INSTITUTUL DE FIZICA ATOMICA

Their core work

Romania's national institute for atomic physics, headquartered in Magurele near Bucharest, conducting research in nuclear and plasma physics with a strong focus on fusion energy. Their primary H2020 contribution is through the European fusion research programme (EUROfusion), where they support the roadmap toward commercial fusion power. They also participate in radiation protection research and run nationwide science engagement events aimed at bringing physics research closer to the general public.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014-2016), the institute focused on large-scale fusion research and broad national-level science outreach with an edutainment approach. From 2018 onward, their public engagement shifted toward participatory formats — citizen science, hands-on experiments, and collaborative community engagement rather than one-way communication. Their fusion and radiation protection work remained the scientific backbone throughout.

Their outreach is evolving from broadcast-style science communication toward interactive citizen science, suggesting growing capacity for participatory research and Green Deal communication.

How they like to work

Always a participant, never a coordinator — they join large established programmes rather than leading their own. The 270 partners across 29 countries are largely a result of the massive EUROfusion consortium, not independent relationship-building. For smaller outreach projects, they likely work within Romanian national networks. Expect them to be a reliable contributing partner rather than a project initiator.

Connected to 270 unique partners across 29 countries, though this reach is overwhelmingly driven by the pan-European EUROfusion consortium. Their independent network outside fusion is likely concentrated in Romania and Central-Eastern Europe.

What sets them apart

As Romania's atomic physics institute, they combine serious nuclear and fusion research infrastructure with a proven track record in making complex physics accessible to the public. They are one of Romania's key entry points into the European fusion research community through EUROfusion. For consortium builders, they offer both technical depth in plasma/nuclear physics and demonstrated ability to handle dissemination and public engagement work packages.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUROfusion
  By far their largest project (EUR 4.6M), contributing to the European fusion energy roadmap — signals deep institutional commitment to fusion research.
• CONCERT
  European Joint Programme integrating radiation protection research, connecting the institute to the nuclear safety community beyond fusion.
• DoReMi-RO
  Represents the shift toward citizen science and hands-on engagement, with explicit focus on collaborative community participation in research.