Expansion of Kazakhstan's international scientific partnership with leading global universities was discussed during meetings at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world's largest scientific, educational, and research centers.
On February 9, in Boston, USA, Sayabek Sakhiyev, Director General of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, and Zhanseit Tuimebayev, Rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, held a series of official meetings with MIT management team.
The Kazakhstani delegation was welcomed by Professor Duane Boning, Vice Provost for International Activities, and Professor Bruce Tidor, Director of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology.
During the meeting, prospects for deepening scientific and academic collaboration, as well as practical mechanisms for exchanging expertise, were discussed. It was noted that the collaboration between the Institute of Nuclear Physics and MIT has already produced its results. For example, from June to August last year, MIT graduate student Shayan Subzvari completed an internship at the INP's Radiation Materials Science Laboratory, and in 2023, Yelena Kim, a researcher at the same laboratory, completed a similar internship at MIT.
Particular attention was paid to the new concept for developing science-intensive areas, within which the Institute of Nuclear Physics has been designated as a pilot site for the creation of a science and technology park. The INP Director General presented the strategic vision for the Institute's development, key goals, and expected results of this initiative. Professor Duane Boning praised the proposed concept and expressed MIT's readiness to provide expert support through the MIT REAP (Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program).
The next meeting was held in the office of Professor Evelyn Wang, MIT's Vice President for Energy and Climate. During the meeting, a new MIT climate initiative was presented, aimed at developing energy-efficient solutions—from microelectronics to large-scale data centers—as well as water conservation. One of the initiative's priorities is working at the local community level, taking into account the cultural and geographical characteristics of each region.
In this context, Kazakhstan, a landlocked country developing a new approach to nuclear energy development, is of significant interest for scientific research. Professor Evelyn Wang noted MIT's interest in developing collaboration with Kazakhstani scientists within the framework of this initiative.
