News, plans, reports
JINR Chief Scientific Secretary S. N. Nedelko presented the main conclusions of the report of a sociological study of social satisfaction of JINR personnel in 2025. 750 people took part in the survey. The overall satisfaction index rose to 67.74 percent. The strengths of the Institute were highlighted, the most highly appreciated by employees: basic working conditions (working hours, logistics, information, others), organization of scientific activities. 86.6 percent of those satisfied were registered in the Section "Organization of scientific activities". One of the most important indicators for employees is the content of labor - in general, the Institute ranks second, and for researchers - first. "I feel a sense of pride in our scientists," Sergey Nikolaevich said "because they care about the content of labor, the organization of scientific activities, the conditions of the organization of labor, and only then, the financial situation, career, social and urban infrastructure." Read more about the main conclusions in our newspaper (No. 18 of 29 April). The results of the survey will be used for further development of an environment comfortable for working at JINR and living in Dubna.
The report "Results of the NICA Complex and immediate plans" was given by Acting Director of the Laboratory of High Energy Physics A. V. Butenko. First, for clarity of understanding, the stages of work at the collider were indicated:
- December 2021 - installation of the first magnet, when there were no systems in the tunnel yet;
- 13 June, 2024 - the beginning of the technological launch, at that time, 3650 ceramic insulators, more than 14,000 soldered and welded joints, 250 cubic meters of vacuum cryostats and others were installed;
- 25 March, 2025 - the start of the first run at the NICA Complex, the tasks of which included commissioning of the main systems, work with derived beams, physical launch of the collider, others.
Further, Andrey Valerievich spoke about the main results of the last run, emphasizing that many of them are commensurate with the annual report of a small research institute. The operation modes of the KRION‑6 source and the LUTI accelerator for multiple injection of a beam with an energy of up to 10 Hz were optimized. High efficiency of electronic cooling system operation in longitudinal direction for multiple injection is achieved. The system of ion injection into the booster for accumulation is optimized. The injection complex synchronization system has been debugged, the beam bypass from the booster to the Nuclotron has become more stable and more efficient. A system for fast beam removal from Nuclotron has been introduced - a new system with superconducting elements developed and manufactured at the Institute. The beam transportation channel systems have been launched and tested - this is more than 250 meters of ion guide, 75 magnetic elements, 19 diagnostic devices and the same number of power sources that were completely manufactured in the Laboratory. The vacuum, cryogenic and magnetic systems of the collider were launched, as well as power supply, protection, evacuation systems, beam diagnostics devices and other systems, which the collider could not be launched without. The cryogenic support system was brought to design capacity for parallel operation of all components of the complex. The circulation of xenon beams in both collider rings with an intersection at the meeting point was obtained. A record set of statistics for the BM@N experiment is provided - five times more than in previous runs, with three values of the xenon beam energies. Physical launch of stations for applied research ISKRA and SIMBO was carried out, nine experiments were carried out within the framework of commissioning with the participation of 10 organizations and divisions of JINR.
Next, the speaker presented in detail, as far as the regulations allowed, the progress of the work carried out, demonstrating the dynamics in the "it‑was" mode in photographs and graphs, as well as commenting on technical solutions, intermediate achievements, and conclusions. The next run at the NICA Accelerator Complex is scheduled for late September - early October. In the debate, A. V. Butenko answered questions on achieving luminosity parameters, ensuring the start of the physical MPD programme and data accumulation.
The development plans of the University Centre were presented by Director of the UC D. V. Kamanin. Since the beginning of the year, meetings have been held in the Laboratories of the Institute to discuss opportunities for the increase of human resources and KPIs (Key Performance Indicator, success rate - Ed.) of the UC. The main order from the laboratories is the restoration of graduate school. In general, a positive estimate of international programmes was expressed, especially STAR, the wishes of its expansion were voiced. Many questions were asked, including recommendations to take into account the interests of the Member States. As a result of the meetings, it became obvious that a serious discussion was required, at the level of the STC or the Council of the UC, stimulation of heading and mentoring, taking into account the experience of laboratories, to involve AYSS members and the current "educational cells" of laboratories in this. It is necessary to analyze this experience and on its basis, to move on. Another issue discussed was raising awareness of the Engineering Workshop and the associated influx of staff.
Conclusions drawn after these meetings. Firstly, by joint efforts it is necessary to increase the "funnel" of educational programmes, taking into account the selection of participants, laboratory resources, alumni programme (systematic work with graduates - Ed.), analysis of career trajectories of graduates. It is desirable to have a common approach to accounting for all trainees, since the UC "sees" only those who it draws up orders for, in fact, there are much more participants. Direct access of Laboratory Directors to data on participants in UC student programmes and their supervisors is required.
The work on the development of a "digital UC" was highlighted in the report. Cooperation is underway with universities to optimize training courses taught at JINR in basic departments, to harmonize the flow of students between basic departments, and to organize the educational process taking into account the interests of the Member States of the Institute. At the same time, Dmitry Vladimirovich emphasized that the UC is the organizational circuit of the main advantage of JINR, that is, the union of the educational process with advanced scientific research based on megascience class attitudes and international cooperation. Focus was on MEPhI, a Committee for Scientific and Educational Cooperation was established to meet current problems, the first meeting was recently held under the chairmanship of MEPhI Vice-Rector N. S. Barbashina and JINR Vice‑Director E. A. Kolganova.
The final part of the report presented the news of the University Centre. For the 70th anniversary of JINR: an interactive exhibition has been prepared in the Cultural Centre “Mir”, stands and models for JINR Days have been prepared in the Member States, a clip "Moscow nights" has been made for the celebration, and the "Practice for Africa" project is implemented. In training laboratories: Engineering Workshop develops, practical work at the LINAC‑200 training site is discussed, a gamma spectroscopy simulator has been developed together with Serbian scientists, and a remote workshop has been developed together with specialists from South Africa. Work with school teachers: an asset has been developed from the participants of the School "Teachers of the future," work with Dubna schools has been strengthened, an English version of the site of the educational and methodological complex "Engineers of the future" is prepared, for the first time, an event was organized for methodologists from South Africa in English. In addition, Information Centres, training on labor protection and industrial safety were described, the nearest plans of the UC were presented. This year, on 16 June at 3:00 PM, a seminar will be held in MLIT in memory of Svetlana Petrovna Ivanova, the first Director of the UC, and the University Centre turns 35 years old.
Director of the Institute G. V. Trubnikov expressed high appreciation for the results and wishes of further success to both the staff of the NICA Megascience Project and the staff of the University Centre. Questions, proposals and comments at the STC were made by E. A. Yakushev, D. V. Peshekhonov, M. G. Itkis and others.
The meeting of the Science and Technology Council ended with the awarding of JINR employees for professional achievements and conscientious work.
Galina MYALKOVSKAYA