The “Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, a leader in European scientific research, is currently working on the high-profile Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project, the biggest research project in Romania’s history. As CEO Dr. Nicolae-Victor Zamfir explains, “The ELI-NP project, which is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, puts Romania in a top position on the global research map.”
The Institute is named for Romanian physicist Horia Hulubei, who launched the country’s nuclear-research efforts. Dr. Nicolae Zamfir, who previously participated in nuclear research programmes for Yale University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, has headed the institute since 2004. He says, “The “Horia Hulubei” Institute is the largest R&D organisation in Romania in both assets – a nuclear reactor, one of the world’s top particle accelerators, and laboratories – as well as in our researchers, of which we have around 500, along with around 400 support staff. This is a large research institute on a global scale and we provide around 10% of all scientific output in Romania.”
ELI-NP a flagship project for Europe
The Institute partners with other research organisations around the world, including in Europe, and has positioned itself as a leader in certain niche research sectors. As for the ELI-NP project, Dr. Nicolae Zamfir points out, “The European Commission considers ELI-NP to be a flagship project for two reasons: first, from the scientific point of view, it opens up completely new directions in science. Secondly, it marks the first time that EU development funds have been channelled to Romania and our partners in Hungary and the Czech Republic for research rather than just for basic infrastructure development.”
Like CERN’s cutting-edge activities concerning research on elementary particles, ELI-NP is a groundbreaking effort to research high-intensity lasers and their interaction with matter. The Institute is one of the first research institutions in the world to focus on this exciting new field. The ELI-NP project is expected to help attract significant new FDI to Romania’s high-tech cluster.
In addition to the ELI-NP project, the Institute is involved in many other projects. It is a member of CERN Geneva and a co-founder of FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) in Darmstadt, the EU’s biggest investment in scientific research to date. The Institute is equipped with the latest equipment and technologies, including one of the best cyclotrons in Europe, and will continue to dominate in scientific research in many fields.
