The Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek visited the Institute of Nuclear Physics. During the visit, the Minister got acquainted with the scientific and production activities of the country's leading scientific organization in the nuclear industry, which carries out a full cycle of research and development works in Kazakhstan. The Minister visited the stationary research reactor WWR-K the only one in Kazakhstan, the reconstructed building of the workshop for “Aqua dress” hydrohelium masks production and also the building intended for assembly of straw-detectors for the international DUNE experiment.
During the visit to the reactor, the main technical characteristics of the reactor were demonstrated to the Minister in the reactor vault. The current and future projects being implemented at the reactor WWR-K were presented, in particular, the Head of the Laboratory of Nuclear Energy Safety Problems, Shaimerdenov Asset, outlined the works being carried out jointly with the Physical-Technical Institute (Kazakhstan) and with the Chiyoda Technology Corporation (Japan) on neutron-transmutation doping of silicon, which will help producing semiconductor material and develop an electronics industry in Kazakhstan, which in turn will make a significant contribution to Kazakhstan’s entry into the number of developed countries. The Deputy Chief Engineer Bakdaulet Mukhametuly described the Mega-Science Project “Ultracold Neutrons,” which will be implemented in the framework of a user program jointly with 10 International Centers. He also shared the results of a neutron radiography study carried out at the research reactor.
Then, the Minister visited the “hot cells” equipped with the viewing windows and remote-controlled manipulators; they provide safe radioactive production.
Then the Minister of Science and Higher Education visited the reconstructed building of the workshop for production of hydrohelium masks.
It should be noted that last year the Institute was awarded with a grant from the JSC Science Foundation to establish a site for production of hydrogel dressings in compliance with the modern requirements of the standard GOST ISO 13485. Within the framework of this grant, the first stage of work - preparation of the production site and purchase of equipment - has been practically completed. In 2024, it is planned to certify the quality management system and submit the dressings for registration to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan as medical products. The hydrogel dressing “Aqua dress” is a composition of natural and synthetic polymers, exposed to ionizing radiation of appropriate energy, which ensures connection of polymer chains and sterility of the dressing. They are developed for the following target consumers in the domestic market: medical institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (clinics, hospitals, burn centers, emergency centers).
Sayasat Nurbek has also visited the building where the Institute’s researchers will assemble the straw-detectors for the international DUNE experiment.
In addition, the General Director Sayabek Sakhiyev told the Minister about the publication achievements of scientific staff, noting that the INP ranks first among the research institutes of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the number of published works in the Web of Science database for 5 years. He mentioned the main International partners from more than 30 countries, the integration of Kazakhstan into the International Mega-Science Projects NA-62, HIKE, cooperation with MIT, the line of radioisotopes produced, radiation processing, the need to build a new research reactor on the basis of the Institute, ongoing negotiations and conclusion of International Collaborations with NA64 and n_TOF(CERN) and DUNE (Febmilab, USA).
