On 4 May 2022, the JINR Information Centre was opened on the basis of Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The working programme started with a meeting of the JINR delegation headed by Chief Scientific Secretary Sergey Nedelko with the Deputy Chair of the Government of the Kamchatka region Alexandra Lebedeva, KamGU Acting Rector Evgeny Merkulov, as well as heads of the Institute of Cosmophysical Research and Radio Wave Propagation FEB RAS, the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the FEB RAS, and the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FEB RAS.

Photos: Government of Kamchatka region

Welcoming participants, Alexandra Lebedeva noted the uniqueness and attractiveness of the Kamchatka region from the point of view of research in geophysics, ecology, and life sciences. She expressed hope that joint research by local scientific organizations, KamGU, and JINR would be able to lead to excellent scientific results. Alexandra Lebedeva noted that the Government of the region was currently paying special attention to improving the quality of school education in natural sciences. She also highlighted a significant role of the Information Centre. In his turn, Sergey Nedelko noted that one of the statutory objectives of JINR was the development of science in the Member States, and in that regard, the Institute was aimed at active work in training young staff. The Institute offers not only a wide range of educational opportunities of the JINR University Centre, but also the use of the Institute’s world-class scientific infrastructure for teaching schoolchildren, students, and postgraduates in the profile directions.

During the discussion, the parties discussed the prospects of cooperation between JINR and KamGU, as well as research organizations in the region. Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department Dmitry Kamanin spoke about the activity of information centres both in Russia and in other Member States and noted their features and common tasks. Participants noted the successful experience of the first JINR Information Centre in the South of Russia and the JINR Information Centre in Cairo, which was the first information centre opened outside the country of the Institute’s location. As part of the participation of KamGU students in the UC JINR educational programmes, participants proposed to hold workshops for young scientists on the basis of the scientific infrastructure of the Institute, in particular, the Centre of Applied Physics in FLNR JINR, as well as the JINR Multifunctional Computing Complex.

Participants discussed a number of specific initiatives on joint projects and established working contacts. They also noted the cooperation experience with KamGU and the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service in solving the problems of identifying seismic energy accumulation zones using an inclinometer, a device developed at DLNP JINR. On the part of the LRB, the idea was expressed to involve students in diagnostics and treatment research using nuclear methods with an emphasis on training specialists in medical physics. Participants suggested joining KamGU to join JINR research programmes for the study of air and coastal water pollution.

Photos: Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University

At the end of the meeting, the opening ceremony of the Information Centre on the basis of Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University was held in the Government of the region. The Information Centre started its work in October 2021, and by its official launch, it has already acquired considerable experience in holding educational programmes: more than 200 school students of the region have already taken part in them. Minister of Education of the Kamchatka region Alexandra Korotkova took part in the ceremony and noted the need for live communication between schoolchildren and students with representatives of the scientific community to choose a future profession. Sergey Nedelko expressed hope as well that the JINR Information Centre on the basis of Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University would become “a centre of attraction for all talented people of Kamchatka.”

On the same day, the opening of the Natural Science School for students and schoolchildren took place, within the framework of which JINR specialists will give lectures for schoolchildren and students on various areas of research carried out at the Institute.