienteering. I became interested in off-roading when I was still a bachelor’s student and had a 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, and I have been a member of the club for 2-3 years now and I go with them to various interesting places throughout Georgia.