On 21-22 March, the delegation of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment of the Republic of Cuba (CITMA), headed by Deputy Minister Armando Rodriguez Batista, visited JINR. Members of the delegation met with JINR Directorate to discuss issues of developing scientific cooperation. CITMA representatives participated in the session of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries that is taking place at JINR. The delegation visited the Institute’s laboratories, where they reviewed the scientific infrastructure and research areas and held a meeting with Cuban scientists working at JINR.

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Having welcomed the guests, JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov noted the long history of cooperation between JINR and the Republic of Cuba. Cuban scientists, as part of an international team, widely participate in the implementation of the NICA Megascience Project, making a great contribution not only to the activities of the Institute, but also to the global science.

“JINR is always ready to support the initiatives of the Cuban physics community. We are ready to assist both in new research projects and in projects aimed at enhancing scientific infrastructure of the republic. I believe that constructing advanced research equipment can make a significant contribution to the strengthening of our bilateral cooperation,” the Director of the Institute said.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology, and Natural Sciences of the Republic of Cuba Armando Rodriguez Batista thanked JINR Directorate for the opportunity to visit the Mecca of nuclear sciences. Armando Rodriguez Batista identified radiobiology, nuclear medicine and life sciences as priority areas for cooperation.

“It’s been a huge pleasure to have the opportunity to visit the laboratories of the Institute and to interact with Cuban scientists working in Dubna. I am sure that we have a long and successful cooperation in many projects ahead of us. This visit will open up new opportunities for strengthening cooperation with scientific centres of Latin America. In this difficult moment, we think that science can help us with a possibility to join, to work together, and to look for prosperity and for peace for our people,” Armando Rodriguez Batista said.

At the meeting, participants discussed initiatives to hold educational scientific programmes and internships for scientific personnel, as well as to implement programmes for the development of academic mobility of youth engaged in science. In order to expand information about JINR to scientific and educational institutions in Cuba, it was proposed to create a JINR Information Centre in the republic.

Both parties acknowledged the need to increase human resources. Grigory Trubnikov spoke about cooperation with the University of Havana and proposed establishing a programme to provide full scholarship for Cuban students at Dubna University. Participants discussed training of highly qualified scientific personnel at the Joint Institute. JINR Vice Director Latchesar Kostov noted the importance of regularly holding scientific events for young physicists.

On the eve of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Cuba’s accession to the Joint Institute as a Member State, the parties discussed the possibility of holding JINR Days in Cuba.

As one of the key points of the visit programme, the delegation took part in the meeting of the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries. Armando Rodriguez Batista presented to the CP members the decision of the Cuban Academy of Sciences to assign the status of corresponding member of the academy to Scientific Leader of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions of JINR Yuri Oganessian. The scientist received this title for his outstanding contribution to the global science and as a sign of the Academy’s recognition of his merits in educating several generations of Cuban physicists. In addition, the delegation members heard a report by the JINR Director providing an update on the main results of the implementation of the current seven-year plan and took part in the discussion.

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In addition, during the visit, Armando Rodriguez Batista held a meeting with representatives of the national group of the Republic of Cuba at JINR, during which the Cuban scientists spoke about their scientific work and life in Dubna.

While getting acquainted with JINR scientific infrastructure, the delegation visited the nanocentre of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions and reviewed the research and experimental equipment of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology. The Cuban representatives visited the JINR Laboratory of High Energy Physics and the site of the NICA Megascience Project, where they took a look at the key elements and research facilities of the accelerator complex being prepared for launch.

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