Institute of Nuclear Physics

The Institute’s background is closely related to the development of uranium and then gold-mining industries in the Republic. The formation of these industries established a basis for setting up the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Uzbekistan Academy of Science in 1956. Ever since, INP has been growing steadily, having become a famous scientific centre in the Republic and abroad, carrying out modern fundamental and applied research in nuclear physics, radiation solid-state physics and materials science, activation analysis and radiation chemistry, scientific instrumentation engineering and in many other related areas. This research is integrated with the development and introduction of new knowledge-intensive technologies.

The Institute has 3 affiliated enterprises, focusing on the manufacture of radio-isotopes for industrial and medical applications, as well as on production of various radiation devices.

Along with civilian research, before the 1990s the institute carried out multiple orders from the defence sector, including development of nuclear weapons and then employed about 3000 people.

Basic experimental facilities are - nuclear reactor WWR-СМ, cyclotrones U-150 and U-115, neutron generator and gamma facility.

Presently there are about 550 specialists in the institute, including 160 scientists. The Institute has good working relations with Argon (ANL), Sandia (SNL), Livermore (LLNL), and Pacific North-West (PNNL) US National Laboratories, the European Centre of Nuclear Research (Switzerland), and the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research (Russia).

INP takes part in a number of international projects implemented under STCU, CRDF, INTAS, NATO and other Programmes.