BELARus

opTiCAL DiAGnosTiCs LAB is A synERGy oF Two pARTnERs
LoD isT mEHR ALs summE ZwEiER pARTnER
professor jurgen sCHRAiBER,
research supervisor of the
international optical diagnostics
lab (Dresden):
Science is a true foundation of
economic, social and moral development
of any society. Its essence is
international and recognizes no borders.
The Belarusian-German relations
are a vivid example. The rapidly
developing scientific and technical
cooperation is an important part of
the relations. Scientific ties between
Belarus and Germany have a long
history. They were born several decades
ago thanks to personal contacts
between two prominent physicists
Professor Bernd Wilhelmi and
academician Nikolai Borisevich. As
both countries put a lot of emphasis on developing science and technologies
as well as commercializing R&D results, the Physics Institute of the National
Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Institute for Non-Destructive
Testing in Dresden both had the same goals to achieve. Practice demonstrated
that joint ventures, research centres, and labs that unite efforts of
scientists from different countries for the sake of achieving common goals
are an effective mechanism to assimilate scientific achievements in real
life.
Since the Soviet Union times Belarus has accumulated extensive experience
of research efforts, has traditionally well-developed technical sciences,
optics, information technologies and physics. In turn, Fraunhofer research
institutes have designed a lot of advanced technologies and
cutting-edge technical solutions. An idea has arisen to combine considerable
fundamental laser optics advances of the Stepanov Physics Institute
with competence and applied research experience of the Institute for Non-
Destructive Testing. The idea has come true thanks to creators of the Applied
Photonics Centre — academician Nikolai Kazak (the director of the
Physics Institute at that time) and Professor Michael Kroening (the executive
director of the International Research and Development Centre in Moscow
and the head of the Fraunhofer institute in Saarbrucken and Dresden
at the time) — who founded the international optical diagnostics lab. The
cooperation focused on promoting the latest scientific achievements and
technologies onto markets of the West and the East.
Meanwhile, we are working on addressing the most interesting and
topical tasks at the forefront of science, knowing that each of us could not
have achieved such considerable results alone. Advantages of the scientific
union are primarily manifested as opportunities for cooperation between
scientists in optics, spectroscopy, theoretical physics and chemistry.
Such a conglomerate of heteropolar knowledge aimed at reaching
one goal allows us to reach into more scientific space, securing advances
in online product quality control, optical sensors, nanotech and many
other promising avenues. The use of scientific networks, including the access
to research done by Russian scientists, is an additional bonus the cooperation
gives.
Mutual trust, respect and understanding play an important role in our
relations. These circumstances have helped us become a collective of fellow
research officers, who stimulate and encourage each other. It is testified by
a certain reconnaissance of the force that has happened over the time and
has made our collective stronger. The German side used to be more responsible
for finding industrial tasks and establishing contacts with clients, while
the Belarusian side was responsible for technical solutions. At present Minsk
vigorously attracts clients while Dresden is busy with working on projects.
Thus the optical diagnostics lab is much more than a sum of two partners.
Each institute has its strong sides. For the Belarusian side those are optics,
information technologies, for the German one — mechanics, electron-
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ics. Thus the two teams enrich each other and complement each other. It is
these factors that help to find new concepts and effective ways to address
research and assimilation tasks, implement commercially successful and
profitable projects.
The development of functionalized nano diamond surfacing is one of
them. It is an idea suggested by Viktoria Lapina, Candidate of Chemistry,
who has many years of experience in this field. The new technology improves
many technical parameters several times over in comparison with
existing technologies. For instance, it increases the wearing capacity by 5
times, adhesion — by 3-5 times, at least halves the weight of surfacing, reduces
surface tear and wear at the air border.
German investors are ready to put money into the Belarusian science. In
particular, the company Sentech intends to allocate over €200,000 for designing
a new ellipsometry instrument. The company Thyssen Krupp plans to invest
in designing a system to control wire surfacing during wire production.
Belarus has created good conditions for international scientific cooperation
and is shaping a favourable climate for investments. Undoubtedly,
in time the factors will bring even more Western investors, who are ready to
finance Belarusian research services.
prof. Dr. jürgen sCHREiBER, Leiter des internationalen Laboratoriums
für optische Diagnose (Dresden):
Wissenschaft bildet eine wirkliche Grundlage für die wirtschaftliche,
soziale und geistige Entwicklung jeder Gesellschaft. Sie ist in ihrem Wesen
internatonal und hat bekanntlich keine Grenzen. Ein krasses Beispiel stellen
deutsch-belarussische Beziehungen dar, vor allem jene wissenschaftlichtechnische
Zusammenarbeit, die eine rasche Entwicklung verzeichnet.
Wissenschaftliche Partnerschaft zwischen Belarus und Deutschland blickt
auf eine langjährige Geschichte zurück und ist nicht zuletzt dem privaten
Kontakt zweier berühmten Physikwissenschaftler zu verdanken: Prof. Dr.
Bernd Wilhelmi und Akademiemitglied Nikolai Borissewitsch. Da die beiden
Länder einen großen Wert auf die wissenschaftliche und technische Entwicklung
sowie eine gewinnbringende Vermarktung erzielter Ergebnisse
legen, standen sowohl das Institut für Physik der Nationalen Akademie der
Wissenschaften (Belarus) als auch das Fraunhofer-Institut für Zerstörungsfreie
Prüfverfahren (Dresden) vor einer gleichen Aufgabe. Die Praxis lehrt,
dass gemeinsame Unternehmen, Zentren, Labors eines der wirksamsten
Mechanismen sind, wissenschaftliche Errungenschaften ins Leben zu rufen,
weil dafür verschiedene Teams in unterschiedlichen Ländern gemeinsame
Ziele verfolgen.
Seit Sowjetzeiten verfügt Belarus über traditionsreiche Forschungsmethoden.
Ingenieurwissenschaften, Optik, Informatik und Physik sind traditionell
gut entwickelt. Andererseits sind viele Fraunhofer-Institute führend
German Fraunhofer Institute for Non-Destructive Testing
Fraunhofer-Institut für Zerstörungsfreie Prüfverfahren
№ 2 • 2009 AUSSENWIRTSCHAFTSBLATT