On 7 March, the JINR Information Centre opened at Irkutsk State University, a long-time partner of the Institute. On the opening day of the new Infocentre, a cooperation agreement was signed between JINR, Irkutsk State University, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the opening of the astrophysical laboratory in Irkutsk. In addition, an agreement was signed between Irkutsk State University and Tomsk Polytechnic University on participation in the TAIGA and Baikal-GVD Projects. The first events, i.e. a lecture by JINR Director and the opening of the “Do science in Dubna” exhibition took place at the IC site.

“Cooperation between the Institute and Irkutsk State University has a long and rich history. It is filled by intelligence, people. And now we are implementing it by opening another JINR Information Centre here, in the historic White House of Irkutsk State University. JINR Information Centres are already operating in many Russian universities, and on behalf of JINR, I express my gratitude to the modern generation of rectors,” JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov said. He expressed hope that the Infocentre in Irkutsk will expand the possibilities of cooperation between scientists of Dubna and Irkutsk in scientific projects and educational sphere, as well as act as a platform for interaction between universities of the country.

The rector of ISU Alexander Schmidt highlighted the importance of the impact on the university of major projects in the field of astrophysics and particle physics, access to which will open the JINR Information Centre. “The Infocentre of the Joint Institute at Irkutsk University will give a new impetus to the development of these areas in the region, as well as the training of new generations of physicists, without whom neither the economy nor the social sphere will function,” Alexander Schmidt stressed.

The second Infocentre in Siberia is located in the historical building of the White House of Irkutsk State University (ISU). It will become a venue for scientific, educational, and popular scientific events in the field of modern physics. The JINR IC will allow online tours of all of the Institute’s main facilities and introduction to megascience projects. The Infocentre will host lectures, laboratory works, and trainings by scientists from Dubna for students, schoolchildren and their teachers. JINR Information Centres are already operating in Bulgaria, Armenia, Egypt, and in Russia — in North Ossetia, Arkhangelsk, the Far East, and Kamchatka. The centre at ISU has become the second in Siberia. The first one was opened in December 2022 in Tomsk based on Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU).

Alongside the opening of the Infocentre, an agreement was signed between the Joint Institute, Irkutsk State University, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the establishment of a Joint Astrophysical Laboratory. Participants of the events noted that the opening of the IC in Irkutsk will further stimulate activities on the platform of the new Laboratory.

In addition, the JINR InfoCentre in Irkutsk became the site for the signing of the agreement between ISU and TPU. Scientists and engineers of Tomsk University will join the research in the framework of the TAIGA and Baikal-GVD Projects. It is planned to organize mass production of scintillation modules based on Tomsk Polytechnic University, as well as to create a calibration stand for their certification.

“JINR brings us all together around massive and beautiful scientific tasks in the field of physics, of understanding the universe. By building mutually confident collaborations, we will be able to solve the tasks and train new generations of physicists,” TPU Rector Dmitry Sednev concluded.

As part of the programme of events in Irkutsk, JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov delivered a lecture in the Governor’s Hall of the ISU White House, which gathered a full audience. Academician Trubnikov spoke about the NICA Megascience Project and its scientific tasks.

The opening of the Information Centre at the ISU launched the exhibition “Do science in Dubna”, which presents portraits of young scientists and specialists of the Joint Institute. These people came to the science city on the banks of the Volga River from different cities and even countries, but they were all united by the desire to participate in JINR scientific projects. The organizers of the exhibition want to show that fundamental science and bright applied research together with advanced research facilities can attract and gather in one place young scientists, engineers, and technicians who have enquiring mind and courage.

The JINR exhibition “Do science in Dubna” in Irkutsk became one of the events of the JINR supplementary programme within the framework of the International Year of Basic Sciences IYBSSD, one of the organizers of which was the Institute.

Photos: Irkutsk State University press office