Dr. Florin Buzatu, IFA Director General:

I propose to consolidate an edifice - Romanian Physics

The Institute of Atomic Physics (IFA) is celebrating 54 years of existence, of which the last two have been marked by a reshaping which started in 2008 when the institute has acquired a new status, a new mission. We have learned from dr.Florin Buzatu, IFA director general what is his vision on the further development of the institute (www.ifa-mg.ro) and also what are the scale projects already won and put in motion during his mandate.

Since the reorganization of IFA, the past seems like a parent who no longer keeps his child in his arms but gives him the freedom to walk by himself on a new path. Is this an accurate picture?

As I see it, the picture is rather that of a parent concerned about the fate of his family, who recalls his sons around him with the help of the youngest, the one whose sole remaining possesion is virtually his name. IFA was conceived and has established itself as a whole, designed to represent, both home and around the world, the Romanian physics research. Born in 1949 as the Institute of Physics of the Romanian Academy, IFA succeed in a short time to become an elite, a spirit, a benchmark of the Romanian research, a NAME. The further development of the institute, uninspiredly managed (in my opinion) starting with the 1970s, has lead unfortunately to its fragmentation: although IFA's "offsprings" are the big research and development institutes nowadays headed by IFIN-HH (Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering) - nuclear physics, INFLPR (the National Institute for Lasers Plasma and Radiation Physics) - laser and plasma physics, INFM (the National Institute of Materials Physics) - materials physics, that "glue" which would make the whole more than the sum of its parts was lost. The new mission of the institute, or, better still, the mission of the new institute can be but one: that of an integrator of the Romanian physics.

IFA is not just the acronym of an institute, IFA is the symbol of the Romanian physics, all the research institutes had been operating under his "umbrella" until 1996. How much does it press, how much oblige, how much does this "blazon" help you?

A symbol, yes; an umbrella, no. IFA has never been an "umbrella" and I would not like it to be seen as such, useful only when it rains or when there is too much sun. Most probably, this metaphor of "umbrella", widespread even among the physicists, lies at the root of IFA's fragmentation: you can step out from under an umbrella or you can close it as is the time or desire, it is a dispensable auxiliary. I prefer the metaphor of the "bridge" joining the Romanian and international physics together: we have the pillars (the research institutes), we had and we must rebuild the "bridge". The pressure that I feel is exactly the difference between the "weight" of the past and the "force" of the present, between the old-time IFA and the one of today. I consider it incumbent upon me to preserve and develop the IFA "spirit", to contribute to the "bridge" reconstruction. How much does the "blazon" help? It keeps the hope awake and guides...

Which are IFA's objectives following its reorganization?

As a public institution subordinated to ANCS (the National Authority for Scientific Research), IFA aims to develop and implement a coherent and stimulating scientific research and technological development policy in the field of atomic and subatomic physics.

This overall objective primarily involves an evaluation of the national scientific potential in the field and the elaboration of an appropriate strategy. The implementation of this strategy can be done by conducting specific activities under the National Plan of Research & Development and by coordinating Romania's participation in large projects and international collaborations in the field. The facilitation of the knowledge transfer and the utilization of the physics research results to increase socio-economic impact on other sectors of activity is another priority. Last but not least, IFA envisages dissemination and promotion of scientific achievements in the field on both national and international levels.

The scientific community knows the substantial key role you have played as concerns Romania's candidacy for ELI location, the biggest research infrastructure to be build in Eastern Europe. I invite you to present to our readers the main steps you have made to bring the project in our country.

IFA has involved itself from the very beginning in Romania's candidacy for hosting ELI, the establishment of the location for the future infrastructure being one of the objectives of European project ELI-PP (Preparatory Phase) in which INFLPR has participated. The first ELI seminar in Romania, intended to mobilize the scientific community in order to prepare the candidacy, was held at IFA, in March 2008; two months later, Gerard Mourou, the "father" of ELI, delivered a presentation of the project in the same Council Room of IFA. In June 2008 IFA elaborated a questionnaire, transmitted to dozens of institutes, for the purpose of involving the participation of the Romanian scientific, technical and economic community in ELI. Starting with July 2008 IFA took over the coordination of the preparation of the candidacy file whose status was, at that time (at less than two months before its submission), extremly critical. From that moment I was also appointed representative of ANCS in the Steering Committee (SC) of ELI-PP project. The submission (20 September) was followed by the presentation of the candidacy file at the first Steering Committee (21 November, Paris) where the brochure "Romania is ready for ELI" and the movie with the same name impressed the representatives of the other 12 member states in the consortium. Afterwards, in 2009, the presentation of the candidacy before the international experts panel in Stresa (17 April, Italy), the discussion on the evaluations at the Steering Committee in Paris (20 May), the "strategic" meeting in Frankfurt (10 July), true "battles" for keeping Romania in the race. Regrettably, due to the fact that in the first half of 2009 Romania's candidacy for ELI and IFA's intercessions in this respect were not sufficiently supported, Romania's chances were reduced to a minimum. Then came the moment of 17 July 2009 - the Steering Committee in Budapest, when the integrated proposal of the Czech Republic and Hungary was to be approved: "beamlines" pillar, near Prague and "attoseconds" respectively, in Szeged. Then the "miracle" happened: Romania's delegation, Marius Enachescu - newly appointed as authorized representative of the government for ELI and vicepresident of ANCS, myself and Andrei Dorobantu (communication expert at IFIN-HH) succeeded, through incoincevable efforts, to bring a part of ELI in Romania; Marius Enachescu had a decisive role in those moments.

A week later, in Prague, the same delegation - joined by Rares Medianu (INFLPR director general) - negotiated with the representatives of Czech Republic and Hungary the construction of a new "pillar" (suggested by Gerard Mourou) - "photonuclear physics".

There followed four "hot" months during which a large part of our partners' head start was diminished and ELI's construction in the three countries was accepted by the European Commission (Brussels, 3 December 2009). Within this time period, the pillar to be build at Magurele - ELI-Nuclear Physics began to take shape with an important participation from IFIN-HH, alongside INFLPR and subsequently INFM.

Now, at one year of ELI in Romania, how does IFA involved itself in this programme and how does it continue to support it?

IFA, in my person, has continued to represent the National Agency for Scientific Research (ANCS) at the Steering Committee and in the management of ELI-PP project which is to be terminated at the end of this year. I kept organizing seminars on ELI of which noteworthy were those belonging to the cycle entitled: "Pulse and Impulse of ELI", held by Marian Apostol (IFIN-HH) and Mihai Ganciu (INFLPR). It is very important for a trans-institutional atmosphere to be preserved around this European project in which Romania must participate "young and old", particularly with ideas and young scientists. The project coordination and the funds required for preparing the application to access the structural funds have been handed over to IFIN-HH in whose administration is the land area where the construction is envisaged to be built and whose director general, Nicolae Zamfir, is the plenipotentiary representative of Romania for ELI. Remarkable progress has been made in this respect and I have the confidence that the project will be successfully accomplished. Whether and to what extent IFA will be asked to participate further in this project, rests with the decision makers. I think that IFA has, up to now, done its job above and beyond the call of duty, insofar as it could be done only with enthusiasm and dedication.

Alongside its participation in ELI, IFA represents Romania in a series of scale projects which give at the same time the international dimension to the institute. What can you tell us about IFA's part within EURATOM programme?

The EURATOM programme, or, to be more specific, Romania's participation in the European programme of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion for Energy, represents a major activity of the institute. Romania became an EURATOM member state starting with the year 1999, following an evaluation of the European Commission. According to the stipulations in the Association Contract the EURATOM-MEdC Association was established, represented by the Research Unit which takes over all the contractual obligations; in this capacity was appointed IFA. Based on a financing contract with ANCS, IFA ensures the unitary scientific, economic and administrative coordination of Romania's participation in EURATOM-Fusion programme. At present, the Association coordinated by IFA comprises as members the following institutes: INFLPR, IFIN-HH, INOE ( the National Institute for Optoelectronics) and recently INFM from Magurele, ICSI (the National Institute for Cryogenics and Isotope Technologies, Rm. Valcea), "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University, Iasi, the University of Craiova, and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. The achievements of EURATOM-MEdC Association in over 10 years of activity are remarkable, both by the technological results (wolfram and beryllium coatings, water detritiation, gamma and neutron diagnostics) and theoretical (statistics of charged particles, instability and turbulence, magneto-hydrodynamics, atomic and nuclear data).

The main objective of EURATOM-Fusion programme is currently to build the fusion reactor ITER by the European Union together with other 6 countries (India, South Korea, USA, China, Japan and the Russian Federation); ITER will be built at Cadarache (France) and is scheduled to be put into operation in 2018-2020.

Recently, it has been established the framework for the participation of the Romanian institutes in the calls launched by the European Agency "Fusion for Energy" (responsible for the fulfilment of the obligations assumed by the EU in building ITER), IFA receiving virtually the same attributions as the MEdC Association.

The institute you are managing has succeeded recently to conclude a partnership with the Commission for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA) in France. How important is this agreement for the Romanian research? What technological developments are envisaged by putting this cooperation in motion?

CEA is an organization with over 15,000 employees in 10 research centers , with a budget in 2009 of almost 4 billion euros and represents practically the French research in the field of energy, particularly nuclear energy. The concluding of the Cooperation Agreement between IFA and CEA, in December 2009, a step envisaged in the Road Map for the Strategic Partnership on science and technology between Romania and France established in 2008, opens up the possibilty of financing joint projects between research institutes in Romania and research units within CEA. The areas in which cooperation is envisaged cover: nuclear energy (new generation reactors, nuclear safety, management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, information and training), new energy technologies (fuel cells, solar cells, energy storage, hydrogen), fundamental research for energy (nuclear fission and fusion, materials, environment/climate) and information technology and health (micro- and nanotechnology, software, biotechnology, radiobiology and nuclear toxicology, radiation protection, medical imaging).

The first call for joint project proposal was launched this year, in May, currently 9 research and development projects for the next 3 years being under contract. The projects, whose topics belong to the three above-mentioned applied areas, have been proposed by 4 research institutes (INFLPR, INFM, IFIN-HH and SCN (the Institute for Nuclear Research, Pitesti) and 3 universities ("Gh.Asachi" University, Iasi, the West University, Timisoara and the University of Craiova). The call is open to support actions for the preparation of joint proposals to European calls.

By what other activities does IFA consolide its role of physics integrator?

In line with its assumed mission, IFA wishes to contribute to strengthening the physics research in Romania, performed mainly in specialized national institute and in universities.

In this respect, the elaboration of a strategy must start from an evaluation of the field, identifying its main research directions, their potential according to the international standards, the available human and material resources as well as the potential impact on other fields of socio-economic interest.

This is also a prime objective of the project "Evaluation of the Romanian research potential in physics and the elaboration of the national strategy for international cooperation" (ESFRO) financed by ANCS for the period Sept. 2009 - Aug. 2011, a project coordinated by IFA and carried out together with 16 other research institutions and universities around the country. The results obtained so far on the evaluation of the physics domain starting with the year 2001 will be presented at a symposium on this project (which will be held at IFA on 5 November, 2010) and subsequently in an international report. We are currently working on the evaluation of Romania's participation in large international collaborations in physics so that next year we shall be able to propose a strategy in this respect as well as implementation proposals. I consider this project as a first step in trying to "integrate" the physics research in Romania, a research area ensuring, at present, approximately a third of the country's scientific visibility.

It rests on us all to ensure this community a maximum efficiency and a future measuring the past.