On 13 November 2025, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Vice-Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Professor, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Sergey Nikolaevich Dmitriev passed away at the age of 72.

Sergey Nikolaevich Dmitriev

17/01/1954 — 13/11/2025

Sergey Dmitriev started his scientific career in 1977 as a postgraduate student at the Mendeleev Institute of Chemical Technology. After defending his PhD thesis in 1980, he was invited to work at the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at JINR.

In 1997, Sergey Dmitriev was elected FLNR Deputy Director; from 2007 to 2020, he headed the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions; in 2020, he was appointed Vice-Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research.

In the 80s and 90s, Sergey Dmitriev successfully solved the task of producing a number of unique isotopically ultra-pure radiopharmaceuticals at JINR for their application in biomedical, radiochemical, and ecological research. The quality of the samples obtained has not yet been surpassed. He based his doctoral thesis on these studies. Since the start of the superheavy element synthesis programme in the 2000s, Sergey Dmitriev has headed the work on studying the physical and chemical properties of new elements. He established extensive cooperation with colleagues from leading scientific centres. These studies provided an independent evidence of the synthesis of new elements of the Mendeleev’s Periodic Table with atomic numbers 114 – 118 and served as a strong argument for acknowledging JINR’s priority in the discovery.

An international team led by Professor Dmitriev managed to observe the manifestations of relativistic effects in the chemical properties of superheavy elements. Experiments conducted in Dubna resonated widely in the public and allowed establishing a new scientific direction, relativistic chemistry of superheavy elements.

Under the leadership of Sergey Nikolaevich Dmitriev, JINR created the Superheavy Element Factory, a new experimental complex based on a specialised heavy ion accelerator and highly efficient electromagnetic separators. Sergey Dmitriev led a project aimed at synthesizing elements 119 and 120, implemented jointly with RAS institutes and Rosatom research centres.

Professor Dmitriev’s research interests were not limited to fundamental research. On his initiative, the Applied Physics Centre was established at the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, where processes of interaction of ions with condensed matter are studied.

Sergey Nikolaevich Dmitriev was a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). In 2025, he was elected a RAS corresponding member. He is the author and co-author of more than 350 scientific papers and 25 patents. Sergey Dmitriev has been repeatedly presented prizes at JINR competitions; he is a laureate of the Flerov International Prize and Khlopin Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

For his successful work, Sergey Dmitriev was awarded medals of the Order “For Merits to the Fatherland” of the second and first classes, the medal “In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow”, the badge “Veteran of Atomic Energy and Industry”, the Certificate of Honour from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. He was awarded the title of Honorary Employee of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research; in 2021, he was awarded the Order “For Merits to the Moscow Region” of the third degree, and the medal of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation “For Exemplary Work and Distinction”. In 2025, he was given the state award, the Order of Friendship, for his endeavours in scientific activity and many years of diligent work.

Sergey Nikolaevich was deeply respected by colleagues and friends for his high personal standards, kindness, integrity, and a thoughtful outlook on reality.

A kind and beautiful memory of Sergey Nikolaevich will forever be kept in our hearts.

JINR Directorate, FLNR Directorate, colleagues and friends