Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EURIZON (European network for developing new horizons for RIs)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-02-01 bis 2021-07-31
CREMLINplus (Connecting Russian and European Measures for Large-scale Research Infrastructures – plus) is about European-Russian scientific and technical collaboration in the field of research infrastructures. CREMLINplus is based on the achievements and results of the Horizon 2020 project CREMLIN addresses all the recommendations that have been worked out in close European-Russian cooperation within the CREMLIN collaboration.
CREMLINplus is a voluminous project with a budget of 25 million euros and a consortium comprising 35 partners, from Russia and the EU and associated countries. It is a grand endeavour, setting out to fully implement jointly elaborated European-Russian collaboration agendas and to ensure that the collaboration framework conditions will be improved and continually harmonized.
CREMLINplus has two main strategic objectives:
First, to technically develop and push forward the European-Russian collaboration along five Russian megascience projects. This objective refers to the scientific-technical preparation of the megascience projects for Russian, European and international utilisation.
Secondly, to prepare a defined set of altogether 19 Russian research infrastructures (RI) of different thematic domains, for not only Russian, but also European and international access and utilisation. This includes developing and implementing suitable framework conditions for opening and accessing these Russian facilities, and also creating a broad base of knowledge and expertise for RI managers and scientists at various levels. This objective refers to the non-technical side of opening selected Russian infrastructures for European and international utilisation and of implementing a targeted EU-Russian training and staff exchange programme.
The ultimate, highly ambitious aim of CREMLINplus is to achieve a significantly higher level of cooperation between European and Russian partners in the area of research infrastructures.
CREMLINplus is a voluminous project with a budget of 25 million euros and a consortium comprising 35 partners, from Russia and the EU and associated countries. It is a grand endeavour, setting out to fully implement jointly elaborated European-Russian collaboration agendas and to ensure that the collaboration framework conditions will be improved and continually harmonized.
CREMLINplus has two main strategic objectives:
First, to technically develop and push forward the European-Russian collaboration along five Russian megascience projects. This objective refers to the scientific-technical preparation of the megascience projects for Russian, European and international utilisation.
Secondly, to prepare a defined set of altogether 19 Russian research infrastructures (RI) of different thematic domains, for not only Russian, but also European and international access and utilisation. This includes developing and implementing suitable framework conditions for opening and accessing these Russian facilities, and also creating a broad base of knowledge and expertise for RI managers and scientists at various levels. This objective refers to the non-technical side of opening selected Russian infrastructures for European and international utilisation and of implementing a targeted EU-Russian training and staff exchange programme.
The ultimate, highly ambitious aim of CREMLINplus is to achieve a significantly higher level of cooperation between European and Russian partners in the area of research infrastructures.
The work carried out in the European-Russian CREMLINplus project during the First Periodic Reporting covers the timespan from February 2020 to July 2021.
Generally, the project implementation is well on track, in spite of the various challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the project quickly adjusted to a fruitful virtual fashion of collaboration. Significant progress in the work programme has been made and remarkable achievements have been reached.
The project bodies have been set up and constitute a solid governance structure. A successful offline Kick-off Meeting, an online Annual Meeting 2021 as well as various meetings of the project bodies and working meetings within the work packages were conducted.
Altogether, 13 Deliverables were submitted and 16 Milestones were achieved. Overall, good progress in fulfilling the work programme has been made.
Remarkable highlights from within the technical work packages include, but are not limited to: The CBM and BM@N collaborations have jointly developed the Silicon Tracking Detectors for both experiments. The development of a high-brilliance cold neutron source for the PIK reactor was achieved. The development of the conceptual design (CDR) of the USSR main ring, the injection scheme and the RF system for the ring have been accomplished. The construction of the prototype for the SCT detector is in full swing. Five different particle detection technologies are being developed, simulated, and prototyped by the SCT collaborative community. In the design of components for the high-power laser project XCELS a number of technical challenges were investigated and solved.
Remarkable highlights from within the non-technical work packages include, but are not limited to: A novel helpdesk specifically set up to facilitate transnational access (TNA) to Russian RIs was successfully established. It is hosted and maintained by the Russian National Contact Point (NCP) for Research Infrastructures (RI) and offers support to European researchers as well as providers of Russian Research Infrastructures (RIs). A detailed survey on the potential of access to Russian RIs for European Researchers has been performed. The main elements for TNA Models to Russian RIs have been identified. The CREMLINplus Fellowship Programme as well as the Russian Fellowship Programme to Executive MBA for Management of Research Infrastructures (EMMRI) have been launched. Actions to establish and strengthen long-term collaborations between the European strategic initiatives (LEAPS, LENS and ESFRI) have been initiated.
Generally, the project implementation is well on track, in spite of the various challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the project quickly adjusted to a fruitful virtual fashion of collaboration. Significant progress in the work programme has been made and remarkable achievements have been reached.
The project bodies have been set up and constitute a solid governance structure. A successful offline Kick-off Meeting, an online Annual Meeting 2021 as well as various meetings of the project bodies and working meetings within the work packages were conducted.
Altogether, 13 Deliverables were submitted and 16 Milestones were achieved. Overall, good progress in fulfilling the work programme has been made.
Remarkable highlights from within the technical work packages include, but are not limited to: The CBM and BM@N collaborations have jointly developed the Silicon Tracking Detectors for both experiments. The development of a high-brilliance cold neutron source for the PIK reactor was achieved. The development of the conceptual design (CDR) of the USSR main ring, the injection scheme and the RF system for the ring have been accomplished. The construction of the prototype for the SCT detector is in full swing. Five different particle detection technologies are being developed, simulated, and prototyped by the SCT collaborative community. In the design of components for the high-power laser project XCELS a number of technical challenges were investigated and solved.
Remarkable highlights from within the non-technical work packages include, but are not limited to: A novel helpdesk specifically set up to facilitate transnational access (TNA) to Russian RIs was successfully established. It is hosted and maintained by the Russian National Contact Point (NCP) for Research Infrastructures (RI) and offers support to European researchers as well as providers of Russian Research Infrastructures (RIs). A detailed survey on the potential of access to Russian RIs for European Researchers has been performed. The main elements for TNA Models to Russian RIs have been identified. The CREMLINplus Fellowship Programme as well as the Russian Fellowship Programme to Executive MBA for Management of Research Infrastructures (EMMRI) have been launched. Actions to establish and strengthen long-term collaborations between the European strategic initiatives (LEAPS, LENS and ESFRI) have been initiated.
The progress of CREMLINplus in the first reporting period under pandemic conditions remarkably shows that such a voluminous and complex collaboration can be successfully carried out in a mainly virtual fashion. A certain part of the work programme that definitely requires on site and offline activities has been shifted to the second period of the project.
With regards to the technical work packages, the collaborating European-Russian groups have achieved a strong progress in designing unique technologies for megascience projects, ranging from the design of beamlines for neutron sources and photon sources, to developing cutting-edge detector technologies for particle physics experiments as well as neutron sources.
The non-technical work packages significantly contribute to fostering the scientific-technical exchange between Russian and European experts at various levels. The project plays an important role in opening up access to and utilisation of Russian facilities for international scientists.
Overall, the work carried out so far within CREMLINplus has significantly contributed to increasing the level of cooperation between European and Russian partners in the area of research infrastructures – and this will be built upon and expanded in the future.
With regards to the technical work packages, the collaborating European-Russian groups have achieved a strong progress in designing unique technologies for megascience projects, ranging from the design of beamlines for neutron sources and photon sources, to developing cutting-edge detector technologies for particle physics experiments as well as neutron sources.
The non-technical work packages significantly contribute to fostering the scientific-technical exchange between Russian and European experts at various levels. The project plays an important role in opening up access to and utilisation of Russian facilities for international scientists.
Overall, the work carried out so far within CREMLINplus has significantly contributed to increasing the level of cooperation between European and Russian partners in the area of research infrastructures – and this will be built upon and expanded in the future.