The project delves into the origins of Kolmogorov’s genius by exploring his genealogy and biography, the house he worked in and the people he was close to. Powered by advanced technology, the portal features authentic scientific material reviewed and approved by the experts of the Steklov Mathematical Institute of RAS (MIAN) − academician Albert Shiryaev, a student of Kolmogorov, and Nikolai Andreev, a prominent popularizer of mathematics and winner of the Leelavati Award (2022).

The project presentation took place at the thematic session dedicated to Kolmogorov’s 120^th birthday at the International Conference on Integrable Systems & Nonlinear Dynamics, which has opened at the Demidov Yaroslavl State University today.

“The Skoltech and MIAN project team spent two years handpicking material about Andrei Kolmogorov. In April, Skoltech unveiled the VR Kolmogorov space dedicated to the great mathematician of the 20^th century. The pavilion has since become one of the favorite spots on campus both for us and our guests. The new web museum will expand the project outreach by conveying the knowledge about Kolmogorov’s genius to broader audiences. I would like to note that Kolmogorov’s students − Albert Shiryaev, Yakov Sinai, Vladimir Tikhomirov, and Leonid Bassalygo – took an active part in the project. Who else but these scholars can help unveil Kolmogorov’s remarkable legacy and pass it on to future generations thanks to modern online technology,” Grigory Kabatyansky, vice president for academic relations and scientific supervisor of the project, said.

The web site includes 5 sections – Genealogy, Biography, Home, Achievements, and Students, each a project in its own right. For example, the Genealogy team included a historian-archivist from the Yaroslavl State University and two science journalists who managed to restore Kolmogorov’s maternal lineage up to the third degree (Kolmogorov used his mother’s family name) and trace the history of the Kolmogorov family in Yaroslavl. The Home section features a 360° tour of Kolmogorov’s house in Komarovka that he bought in his younger days jointly with his friend and colleague, academician Alexandrov, and where the two scientists spent most of their lives. The virtual tour is guided by academician Shiryaev, Kolmogorov’s student and curator of the Komarovka Museum.

“We are delighted to have the Kolmogorov online project launched here in Yaroslavl, the town of Kolmogorov’s childhood, which has a street named after him. Thanks to our cooperation with Skoltech, we will soon open a branch of VR Kolmogorov at the library of the Yaroslavl University’s Department of Mathematics to help mathematics students, budding researchers and science lovers to learn more about our famous fellow countryman,” director of the Kolmogorov Joint Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science Sergey Kashchenko comments.

Kolmogorov.world is a follow-on to the VR Kolmogorov media project that Skoltech and MIAN launched in the lead-up to Kolmogorov’s 120^th birthday in early 2023. The project kicked off with a memorial ski race for mathematicians and ski lovers in March, and the VR Kolmogorov exhibition opened exactly on Kolmogorov’s birthday, April 25. Currently, the project team is busy putting together an off-site version of the pavilion for external scientific and educational events, designing the VR Kolmogorov branches for regional universities and research centers, and collecting new material for the web portal.