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YerPhI - on the path from an Institute to a technozone
by Samvel Sarksyan
arminfo
Tuesday, August 21, 14:20
The processes of reformation of the Yerevan Physics Institute
(YerPhI) and preparation for creation of a Nuclear Medicine Center in
its territory have caused serious excitement. The dust has obviously
settled due to clarification of many issues worrying the staff of the
well-known scientific center.
The YerPhI scientists were most of all afraid that after the YerPhI's
reformation into a foundation, which would mostly be engaged in the
applied aspect of nuclear physics, the state would reduce the
financing, and the key directions of the Institute's activity would be
neglected.
These fears were intensified by the ambiguous developments around
YerPhI and the ambiguous behavior of their initiators. The main
developments were going on in 2011. For instance, on 1 September 2012
the Government of Armenia adopted a resolution on reformation of the
state non-commercial organization National Scientific Laboratory named
after A.I.Alikhanyan into `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory
(Yerevan Physics Institute) Foundation'. A few days later, the fellows
of the Institute, Doctors of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Rouben
Lazarian and Hamlet Lazarian said at a press conference that the
process of reformation was going on without any discussion with the
Institute's staff and without their consent. Moreover, they said that
80 out of 130 research workers signed a letter addressed to the
authorities to demand discussing the issues related to the reformation
of the Institute and development of the fundamental science in the
country. A meeting convened in summer with participation of 54
research workers of YerPhI demanded stopping the process of
reformation.
YerPhI Director, Professor Ashot Chilingaryan tells ArmInfo that the
fears of part of YerPhI's staff are grounded because the state failed
to defend the Institute's interests when several years ago it was
deprived of the Scientists' House, and the Kentron TV company is
currently located in its place. This is not the only case, when
property is taken away from YerPhI and the latter receives no
compensation for that.
It is fair to say that the Government of Armenia removed the issue of
financing by its 1 September 2011 decree, which said that the state
provides support to the `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory
(Yerevan Physics Institute) Foundation' in line with a 1-year project,
and it is financed by the Armenian state budget's certain item worth
no less than 665 mln AMD (more than $1.6 mln). In addition,
Chilingaryan says that the Institute received extra financing from the
state, which allowed raising the employees' salaries by 70% on the
mean. And the payroll is 60-70% of the Institute's budget and is
proportionally distributed among all divisions and directions of the
research work. Moreover, state financing worth 90 mln AMD is carried
out under a special program for the support of young specialists. The
YerPhI employees receive extra financing under international and
republican grant projects.
In the meantime, Rouben Lazarian casts doubt on the lawfulness of the
appraisal at YerPhI and financing of the divisions, for the Institute
simply has no scientific program approved by the Research Council.
Chilingaryan says that the Institute is still guided by old programs,
but a new strategy is already being worked out. As regards the
circumstance that the Research Council elections were held in March
2011, the scientists explained it with the `permanent organizational
reassignment' and added that `now everything resumes its natural
course and all our divisions are to hold hearings on the scientific
directions of the Institute by October'.
And still, how will the relations between the Institute and the
Nuclear Medicine Center be developing? It should be noted that by the
aforementioned decree the Government of Armenia instructed the
Armenian minister of education and science to negotiate within a
three-month period on conclusion of a cooperation agreement between
the `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory (Yerevan Physics
Institute) Foundation', National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia
and two facilities of the Nuclear Medicine Center, namely Radioisotope
Production Center and Armenian Center of Excellence in Oncology.
Chilingaryan says that the idea of creation of the Nuclear Medicine
Center originated long ago. It was expressed by Senior Fellow at
YerPhI, Academician of the National Academic of Sciences of Armenia
Robert Avagyan. However, the authorities made the decision to create
such a center three years ago when Yuri Oganessian, Professor at the
Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR) in Dubna, Academician of
the Russian Academy of Sciences persuaded the Armenian President and
Prime Minister to create such a center. Oganessian is also the
chairman of the International Council of Experts at YerPhI.
He says that the construction of the Nuclear Medicine Center in the
area of the Institute will be launched in 2012, and a Cyclone 18/18
cyclotron accelerator made by IBA Molecular (Belgium) will be
installed at the Center in early 2013. The isotopes to be produced
will be applied on the diagnostic equipment. The Center will also have
a hall for experiments.
Chilingaryan thinks that the cooperation between the Institute and the
Nuclear Medicine Center may mark the beginning of formation of a
so-called technozone or technotown. The relevant operations have
already been launched and YerPhI has acquired powerful laser equipment
for applied scientific research results.
He cherishes hopes that some day YerPhI will be able to work in the
spheres of the fundamental science and applied research as effectively
as the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR), where likeminded
persons have been working for 50 years. The Laboratory also focused on
few topics and paid much attention to the applied research.
Now one can only hope that YerPhI will also follow these components of
success. This must certainly contribute to formation of a staff of
likeminded persons, concentration of efforts on scientific activities
and achievement of good results. If independent Armenia gains its
first scientific `success story' through the example of YerPhI, this
will lead to the revival of the Armenian science.
by Samvel Sarksyan
arminfo
Tuesday, August 21, 14:20
The processes of reformation of the Yerevan Physics Institute
(YerPhI) and preparation for creation of a Nuclear Medicine Center in
its territory have caused serious excitement. The dust has obviously
settled due to clarification of many issues worrying the staff of the
well-known scientific center.
The YerPhI scientists were most of all afraid that after the YerPhI's
reformation into a foundation, which would mostly be engaged in the
applied aspect of nuclear physics, the state would reduce the
financing, and the key directions of the Institute's activity would be
neglected.
These fears were intensified by the ambiguous developments around
YerPhI and the ambiguous behavior of their initiators. The main
developments were going on in 2011. For instance, on 1 September 2012
the Government of Armenia adopted a resolution on reformation of the
state non-commercial organization National Scientific Laboratory named
after A.I.Alikhanyan into `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory
(Yerevan Physics Institute) Foundation'. A few days later, the fellows
of the Institute, Doctors of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Rouben
Lazarian and Hamlet Lazarian said at a press conference that the
process of reformation was going on without any discussion with the
Institute's staff and without their consent. Moreover, they said that
80 out of 130 research workers signed a letter addressed to the
authorities to demand discussing the issues related to the reformation
of the Institute and development of the fundamental science in the
country. A meeting convened in summer with participation of 54
research workers of YerPhI demanded stopping the process of
reformation.
YerPhI Director, Professor Ashot Chilingaryan tells ArmInfo that the
fears of part of YerPhI's staff are grounded because the state failed
to defend the Institute's interests when several years ago it was
deprived of the Scientists' House, and the Kentron TV company is
currently located in its place. This is not the only case, when
property is taken away from YerPhI and the latter receives no
compensation for that.
It is fair to say that the Government of Armenia removed the issue of
financing by its 1 September 2011 decree, which said that the state
provides support to the `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory
(Yerevan Physics Institute) Foundation' in line with a 1-year project,
and it is financed by the Armenian state budget's certain item worth
no less than 665 mln AMD (more than $1.6 mln). In addition,
Chilingaryan says that the Institute received extra financing from the
state, which allowed raising the employees' salaries by 70% on the
mean. And the payroll is 60-70% of the Institute's budget and is
proportionally distributed among all divisions and directions of the
research work. Moreover, state financing worth 90 mln AMD is carried
out under a special program for the support of young specialists. The
YerPhI employees receive extra financing under international and
republican grant projects.
In the meantime, Rouben Lazarian casts doubt on the lawfulness of the
appraisal at YerPhI and financing of the divisions, for the Institute
simply has no scientific program approved by the Research Council.
Chilingaryan says that the Institute is still guided by old programs,
but a new strategy is already being worked out. As regards the
circumstance that the Research Council elections were held in March
2011, the scientists explained it with the `permanent organizational
reassignment' and added that `now everything resumes its natural
course and all our divisions are to hold hearings on the scientific
directions of the Institute by October'.
And still, how will the relations between the Institute and the
Nuclear Medicine Center be developing? It should be noted that by the
aforementioned decree the Government of Armenia instructed the
Armenian minister of education and science to negotiate within a
three-month period on conclusion of a cooperation agreement between
the `Alikhanyan National Scientific Laboratory (Yerevan Physics
Institute) Foundation', National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia
and two facilities of the Nuclear Medicine Center, namely Radioisotope
Production Center and Armenian Center of Excellence in Oncology.
Chilingaryan says that the idea of creation of the Nuclear Medicine
Center originated long ago. It was expressed by Senior Fellow at
YerPhI, Academician of the National Academic of Sciences of Armenia
Robert Avagyan. However, the authorities made the decision to create
such a center three years ago when Yuri Oganessian, Professor at the
Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR) in Dubna, Academician of
the Russian Academy of Sciences persuaded the Armenian President and
Prime Minister to create such a center. Oganessian is also the
chairman of the International Council of Experts at YerPhI.
He says that the construction of the Nuclear Medicine Center in the
area of the Institute will be launched in 2012, and a Cyclone 18/18
cyclotron accelerator made by IBA Molecular (Belgium) will be
installed at the Center in early 2013. The isotopes to be produced
will be applied on the diagnostic equipment. The Center will also have
a hall for experiments.
Chilingaryan thinks that the cooperation between the Institute and the
Nuclear Medicine Center may mark the beginning of formation of a
so-called technozone or technotown. The relevant operations have
already been launched and YerPhI has acquired powerful laser equipment
for applied scientific research results.
He cherishes hopes that some day YerPhI will be able to work in the
spheres of the fundamental science and applied research as effectively
as the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR), where likeminded
persons have been working for 50 years. The Laboratory also focused on
few topics and paid much attention to the applied research.
Now one can only hope that YerPhI will also follow these components of
success. This must certainly contribute to formation of a staff of
likeminded persons, concentration of efforts on scientific activities
and achievement of good results. If independent Armenia gains its
first scientific `success story' through the example of YerPhI, this
will lead to the revival of the Armenian science.