🎙 SYNTHESIS — Our Chosen Path in Scientific Work

Transdisciplinarity
“Creativity is essential not only in DHT, but in any science.”

By: G.T. Abdrakhmanova, A. Lyamtsev, Zh. Darinbay

🔹 IntroductionToday, interdisciplinary projects that combine IT with mechatronics, chemistry with metallurgy, are becoming increasingly popular. However, they are also considered high-risk because it is nearly impossible to predict the final result.

Why combine humanities and technical sciences, and how do you convince partners of the potential of your idea? These are the questions we face.


❓ Question: G. Abdrakhmanova
— One of the main areas in which you work is high technology and exact sciences, or Digital HumanTechnologies (DHT). What do specialists in this field do?
Answer:
— These fields are relatively new, existing for about 15 years. Most DHT specialists come from the humanities, and their goal is to find modern digital methods applicable to their original disciplines, such as mechatronics, chemistry, or geology.

Currently, in Kazakhstan, digital technical and humanities disciplines are developing primarily in our directions, where information technologies help researchers process large volumes of research texts.

Other promising areas in DHT include geoinformation technologies and 3D modeling, which are actively used for planning and creating digital collections of artifacts. These technologies are essential because they make research collections more accessible to experts, youth, and professionals from related disciplines. For example, through 3D models, artifacts that are hard to access in reality can be studied via computer.


❓ Question: A. Lyamtsev
— Why did someone with a technical background become interested in working at the intersection of IT and the social sciences?
Answer:
— My dream is to find synthesis and synergy in DHT, some novelty for technical sciences. Today, specialists in digitalization mainly obtain new knowledge for all sciences. This is a bit discouraging for someone with a technical background, so I try to understand what new methods can be derived from DHT for technical fields. I believe this is a very realistic goal.

Some of the most famous methods include genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks. Technicians usually begin by studying nature, identifying certain patterns, constructing models of technical systems, explaining how they work, and then IT specialists adapt these ideas for use in related disciplines. To do this, scientists describe them mathematically, create algorithms, and develop software. I think the same approach can be applied to finding new methods in DHT.


❓ Question: G. Abdrakhmanova
— How in demand are digital technical or social sciences today? Are students interested in them?
Answer:
— In Kazakhstan, DHT-related programs are now available at over ten leading universities. They began as master's programs but now exist at the bachelor's level as well. The absence of a shortage of applicants shows that this field is truly in demand in the labor market — and not just generally, but for trained professionals.

— What skills should applicants and students possess to successfully master Digital HumanTechnologies?
Answer:
— First and foremost, they must be creative individuals. Most often, these are people from the social sciences who see the potential of digital technologies in their fields. They come with their own ideas, and through master’s level training, they learn about the technologies available to implement those ideas. I believe creativity is essential not only in DHT, but in science as a whole. Without creativity, there is no science.


❓ Question: A. Lyamtsev
— So it's not necessary to know programming or IT to pursue digital technology or humanities? Will students be taught everything they need?
Answer:
— Essentially, knowing how to program is not always necessary. There are many ready-made systems and artificial intelligence algorithms that allow you to process data without understanding programming.

You just need to be able to prepare the material correctly and understand what you want to achieve, what hypothesis you want to prove or disprove.

Moreover, there are relatively simple programming languages, such as Python, and platforms like ChatGPT with many ready-made libraries that allow you to work with data having only minimal programming skills.


❓ Question: Zh. Darinbay
— Are there similar competitions in Kazakhstan? Should we organize them and why?
Answer:
— There are likely no bold projects like OPEN SPACE in Kazakhstan. In general, we have many traditional competitions, most focused on winning grants or awards and often run on a paid basis. Even within universities, such competitions are not common.

Most scientific competitions are held at the university or commercial level — for example, by sponsors, government organizations, philanthropists, or universities under the banner of science and innovation. They are supported, including with funding.

Competitions like ours are undoubtedly important because participants propose high-risk projects that may yield significant results. Preparing a project for such a competition allows the team to test bold and innovative ideas.
When a project receives support from a foundation based on competition results, it provides not only financial aid but also huge psychological support. Unfortunately, sometimes competitions are just a way to spend grant money and don't actually motivate participants or drive growth — this becomes a form of profanation.

In contrast, when we support projects through our competition, participants are hired, invited to other initiatives, and investors show greater trust and willingness to collaborate. Or, they may realize that they are not on the right track and that their projects have no practical significance — and this helps them avoid wasting time on illusions.