Mental Health Day at Skoltech

Mental Health Day 2026

The Science of Mind, Brain and Self-Care

Registration

March 25, 2 p.m.

Skoltech campus

English

When

Where

Language

what to expect

The Mental Health Day at Skoltech is a unique event that brings together science and practice. We will discuss how the brain works, the challenges of motivation, and the importance of mentalization in communication.

The program includes popular science lectures by leading Skoltech researchers and invited experts, parallel hands-on workshops, a relaxation session with therapy dogs, and informal networking.

For prospective students and anyone considering applying: an information booth featuring Skoltech's educational programs will be available throughout the event, where admissions representatives will be happy to answer your questions.

The event will be held in English to unite the international Skoltech community and our guests.

This lecture will explore the phenomenon of motivation. We will discuss different types of motivation and the challenges we face when we feel a lack of motivation to do the things we truly want to do. We will examine why motivation does not always function rationally and what factors we need to consider in order to genuinely engage in activities we love.

Join us for a lecture and workshop where we will explore how mentalization helps us understand what is happening in thoughts and emotions—both our own and those of others. This skill can reduce conflict and help build stronger, more reliable relationships.

In the brain, fatty acids are more than just building blocks - they form a fine-tuning system, where the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 plays an important role. But what happens when this equilibrium breaks down? In this short lecture, we will discuss how fatty acid imbalance is linked to the mechanisms of depression and other mental disorders. We will learn how scientists measure lipid levels in post-mortem brain samples and what patterns they have managed to discover. Special attention will be paid to research on how changes in different brain regions are associated with inflammation and neuroplasticity.

How close would you let a stranger get to you? It turns out that the distance we instinctively maintain when interacting with others can tell us more about how our brain works than any interview. This lecture explores how VR technologies can be used to objectively measure the boundaries of personal space and link them to cognitive functions. You will discover why an abnormal personal space radius becomes a marker of stress, social anhedonia, and even early signs of mental disorders. Additionally, the presentation highlights how the reaction speed to an approaching object in a virtual environment correlates with sociability and readiness for social interaction. The session concludes with a live demonstration of the VR test.

How can we better understand our own emotions and the emotions of others? In this workshop, participants will explore ways of recognizing and investigating emotions through creative practices. This is a safe experimental space where participants can learn more about themselves, develop emotional awareness, and discover new ways of understanding other people’s feelings.

Would you like to decode other people’s emotions as easily as digital code? In this session we will attempt to develop this “superpower”: understanding emotions through subtle signals in voice, gestures, and pauses, helping participants build deeper connections and hear more than words alone convey.

Relaxation session with therapy dogs.

speakers and facilitators

Sergey Ishanov

Invited expert, Lead Psychologist at the HSE University Psychological Counseling Center, Candidate of Psychological Sciences (PhD equivalent)

Talk: «The intricacies of motivation, or why we sometimes can't do what we want to do»

More →
Svetlana Sidorenkova

Invited expert, Lead Psychologist at the HSE University Psychological Counseling Center, workshop facilitator

Lecture + workshop: «Making sense: About mentalization in communication»

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Dmitry Senko

Junior Research Scientist, Center for Bio- and Medical Technologies

Talk: «Imbalance of Omega-3/Omega-6 Fatty Acids in the Human Brain: A Neurobiological Marker of Depression»

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Elizaveta Cherkasskaya and Nikita Morozov

1st year PhD student in Life Sciences, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and 2nd year PhD student in Life Sciences, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory

Talk: «Assessment of Personal Space Using VR Technologies»

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Daria Dyagileva

Lead Psychologist at the HSE University Psychological Counseling Center, workshop facilitator

Talk: «Art Techniques for Emotional Intelligence Development»

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Psychology Students (Facilitator Group)

Workshop facilitators

Talk: «Emotional intelligence debugging»

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Group of specialists from Moscow psychological and pedagogical center

Talk: «A Pet That Heals»

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student support center
and admissions
event organizers and opening hosts

Ekaterina Kotosova

Specialist, Student Support Center
Anastasia Stepanenko

Manager, Student Support Center
Boris Trigub

Head of Student Support Center
Natalia Galochkina

Head of Admissions

Important:
Natalia Galochkina will attend the event to communicate with prospective applicants interested in studying at Skoltech.

Registration

program

2-2:40 p.m.

Registration and opening

Welcome speech by the Student Support Center. Presentation of educational programs and the Admissions stand (available throughout the event).

2:40-3:20 p.m.

The Intricacies of Motivation, or Why We Sometimes Can’t Do What We Want to Do

Lecture by Sergey Ishanov

3:20 – 3:50 p.m.

Making Sense: The Role of Mentalization in Communication

Lecture by Svetlana Sidorenkova

3:50 – 4:10 p.m.

Imbalance of Omega-3/Omega-6 Fatty Acids in the Human Brain: A Neurobiological Marker of Depression

Lecture by Dmitry Senko

4:10 – 4:30 p.m.

Assessment of Personal Space Using VR Technologies

Lecture by Elizaveta Cherkasskaya and Nikita Morozov

4:30 – 4:50 p.m.

Coffee break

Informal networking with speakers and admissions representatives

4:50 – 5:50 p.m.

Master classes

Art Techniques for Emotional Intelligence Development by Daria Dyagileva
Making Sense: The Role of Mentalization in Communication by Svetlana Sidorenkova
Emotional Intelligence Debugging by Psychology Students

5:50 – 8 p.m.

A Pet That Heals

Canister therapy session and communication with therapy dogs. Informal communication and opportunity to ask questions about admission

registration

Participation is free, but registration is required.

Please fill out the form so that we can estimate the number of participants and prepare refreshments for the coffee break. If you are a prospective applicant and would like to learn more about Skoltech programs, please indicate this in the form — we will prepare additional materials for you.

The event will be conducted in English so that all the guests could understand the language of the presentations.

event partners

Publishing Group “Alpina”
25 Years of Inspiring Thoughtful Readers
Alpina is the largest independent universal publishing group in Russia.
The Alpina Publishing Group was founded in 1998.

It includes the following publishing houses:
- Alpina Publisher
- Alpina Non-Fiction
- Alpina PRO
- Alpina.Prose
- Alpina.Children
- Alpina Digital
In 2023 two additional publishing houses were launched within the group:
- Belles Lettres — contemporary international literature for women
- Marshmallow Books — Young Adult, New Adult, manga, and Asian novels
Mission
The mission of Alpina Publishing Group is to spread knowledge and create technologies that help people grow and make the world a better place.
We strive to help our readers make their lives richer and more interesting.

A special promocode will be given to all participants.
Moscow psychological and pedagogical center

Tel: 8 495 730 2193
Website here

venue

Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)
30 Bolshoy Boulevard, Building 1, Skolkovo Innovation Center, Moscow, Russia

Contact: studept@skoltech.ru

By public transport:
Take the MCD-1 to Skolkovo station. Exit through the Orbion shopping center, following the signs to the Skolkovo Innovation Center. On the street near the station exit, switch to the Sk1 bus (the display should indicate towards TMK). Ride to the Matrex stop
By car:
Skoltech is located on the territory of Skolkovo, there are entrances from Skolkovskoje and Minsk/Mozhaiskoe highway. There are paid rates on the territory: parking from 51 minutes — 250 rubles/hour for all categories. You can park inside Skolkovo at intercept parking lots and along Bolshoy Boulevard.
There is free parking outside Skolkovo near Skoltech.The nearest parking to Skoltech is at the Tri Kita shopping center.
By taxi:
To get to Skoltech, a taxi driver will need to enter the Skolkovo territory. Starting from January 2025, for taxi, if there is an active order, entry and stay in Skolkovo for 60 minutes is free of charge. Entry and exit is carried out through any checkpoint. Address for ordering a taxi: Bolshoy Boulevard, 30 bld.1