I’m 23 years old, and live with my parents in St. Petersburg, Russia In 1994 I graduated from physics and mathematics lyceum 239 (one of the best schools in Russia). While there I successfully participated in math and programming olimpiades (city and Russian) and debates. Programming Olympiads are contests in computer programming for secondary school and university students.

In 1996 I took the second place in the St. Petersburg contest and then, after about a month of intensive training, went to the All-Russian Olympiad (where I wasn't particularly successful, I must admit).

Then I entered International Management Institute (www.imisp.ru), one of the best private business schools in St. Petersburg and got a BBA there. Worked for 2 years in regional investment bank (www.trigoncapital.com). Currently I am working on my Ph.D. (in finance).

I was always interested in technology since I was a kid, but I could not really understand (reading mainstream popular science books written in the 70s and 80s) the potential of modern science then.

After connecting to the internet in mid-90s I quickly stumbled upon information about nanotech, transhumanism, cryonics, etc. and quite soon absorbed this new knowledge.

About 2 years ago I read The Prospect of Immortality and decided to translate it into Russian. It was done a year ago and if all goes well, it will be published in Russia (by the www.immortality.ru team). I also translated the Transhumanist FAQ into Russian

 (http://www.transhumanism.org/translations/russian/index.html)

which helped in increasing awareness about transhumanism here quite a bit.

It took some effort, but eventually I managed to persuade my family that my ideas about the future, transhumanism and cryonics are not stupid. Still, I could not make a strong long-lasting impression on them. They are no longer opposed to the idea of cryonic suspension, but they still won't do anything now to organize it.

Most of the friends I talked about cryonics with were somewhat interested, but they still don't see it as something realistic, something they should be seriously considering. However, I managed to convert one friend to scientific immortalism. It took about five hours of answering his questions about life, the Universe and everything on the night after his birthday, at a nearby lake.

There still aren't many cryonicists in Russia and there is no formal organization, but I've had occasional contacts with some Moscow-based cyonicists, who helped publish the translation of The Prospect of Immortality.

What free time I have, I like to spend it reading. I prefer popular science books and sci-fi, but I would read anything else, as long as it's well written and interesting. And since I feel comfortable reading a lot from computer screen, I also read everything I can find on the Net. Apart from that, I use the computer for whatever catches my fancy, right now - programming, film editing, etc.

It's probably easier for me to travel abroad than for many Americans. It only takes 3 hours by car to get to neighbouring Finland. So far I have been in Bulgaria (when I was a kid, during the Soviet time), in Switzerland (3 times, participating in the ISC-Symposium), in Japan (on a 3-week exchange program), in Finland (many times, including a one year of studies), in Sweden, in Estonia (at my company's HQ), in Latvia (on a business-trip) and in France (in Paris on a Corporate Away Day).

I still live with my parents. I don't want to get my own apartment here in St. Petersburg because as soon as I finish my Ph.D. studies here, I plan to move to some other country (most likely in Western Europe) where I can get a job in scientific research.

Best regards,

Danila Medvedev danila.medvedev@mail.ru

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Today, through the accelerating pace of technological development and scientific understanding, we are entering a whole new stage in the history of the human species.