M.Ghoneim: "Participation in the School
opened up new horizons"

On 18 - 27 August, the Lomonosov Moscow State University hosted the International Summer School in Radiochemistry "Decommissioning of nuclear facilities: technologies, practice". Its participant was the senior researcher in the Sector of Neutron Activation Analysis and Applied Research at FLNP Mohamed Ghoneim.

The School was held at the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University with the support of Rosatom. It was attended by the representatives of 12 countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Egypt, China. The key task of the School is the exchange of best international practices and advanced solutions in the field of elimination of nuclear heritage sites between specialists from around the world.

Mohamed Ghoneim is a representative of Egypt, a JINR Member State. He is a graduate of St. Petersburg State University, where he graduated from graduate school and received a Ph.D. in Geochemistry and Mineralogy. In 2021, he worked as a visiting researcher at the Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don. Since 2024, he has been working at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. We asked Mohamed to share his impressions of the School.

"I was very pleased to participate in such a prestigious international event held in our beloved Moscow," M.Ghoneim said. "The School's programme included lectures by leading specialists of Moscow State University and Rosatom in the field of radiochemistry and ecology in the following areas: environmental monitoring; disposal of raw materials; radioactive materials of natural origin; radioactive waste management; the use of artificial intelligence in decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities; extraction and declustering of radionuclides.

In practical classes in the laboratories of the Department of Radiochemistry of the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University, we acquired skills and certain experience in applying techniques of decontamination of hazardous waste and learnt about research in the field of gamma spectroscopy. MSU employees willingly shared their knowledge, were very hospitable and ready to cooperate.

Within the framework of the School, we visited the Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre. It was a great chance to learn about one of the oldest reactors in the Soviet Union and the investigations of a leading research centre in the field of nuclear energy, experimental work on the topic of thermonuclear fusion and plasma physics. I am confident that the knowledge gained will improve the skills I need to work at JINR.

I am proud of my membership in JINR and participation in the School provided an opportunity to open up new horizons for establishing contacts with professionals from Asia, Africa and South America."

Olga TARANTINA