The Board of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society Summarized the Results of Its Work for 2024
On December 6, 2024, a meeting of the Board of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society (UkrNS) was held. The meeting focused on summarizing the organization’s activities for 2024 and outlining the Society’s plans for the upcoming year.
The meeting was opened by the President of UkrNS, Volodymyr Kholosha, who congratulated the Society’s members on completing a fruitful year and wished them an equally active and productive next period. The program included a report on the Society’s activities, the performance of its regional branches and secretariat, information on the execution of the Society’s budget, and the approval of the work plan and expenditure estimates for 2025. The Executive Secretary of UkrNS, Danylo Lavrenov, presented updates on ongoing projects and new initiatives undertaken by the Society in 2024.
Report of the Scientific and Analytical Section The Chair of the Scientific and Analytical Section, Kostiantyn Simeiko, presented the section’s results for 2024. He highlighted the successful organization of scientific events, particularly two international conferences: the VI International Conference “Prospects for Innovation in Nuclear Energy” and the V.M. Voievodin International Conference “Challenges of Modern Nuclear Energy.” Simeiko extended gratitude to all participants and partners who contributed to these events. The participants discussed plans for future scientific activities, including the upcoming Scientific and Technical Conference “Challenges of Modern Nuclear Energy,” to be held in April 2025 in Kharkiv. Representatives of the Kharkiv branch, Serhii Lytovchenko, Kostiantyn Lobach, and Valerii Zuyok, provided updates on the conference preparations. The secretariat also presented several grant opportunities for Ukrainian researchers offered by international donors and partners.
Women’s Section Activities
The meeting featured a report on one of the newly activated areas of the Society’s work — the activities of the Women’s Section. Throughout the year, the section worked to implement the Society’s Gender Equality Plan, which was developed and approved in 2024 to align with sustainable development goals and promote gender balance within the organization. Efforts included recruiting new section members from regional branches and organizing events to support and develop leadership skills among women in the industry. Reports on these activities were delivered by Khrystyna Lylak from the UkrNS secretariat, Olena Vtoraya (head of the Southern Ukraine branch of UkrNS in Yuzhnoukrainsk), Tetyana Hozhulianyna (Dnipropetrovsk branch based at SE SkhidGZK), and Tetyana Zakrevska (head of the branch at Atomproektinzhynirynh, NNEGC Energoatom). The Board approved the regulations for the Women’s Section and updated regulations for the Society’s Youth Section.
International Cooperation
The meeting also addressed international activities of UkrNS, emphasizing its productive collaboration with European and American nuclear societies and organizations in other countries. Efforts included supporting Ukrainian nuclear professionals during the ongoing conflict, participating in international scientific programs and projects, and engaging in activities of the global nuclear community. Significant attention was given to the Society’s volunteer and charitable activities. Members of the secretariat and regional branches have been consistently supporting Ukrainian defenders, meeting their needs for equipment and other necessities on the frontlines. Establishment of a New Branch – “Isotope” A key decision of the Board meeting was the creation of a new branch of UkrNS—”Isotope,” based at the state enterprise UkrDO Radon Isotope. This leading state enterprise specializes in the supply of radioisotope products and equipment utilizing radioactive materials. The new branch has already commenced active civic engagement, promising to make a significant contribution to the Society’s development.
New Partnerships and Agreements
At the end of 2024, UkrNS signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN), a regional professional organization uniting nuclear industry experts. The memorandum outlines joint efforts to advance nuclear energy and technologies, implement innovations, promote nuclear, radiation, and physical safety, and address social, gender, and other sectoral issues. Another memorandum was signed with the George Kuzmych Training Center for Physical Protection, Accounting, and Control of Nuclear Materials of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The agreement focuses on collaboration in organizing joint educational, scientific, and outreach events to train, retrain, and improve the qualifications of nuclear security specialists. The Center’s head, Serhii Drapei, presented its activities and cooperation opportunities.
Concluding Decisions The Board deemed the work of the secretariat and regional branches in 2024 satisfactory and approved the UkrNS work plan and expenditure estimates for 2025, covering all planned activities and projects.
