Science and Health

China's top nuclear agency CIAE turns 60 now

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-29 14:23

BEIJING -- China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) over the past few days has held a series of programs including workshops, art performances, and visits to its retired senior members to mark its 60th founding anniversary.

In 1950, one year after the People's Republic of China was founded, the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), the predecessor of the CIAE, was established in Beijing. This marks the beginning of China's research in nuclear science and technology, according to Zhao Zhixiang, CIAE's president.

In 1954, the Institute of Modern Physics was moved to the present site, in the southwestern suburbs of the city. Lacking in funds and modern facilities, the country's first group of nuclear scientists worked and lived in very difficult conditions, though many of them had quit their well-paid jobs abroad and returned to help develop a modern defense industry for the nation.

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During the politically turbulent 1960s and 1970s, the institute made notable achievements in nuclear research, built China's first reactor and accelerator, and played an important part in developing satellites.

China quickened its development of nuclear science and technology from the late 1970s, when the country launched the Reform and Opening-up Drive. In 1984, the institute was given its present name.

Now, the CIAE owns dozens of research reactors, zero-power facilities, accelerators, hot cells and a large number of modern instruments, equipment and computers.

Since the beginning of this century, the CIAE has launched a broad research and development program covering nuclear physics, nuclear chemistry, nuclear electronics and detector techniques, isotope technology, radiation metrology, radiation protection, advanced materials, biomedical engineering, intensive laser applications and electronic information techniques.

This year, the CIAE has succeeded in developing the "China Experimental Fast Breeder Reactor" and "China Advanced Research Reactor," indicating the country is No 1 in Asia in the study of nuclear science and technology.

In addition to fundamental research and contribution to the defense sector, the CIAE has, in the past decade, tried hard to develop civil-use techniques and equipments for a wide range of customers including nuclear power plants and public facilities.

The CIAE is the manufacturer and supplier of hundreds of radiative detectors for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the current Shanghai World Expo, according to Chen Xiaopeng, publicity official of the institute.

The institute has fostered a large number of talented people including notable nuclear scientists and thousands of postgraduates in the past 60 years.

More than 60 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Chinese Academy of Engineering Science have worked with the institute.