South Africa and Russia will from Monday, 28 November, review their ten-year relationship in nuclear research. The two countries signed a bilateral agreement on joint nuclear research in 2005, which was followed by the signing of a bilateral agreement between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR).
Senior officials from the two countries will participate in a four-day forum which will be addressed by DST Director-General Phil Mjwara, and the JINR Director-General, Prof Victor Matveev. Discussions willamong othersfocus on Russia’s collaboration with the country’s Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) and Ithemba Labs.
The JINR is an independent, multinational research agency in Dubna, in Russia. It conducts theoretical and practical research, mainly in the fields of elementary particle physics, nuclear physics and condensed matter physics. The Institute comprises eight laboratories and employs over 6000 people. South Africa enjoys “associate membership” status via the bilateral agreement signed between the Institute and the DST.
Through this cooperation, South Africa’s nuclear research community has actively participated in many research activities at the JINR such as neutron applications, computational physics, as well as theoretical physics. In addition, South Africa has benefited significantly in the area of human capital and research capacity development.
Since the beginning of the signed MoU, over R70 million has been invested which allows active participation of SA researchers in joint projects in nuclear physics at the JINR. In addition, a total number of 242 students from various South African universities have participated in the annual student practice.
Details of the event:
Date: 28 November – 1 December 2016
Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre
Time: 09:00 – 17:00
For enquiries, contact:
Veronica Mohapeloa
Cell: 082 882 3818
Email: veronica.mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
