31.10.2007 // Interfax

First Vice Premier of Russia Sergey Ivanov has visited the nuclear research laboratory of Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna

The director of the institute Aleksey Sissakian told Ivanov that the key activities of JINR were fundamental science, innovative projects and education.

The nuclear research laboratory specializes in synthesizing heavy and exotic nuclei in reactions induced by stable and radioactive ion beams, analyzing their physical and chemical parameters, studying the mechanism of nuclear reactions and interaction of heavy ions with matter, designing physical accelerators and conducting applied research.

Sissakian showed Ivanov the practical results of their research, particularly, explosives and drugs detector.

Sissakian said that nano-technologies were one of JINR’s priorities. Particularly, there is an offer to establish a CIS center for radiation and ion nano-technologies on the basis of the institute.

“I support this idea. But this should not be just one center but a network all over the country. As regards the CIS, our partners are ready to join us,” Ivanov said.

Sissakian said that the 18 partner states were unanimous on most of the projects and were ready to increase the financing of the research.

Ivanov asked Sissakian if the states had specific plans to increase the financing or if it was just a good wish. “To wish and to do something are different things,” Ivanov said.

Sissakian said that they had a problem with Uzbekistan only. Ivanov said that he was going to visit that country and asked Sissakian to formulate the problem in a letter so he could convey it to the local authorities. “I have already given it to your assistants,” Sissakian said.

Sissakian showed Ivanov the institute’s modernized cyclotron – a system used in fundamental research and serving as the experimental basis of the laboratory – and isochronic cyclotron used in applied research.

He also demonstrated a water purification filter with membranes designed by the institute. Sissakian showed Ivanov how the filter purified dirty water. “Are you also going to ask me to drink it. I have already drunk one in Tomsk,” Ivanov said.

Ivanov also visited the memorial office of the founder of the laboratory, academician Georgy Flerov.