On 4 – 6 May 2022, the Natural Science School took place on the platform of the JINR Information Centre based at Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University (KamGU). The School covered a broad range of scientific directions of the Institute. There were about 300 participants of the Natural Science School, including 15 teachers and lecturers, about 80 students, and 200 schoolchildren from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yelizovo, and Vilyuchinsk.

The delegation of representatives from JINR headed by Chief Scientific Secretary Sergey Nedelko and Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department Dmitry Kamanin took part in the School. Heads and leading scientists of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology, the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, the Laboratory of Information Technologies, the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, and the Laboratory of Neutron Physics delivered lectures on scientific research. The JINR University Centre presented educational opportunities.

KamGU Acting Rector Evgeny Merkulov opened the Natural Science School. In particular, he said, “The organization and holding of the Natural Science School in Kamchatka with the participation of JINR scientists is another important step in establishing cooperation between JINR and Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University. Among other things, JINR performs an important scientific and educational mission. As for KamGU, it is a leading university in the region that represents JINR in Kamchatka thanks to the Information Centre opened on our platform. It is hard to overestimate the significance of this event for schoolchildren, students, teachers, and university professors. The 3-day School is a unique chance to listen to lectures on topical issues, to personally communicate with scientists who work at JINR and directly contribute to the development of world science.”

As part of the visit to Kamchatka, the JINR delegation also took part in working meetings with Kamchatka scientists. Participants of meetings identified intersection points of scientific interests, indicated promising areas of cooperation. In particular, Director Yuri Marapulets welcomed the JINR delegation at the Institute of Cosmophysical Research and Radio Wave Propagation FEB RAS (IKIR). The delegation visited the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FEB RAS and had a meeting with Acting Director Elena Kalacheva there. Finally, the delegation met with Director of the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the FEB RAS Danila Chebrov .

One of the discussion topics was the possibility of using a precision laser inclinometer developed at JINR for geophysical research. On the eve of the visit, JINR, KamGU, and the Geophysical Service of the FEB RAS signed a trilateral agreement on this issue. Moreover, the parties reached specific agreements on environmental programmes.

At the final meeting, heads of KamGU and JINR colleagues discussed plans for further development of the IC. In particular, it is assumed that the Infromation Centre will represent the interests of Kamchatka scientific organizations and joint projects with JINR. JINR scientists received an invitation to take part in the environmental forum and the physics school, which will be held this autumn in Kamchatka.

Director of the IC Daniyal Israpilov presented his vision of work plans. Previously, he took part in the first meeting of directors of JINR Information Centres in Dubna in December 2021. In total, 20 career guidance events with a total number of participants of more than 800 people have been held on the basis of the JINR IC at KamGU since the beginning of its operation in October 2021.