Vitaly Kruglov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Superconductivity and Solid State Physics

– The key factor for the success of the project to consolidate research institutes will be effective financing

Director General of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko has suggested consolidating the institutes carrying out fundamental research in the field of physics into one center. The development of fundamental studies must become the fourth major program in Russia’s nuclear industry. “The main thing we must do is to preserve this potential. It must be a system of collective use with specific tasks,” says Kiriyenko.

The plan to consolidate our fundamental research institutes has both advantages and disadvantages.

For many years already our research institutes – both fundamental and applied – have acted under one roof and now it will be hand to classify them and to decide which of them is purely fundamental. In some cases, fundamental and applied studies are closely interwoven.

I think that the key factors for the success of the project to consolidate research institutes will be effective financing. Besides, we will have to clearly formulate our priorities in this field.

Much will depend on the managers. If the fundamental research companies are given to a young manager who has never dealt with serious fundamental or applied science and regards research as a source of profit, it would be a disaster for our nuclear industry. We need a wise modern scientist who deeply knows physics and is aware of the problems of our industry.

We must enhance the role of research councils so they effectively advise the managers in choosing subjects, allocating necessary funds and assessing possible results. In the past we had a Superconductivity program, which was supervised by a highly representative group of academicians and big researchers.

In conclusion, I would like to express hope that the idea to consolidate the research companies of the nuclear industry into one corporation will be carried out with care and without haste. Our researchers must be given more powers. Only then the tasks set by the President in Sarov will be successfully implemented.