This volume brings together original research papers and reflective essays honoring the legacy of Alexei A. Starobinsky, a pioneering figure in gravitation and cosmology. Starobinsky made foundational contributions that have shaped modern developments in these fields. He also fostered international scientific collaboration, building a global network of physicists.

Most contributions in this book present new research in areas closely linked to Starobinsky’s work. Others offer personal recollections, highlighting his influence on the development of innovative methods and models. A few essays are more personal in nature, offering insight into his character and impact.

This book will appeal to researchers and graduate students specializing in classical and quantum gravity, cosmology, and the history of physics.

Andrei Barvinsky graduated from the Physics Department of Moscow State University and earned a PhD in theoretical physics, specializing in quantum gravity. He held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta, Canada, and is currently a senior researcher at the Theory Department of the Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences.

His research spans quantum field theory, quantum gravity, and cosmology. He has authored over 100 publications, including pioneering work on the quantum theory of gauge-constrained systems, the effective action method in quantum field theory, and Higgs inflation in early-universe cosmology. Barvinsky collaborates widely with institutions such as the Perimeter Institute (Canada), Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich), University of Cologne, University of British Columbia, University of Bologna, and CERN.

Alexander Kamenshchik graduated from the Physics Department of Moscow State University and earned a PhD in theoretical physics, focusing on quantum field theory. He has worked in  the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is currently a professor of physics at the University of Bologna.

His research interests include quantum field theory, classical and quantum cosmology, and the foundations of quantum mechanics. Kamenshchik has published over 100 papers on mathematical physics, quantum gravity, general relativity, and cosmology. In 2017, he and Andrei Barvinsky received the Friedmann Prize from the Russian Academy of Sciences for their series of works titled New Directions in Cosmology of the Early and Modern Universe.