MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and the Russian civilian nuclear power corporation Rosatom have raised nuclear research to a new level, Kurchatov Institute President Mikhail Kovalchuk told TASS on Tuesday.

Outstanding scientist and corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Kovalchuk celebrates his 75th birthday on September 21.

"Talking about what I have managed to achieve as the head of the Kurchatov Institute, I would, first of all, mention work on the scientific support for the civilian nuclear power sector in our country. Together with Rosatom, we have brought the sector’s research program to a new level and launched the process of creating mega-science installations for large-scale synchrotron and neutron studies," Kovalchuk said.

"At first, we carried out this research at the Kurchatov Institute Scientific Research Center, completing the unfinished construction project of the synchrotron facility and launching it in 1999 as the sole mega-science installation in the post-Soviet space. The large-scale synchrotron-based research largely allowed our science to retain its potential and develop new areas of studies, first of all, in materials science," the scientist pointed out.

From the mid-2000s, Russian science began to participate in international mega-projects as an equal partner. Today Russia is providing intellectual and financial support to create major research installations in Europe - the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the European X-Ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) and the proton accelerator (FAIR), Kovalchuk said.

"For many installations, we supply most of the key systems and instruments that we make on our premises. And, of course, we make a considerable financial contribution," the Kurchatov Institute head said.

The Russian presidential decree and the subsequent government resolution paved the way for the large-scale effort of creating mega-science installations for neutron research in Russia, Kovalchuk said.

"This relates to the unique PIK neutron source in Gatchina, a new and unprecedented Sila synchrotron and laser facility in Protvino and a whole network of large research accelerators in Moscow, Siberia and the Far East," the scientist said.