Foundation Day of the Institute

JINR 70th anniversary: we live in the present, look to the future

A gala evening dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research was held on 26 March at the JINR Cultural Centre “Mir”.

JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov spoke about the history of the Institute, the main achievements in major scientific projects. The long-term coordinated work of the entire staff was especially emphasized: "Search and openness to the new, scientific audacity - all this is Dubna's handwriting. And also - the ability to focus on the key tasks. At the same time, behind big plans, behind large facilities, behind each equation, behind each detail of the most complex equipment - a specific person. The contribution of each of you is invaluable. Talented people with an unquenchable passion for science and bold ideas are the true wealth of our Institute."

Chairman of the Committee of Plenipotentiary Representatives of the Governments of JINR Member States Arsen Khvedelidze mentioned Immanuel Kant's quote in his speech, "Two things always fill the soul with new and ever strong surprise and reverence, the more and longer we think about them - this is the starry sky above me and the moral law in me." And he emphasized that 70 years of development of the Institute had been years of successful solution of both these issues.

Congratulations at the evening were interspersed with awards, so guests and employees of the Institute took the stage one after another that day. The title "Honorary Employee of JINR" was awarded to: Mikhail Itkis - Deputy Scientific Leader of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions; Otilia-Ana Culicov - Head of the Department of International Cooperation; Norbert Kucerka - Deputy Director of the Laboratory of Neutron Physics; Valentin Nesterenko - a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics. An Honorary Diploma of JINR was awarded to: Oksana Butusova – a boiler room operator at the Chief Power Engineer Department; Maxim Gonchar - Head of Sector of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems; Ermukhammad Dushanov - Head of Sector of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology; Svetlana Ershova – a senior inspector at the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions; Alla Zaikina – a software engineer of the 1st category at the Laboratory of Information Technologies; Natalia Zaitseva – a specialist at the Department of International Cooperation; Alexey Sheremetiev – a junior researcher, Laboratory of High Energy Physics; Pavel Shmychkov – a mechanic of mechanical assembly works at the Laboratory of Neutron Physics.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Ryabkov voiced the welcoming message of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov, addressed to the JINR staff, it said, in particular, "In recent years, the Institute has established itself as the world's leading centre for fundamental research in the field of particle physics, nuclear physics and related disciplines. Its employees invariably demonstrate dedication, loyalty to the best traditions of Russian and world science. I would especially like to highlight the great contribution of JINR to the development of international scientific and technical cooperation."

In continuation of congratulations, S. A. Ryabkov emphasized, "The seventieth anniversary is a whole era in the development of world science. Over the years, the Institute has not only taken its rightful place among the leading scientific centres of the planet, it has become a truly symbol of fruitful international cooperation, an example of the fact that science unites people, overcomes borders, overcomes political differences for the sake of a common good goal - knowledge of the world around it." Director of the Institute Grigory Trubnikov was awarded the badge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation "For contribution to the international cooperation".

From the Member States on the stage were: Plenipotentiary Representative of the Armenian Government in JINR, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Higher Education and Science of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Artur Movsisyan; Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at JINR, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Sciences and Technologies Chan Tuan Anh.

Professor of the Physics Department of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Radoslav Rashkov delivered congratulations from the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Bulgarian Government Tsanko Bachiiski. The speech of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Russian Federation Ulziysaykhan Enkhtuvshin ended with the presentation of awards to the staff of the Institute. A leading researcher at the Laboratory of Neutron Physics Yury Gledenov was awarded the State Award of Mongolia with the Order of the Polar Star. The State Award of Mongolia Medal "Friendship" was awarded Alexander Bugay - Director of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology and Dmitry Kamanin - Director of the University Centre.

There were congratulations of Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky and Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Academician Vladislav Panchenko. The title "Honorary Worker of Science and High Technologies of the Russian Federation" was awarded to Scientific Leader of the Laboratory of Information Technologies Vladimir Korenkov, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Joint Institute Andrey Dudarev and Head of the JINR Legal Department Anton Kharevich were awarded a Diploma of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. For his contribution to the development of scientific activity and conscientious work, Scientific Secretary of the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics Alexander Andreev and Scientific Secretary of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems Irina Simonenko were awarded thanks from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

The celebration was continued by the speeches of Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of Uzbekistan at JINR, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan Academician Ilham Sadikov and Deputy Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics Professor Mannab Yusupovich Tashmetov. For his contribution to the development of scientific and technical cooperation between the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, the badge "80 years of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan" was awarded: Latchesar Kostov - Vice Director of JINR; Victor Matveev - Scientific Leader of JINR; Evgeny Yakushev - Director of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems; Sergey Kulikov - Vice Director of JINR; Anvar Inoyatov - Advisor to Directorate of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems.

The evening continued with congratulations from the Member States that were delivered by State Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia Maria Gnyatovic, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Russia Zhang Wei, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to the Russian Federation Eduardo Villegas-Mejias and Professor of the Institute of Physics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Maria Cetto.

Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mikhail Chudakov presented a video message from IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi; the latter highlighted that the IAEA and JINR had been founded almost at the same time, cooperation between these organizations is underway in many areas: the organization of schools and meetings on reactors and nuclear analytical techniques, participation in the international programme Lisa Meitner and contribution to the establishment of the International Nuclear Information System.

Afterwards, Head of the Dubna City District Maxim Tikhomirov spoke. The Honorary Diploma of Head of the Dubna City District was awarded to: Sergey Sokolov - Head of the Property Complex Development Department and Anastasia Shabashova - Head of the JINR Publishing Department. Director of the Dubna Restaurant Complex Olga Dmitrieva was awarded the gratitude of Head of the Dubna city district.

14 teachers of Dubna became the winners of the grant competition for teachers of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, they were awarded the relevant documents.

For the invaluable long-term contribution to the development of cooperation with the Joint Institute, the speakers were awarded the first jubilee medals "70 years of JINR". In addition to guests going on stage with congratulations, representatives of several embassies, ministries and the largest scientific centres of JINR partner states arrived in Dubna for a gala evening.

At the ceremony, several videos were shown dedicated to the past, present and future of JINR. A touching gift was the four-minute clip "Moscow nights" that had been created by 50 musicians: employees of the Institute, their family members from 20 countries of the world and the UC Educational Initiatives Information Support Group.

The evening ended with a concert by the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra. Artistic director and chief conductor - Honored Artist of Russia Sergey Kondrashev, soloist - Honored Artist of Russia Ekaterina Mechetina.

On the first floor of the Cultural Centre “Mir”, the exhibition "The first star: the birth of a new interaction" opened for the significant event, dedicated to the history of the Institute's foundation in 1954-1956. It is based on materials from a group of funds for scientific and technical documentation of JINR, state, departmental, institutional and family archives, including declassified and first-time shown, as well as unique film and photo chronicles and rare audio recordings. For example, visitors can hear the voices of participants and witnesses of that time M. G. Meshcheryakov, D. I. Blokhintsev and others.

On the second floor, guests could visit the updated interactive exhibition "JINR basic facilities".

Galina MYALKOVSKAYA