Turkey, Ukraine to cooperate in nuclear science

By Ahmet Sertan Usul

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish and Ukrainian academicians and students will carry out joint studies in the field of nuclear science as part of a cooperation between the institutions of two countries.

The cooperation between Turkey’s Ankara University Institute of Nuclear Sciences and the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine (SSTC NRS) aims at information sharing and joint studies in the field as well as to train students in areas such as use of nuclear technologies and radiation safety.

Niyazi Meric, the institute director at Ankara University, told Anadolu Agency that Turkey needs trained personnel to work at nuclear reactors that will be set up in the country.

“Educating our students in the best way is of great importance for the future of our country. For that, there is a need for laboratories in which nuclear science studies can be conducted,” Meric said, highlighting there is a small number of academicians working in the field in Turkey.

In this respect, Meric said, his university went for a cooperation with the SSTC NRS to benefit from their experiences.

“There are many nuclear reactors in Ukraine. There is also Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant where a reactor accident occurred.”

“We aim to go to these places, and both carry out our experiments and train our students in the best way,” Meric said.

He said they are in cooperation with Odessa National Polytechnic University (ONPU) and National Technical University of Ukraine - Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.

He added: “Turkish students will complete first year of their master’s degree in the nuclear science field and will continue their education in universities in Ukraine.”

Meric said the graduates of the program will have two diplomas from Turkey and Ukraine and added that admissions to the program will start next year.

Ihor Shevchenko, director of the SSTC NRS, also said Turkey is near to become one of the countries generating nuclear energy, and for that Ukraine is ready to share its experience.

Stressing the importance of nuclear power plant safety, Shevchenko said the staff who will work at the plants need to be well-trained and professional.

“The students will both gain knowledge and observe the consequences of irresponsibility in the region where the Chernobyl catastrophe took place,” said Shevchenko.

On April 26, 1986, a sudden surge of power during a reactor systems test destroyed unit 4 of the nuclear power station at Chernobyl, some 110 kilometers (68.3 miles) from Ukraine’s capital, Kiev.

The nuclear meltdown frightened many in northern Turkey, just across the Black Sea from Ukraine.

* Writing by Sena Guler