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Seven Russian researchers to explore the ITER world
Sabina Griffith
Seven Russian researchers to explore the ITER world
It was with humour and a winning smile that ITER Director-General Osamu Motojima welcomed the seven researchers and engineers from Russia. Pictured from left: Sophie Gourod (ITER HR), Denis Kaverin, Andrey Mednikov, Pavel Shigin, Elena Popova, ODG Head Shirao Takayuki, Pavel Sergeev, DG Motojima, Aleksandr Paramonov and Nikolay Yukhnov.
Seven young fusion researches and engineers from Russia arrived at the ITER Headquarters in France this week. Over the next 45 days they will work closely with engineers and scientists on site. Andrey Mednikov, for example, comes from the Efremov Institute in St. Petersburg where he will be actively contributing to the winding of ITER's poloidal field coil #1, the only coil out of six that will not be wound on site. During his time at ITER, Andrey will be supervised by Byung-Su Lim, the responsible officer for the PF coils within the Magnet Division.
Elena Popova, is a mechanical engineer working in the design office of the Russian Domestic Agency, also known as the "Project Center ITER." Elena comes to France to improve her skills in electrical engineering. She has joined the group working on the switching networks and DC busbars for the coil power supply and will be supervised by Ivone Benfatto. Aleksandr Paramonov works at the All-Russian Scientific Research and Development Cable Institute (VNIIKP) in Moscow; he will be working with the ITER superconductor team led by Arnaud Devred, looking into conductor technology and conductor production.
Pavel Sergeev, also from the Project Center in Moscow, is an IT-technician. Pavel's interests lie in understanding how the ITER scheduling team works, and how the system and its software are set up in order to improve implementation and usage of this same system, back home. Pavel is assigned to the Central Integration and Engineering Division and will be supervised by Stefano Chiocchio. Pavel Shigin comes from the National Research Institute MEPHI in Moscow; he will work in the physics group around Richard Pitts, looking into glow discharge cleaning concepts. Denis Kaverin who is also from VNIIKP will study superconducting cable technology and production.
And finally there is Nikolay Yukhnov from the company Nikiet based in the Russian capital. Nikolsy will investigate the attachment systems for the ITER blanket modules. "Any ideas to simplify the design are more than welcome," ITER Director-General Osamu Motojima said with a jovial smile as he welcomed the new co-workers this past Tuesday. "With this scientific exchange we hope to set a precedent that will be followed by other Domestic Agencies," Director Motojima continued, adding that "by fostering young generations in the field of fusion science and technology we will ultimately turn ITER into a Centre of Excellence. That is my goal."
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