SCK•CEN
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| Established | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Research type | Unclassified |
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Field of research
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Nuclear science & technology |
| President | Derrick Gosselin |
| Director | Eric Van Walle |
| Staff | 750+ |
| Location |
Mol, Belgium 51°13′07″N 5°05′36″E / 51.218524°N 5.093236°ECoordinates: 51°13′07″N 5°05′36″E / 51.218524°N 5.093236°E |
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Key People
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Eric Van Walle (director), Derrick Gosselin (chairman) |
| Website | www |
SCK • CEN (Dutch: Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie; French: Centre d'Étude de l'énergie Nucléaire) is the Belgian nuclear research centre located in Mol, Belgium, more specific near the township of Donk. SCK•CEN is active in various areas of research and services in the nuclear sector.
SCK•CEN is a foundation of public utility with a legal status according to private law, under the guidance of the Belgian Federal Ministry in charge of energy. SCK•CEN has roughly 750 employees an annual budget of €160 million. The organization receives 30% of its funding directly from government grants, 15% indirectly via activities for the dismantling of declassified installations and 55% from contract work and services.
Since 1991, the organization's statutory mission gives priority to research on problems of societal concern such as safety of nuclear installations, radiation protection, safe treatment and disposal of radioactive waste, fight against uncontrolled proliferation of fissile materials, and education and training.
SCK•CEN focuses on different topics in nuclear physics:
To these domains SCK•CEN contributes with research and development, training, communication and services. This is done with a view to sustainable development, and hence taking into account environmental, economical and social factors.
SCK•CEN was founded in 1952 and originally named Studiecentrum voor de Toepassingen van de Kernenergie (Research Centre for the Applications of Nuclear Energy), abbreviated to STK. Land was bought in the municipality of Mol and over the next years many technical, administrative, medical and residential buildings were constructed on the site. From 1956 to 1964 four nuclear research reactors became operational: the BR1, BR2, BR3 and VENUS.
In 1963 SCK•CEN already employed 1300 people, a number that would remain about the same over the next decades. In 1970 SCK•CEN widened its field of activities outside the nuclear sector, but the emphasis remained on nuclear research. In 1990 SCK•CEN was split and a new institute, VITO (Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; Flemish institute for technological research), took over the non-nuclear activities. SCK•CEN currently has about 750 employees.
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