KBSU became a participant of the mega-science project NICA

Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov (KBSU) signed a memorandum on joining the international mega-science project NICA (Nuclotron based Ion Collider fAcility), implemented at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. This step opens up broad prospects for scientists and students of KBSU to participate in advanced scientific research.

NICA is a unique accelerator complex designed to study the properties of dense matter. The project brings together scientists from all over the world around the construction of a heavy ion collider and the creation of a modern research infrastructure. Now, Kabardino-Balkarian State University has joined this prestigious group.

KBSU will join the ARIADNA collaboration, which is engaged in applied research within the framework of NICA. The university’s contribution will be related to the development and study of new materials, as reported by Nelli Pukhaeva, Senior Researcher at JINR and Scientific Secretary of the ARIADNA project:

Our cooperation with KBSU has a long history. University students regularly undergo internships with us and demonstrate a high level of training. We are especially attracted by their promising developments in the field of new materials. KBSU proposed interesting solutions that can be used in experiments at the collider.

According to Nelli Pukhaeva, KBSU already has a product ready for implementation:

KBSU has grown a crystal with unique characteristics, which will be used as a profilometer — a device for measuring surface irregularities. This means that all participants in the international project will be able to use this KBSU development in the study of their materials. In addition, KBSU scientists have achieved impressive results in working with perovskites — materials with enormous potential in the field of solar energy. The results of this research will be presented at an international conference in St. Petersburg next month.

Adam Pshukov, Director of the Center for New Detector Technologies for Neutrino Registration at KBSU, added:

We are joining a collaboration to create new detectors. Our Center has already developed several prototypes that can be used in NICA experiments. Our students are actively involved in modeling and development, mastering the most modern software packages.

Nelli Pukhaeva particularly noted the long-term nature of the NICA project (40-50 years) and the opportunities it opens up for young scientists:

This is international cooperation, working with colleagues from all over the world. For young people, this is a unique chance to be at the forefront of science and engage in exciting research.

It is expected that in the near future, KBSU will be visited by scientists from leading foreign research centers to conduct joint experiments and exchange experiences. This will be an important step in developing cooperation and realizing the potential of KBSU within the NICA project.