Meridians of cooperation

Meetings in Egypt

At the end of October, a JINR delegation led by Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov visited the Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE), where a number of meetings took place at the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Zewail City of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and the National Research Centre (NRC).

The delegation included FLNP Director Egor Lychagin, FLNP Deputy Director Sergey Kulikov, Head of the ARE National Group in JINR, an FLNP senior researcher Wael Badawy, Chairman of the JINR Science and Technology Council, a BLTP leading researcher Elena Kolganova, and Head of the International Cooperation Department Otilia Ana Culicov.

During the visit to the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, the JINR delegation met with its leaders, namely Chairman Amr El-Hag Ali, Vice-Chairman Yasser Tawfik, Chief Engineer of the Egyptian Nuclear Research Centre Magdy Zaky, and other specialists. The representatives of the Joint Institute got acquainted with the existing infrastructure based on the multifunctional ETRR-2 Reactor, namely a neutron activation analysis and neutron tomography facility, a laboratory for the production of medical isotopes, and a workshop for the production of fuel assemblies for the reactor. The parties discussed the need to train staff to calculate, create, operate, and carry out experiments at the planned new neutron scattering stations at the ETRR-2 Reactor, the possibility of conducting joint experiments and scientific events.

The second meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on Cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt took place since the country became a fully-fledged JINR Member State under the leadership of Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in JINR Mahmoud Sakr and JINR Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov. The JCC members summed up the results of cooperation with Egyptian scientific partners over the past two years. In addition, they outlined further steps to develop new interaction mechanisms.

President of Zewail City of Science, Technology, and Innovation Dr. Mahmoud Abdrabou presented three components of his centre, namely a university, a network of research institutes, and a science park. Head of the Department of Fundamental Physics Prof. Shaaban Khalil spoke about participation in international projects and opportunities for cooperation on theoretical particle physics and joint work on materials science with other departments of the centre.

The delegation from Dubna visited the National Research Centre with special interest, with which a number of joint projects are being developed. The delegation had the opportunity not only to meet with leaders of the Centre, namely its President Prof. Hussein Darwish and Vice-President Mamdouh Moawad Ali, but also visit some laboratories working at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology to solve interdisciplinary problems in materials science, medicine, food and environmental safety. During the meeting, Prof. Mahmoud Sakr and Head of the Culture and Science Sector of ASRT Gina El-Feky noted the importance of JINR’s cooperation with NRC, Egypt’s largest research centre for work in priority areas for the country in the field of scientific and technological development.

www.jinr.ru