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Mission, Objectives and History
The Division of Nuclear and Radiochemistry (DNRC) is a European network of scientific societies and researchers working in nuclear and radiochemistry. It also maintains close links with related institutions worldwide.
To support broad communication and collaboration, DNRC cooperates with key international organizations such as IUPAC and the IAEA, as well as with relevant journals and newsletters.
DNRC is committed to establishing and maintaining the highest quality standards in nuclear and radiochemical science and research. It also plays a coordinating role in education and training across all aspects of these fields. And it provides a platform for communication and collaboration among scientists working in nuclear and radiochemistry.
Objectives of the DNRC are:
- To contribute to the advancement of nuclear and radiochemistry in Europe;
- To identify important areas in science, technology and other human activities relevant to nuclear and radiochemistry, and to stimulate actions in such fields;
- To address aspects of importance in or to nuclear and radiochemistry which need regulation, harmonisation, standardisation or codification, and to make recommendations as appropriate;
- To encourage cooperation between nuclear and radiochemists whether working in academia, industry or governance, in particular within the countries of the member societies of EuChemS;
- To foster close contacts and cooperation of DNRC with the European Commission and other relevant institutions;
- To safeguard the interests of the nuclear and radiochemistry community, especially concerning recognition and legitimisation in matters of regulation and legislation as well as decision making in economic and in social areas;
- To assist and strengthen quality in teaching and training of nuclear and radiochemistry in education and in daily practice;
- To support the transfer and exchange of knowledge, equipment and personnel in the areas of DNRC expertise both within Europe and in non-European countries;
- To hold a European Conference at least every other year;
- To assume a general promotion and coordination function for other conferences and courses in Europe related to DNRC activities;
- To disseminate information to the wider scientific community and general public about nuclear and radiochemistry and its achievements.
History of the Division of Nuclear and Radiochemistry of EuChemS
It began at the First International Conference on Nuclear and Radiochemistry (NRC) in Lindau, Germany, in 1984. At this meeting, twenty countries informally nominated a Liaison Person (LP) through their national chemical society to discuss the way forward for the field. This informal network became known as the European Radiochemists Association (ERA).
The initial objective of the ERA was to strengthen communication between radiochemists in Europe via a newsletter. Its aims included:
- Appointing a liaison person in each country (or regional group).
- Exchanging information among LPs on the activities of their national groups for the current and coming years.
- Creating a calendar of relevant international events to avoid clashes in scheduling and to improve attendance.
- Sharing information on specialist equipment, facilities, and methodologies.
The LPs explored how best to achieve these goals. A formal membership structure with subscriptions was considered but rejected as difficult to implement and potentially restrictive. Instead, a freely available newsletter was seen as the most effective way to advance the aims.
At Lindau, the Radiochemical Methods Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RCMG, now RCG) agreed to organize a second conference, held in Brighton in 1988. The RCMG arranged NRC2 with active input from most LPs via regular communication. Around the same time, Dr K. Buchtella (Austria) offered to host the third conference in Vienna (NRC3), which was subsequently organized without involvement of the LPs.
By the time of NRC3, the LPs had agreed by email that the conference series should continue and accepted an offer to hold the fourth conference in St Malo, France, in 1996. A formal meeting in St Malo again considered the future of the network. The LPs concluded that forming a link or association with an existing organization would be the best way forward.
NRC becomes a regular European conference series
Two years later, a panel discussion at the 13th Radiochemistry Conference in Mariánské Lázně and Jáchymov (Czech Republic) endorsed the idea of a regular European conference on nuclear and radiochemistry. The ERA therefore supported keeping the NRC conference series in Europe and resisted attempts to move it elsewhere.
At this stage, the ERA had made tangible progress. The Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) agreed to provide secretarial support, as it was then acting as the secretariat for the Federation of European Chemical Societies (FECS, the forerunner of EuChemS). Financial support from the RCG enabled the production of a printed newsletter. The first issue of Radiochemistry in Europe was compiled by Dr Anthony R. Ware (RCG) and circulated in hard copy to all LPs in August 1995.
Following extensive discussions, a draft constitution was prepared and submitted to FECS with a request for affiliated status. While the idea of a separate European Radiochemists Association was preserved in spirit, it became clear that establishing an independent association would be difficult. FECS, however, shared many of the original aims of the ERA. At its General Assembly in September 1999, FECS agreed to establish a Working Party on Nuclear and Radiochemistry (WP).
The constitution of the WP, developed and agreed together with the LPs, allowed each of the 48 chemical societies associated with FECS to appoint one member to the Working Party. Many LPs were formally appointed in this way. The WP could also include non-voting members from other organizations. Formal committee meetings were held annually, as required by the constitution.
The first formal meeting of the new Working Party took place during NRC5 in Pontresina, Switzerland, in 2000, where Dr Tony Ware was elected Chair and Secretary.
The very first issue of the Radiochemistry in Europe newsletter
A Division of EuChemS
The Federation of European Chemical Societies later became the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS, as it was then known). Dr Tony Ware continued to serve on the EuCheMS Council and submitted a constitution to transform the Working Party into the Division of Nuclear and Radiochemistry (DNRC). In addition to the successful NRC series, the Division also integrated the Radiochemical Conference series held in the Czech Republic every four years, thereby establishing a major European conference on nuclear and radiochemistry every two years, in line with its aims.
Dr Ware served as both Secretary and Chair of the Division until 2007, when the secretariat was taken over by Dr Simon Jerome (UK). After 24 years of service to the DNRC, Dr Ware was succeeded as Chair in 2008 by Prof. Dr Heinz Gäggeler of the Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland. He was followed by Dr Nick Evans (UK) in 2014. After a short interim chairmanship by Prof. Gäggeler at the turn of 2015–2016, the current Chair, Prof. Jon Petter Omtvedt (Norway), took over in 2016. Dr Jerome was succeeded as Secretary in 2008 by Prof. Jan John (CTU Prague), who continues to hold this position.
In recognition of his extraordinary service to the DNRC, Dr Tony Ware became the first recipient of DNRC Honorary Membership, accompanied by the “Pro Meritis” DNRC medal. This distinction is awarded to individuals with outstanding merits and long-standing contributions to the DNRC.