We will leverage the role of major science and technology infrastructure to bring benefits to mankind

China's major scientific and technological infrastructure from the past to the present overall level in the international advanced ranks, the achievements are obvious. For example, the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerator National Laboratory is at the leading level in the world in the accurate measurement of short-lived atomic nuclei, the generation of high-current and high-charge ion beams, and the high-current proton superconducting linear accelerator. In response to the national demand, our laboratory has also undertaken a large number of detection experiments on the reinforcement of single-particle effect anti-irradiation devices. Before the important domestic aerospace devices "go to the sky", they must complete the detection on the ground in the laboratory.

The "national treasure" returns to society

Outlook: How does major scientific and technological infrastructure promote scientific and technological innovation?

Zhao Hongwei: Most of China's scientific and technological achievements are related to major scientific and technological infrastructure, and this is also true worldwide. China's major science and technology infrastructure has made a large number of achievements and remarkable achievements in breaking through the frontiers of science and discipline development, breaking through and cultivating key core technologies, spawning new and high technologies, opening up new cross-cutting fields, and solving the sustainable development of the national economy and society. Worldwide, about 40% of Nobel laureates rely on major scientific and technological infrastructure for their achievements. Therefore, major scientific and technological infrastructure plays a very important role in scientific and technological innovation.

For example, in the field of cutting-edge basic research, relying on the Lanzhou Heavy ion Accelerator scientific Facility, the Institute of Modern Physics has synthesized more than 30 new nuclides for the first time in the world, and accurately measured the mass of 26 kinds of short-lived nuclei for the first time. Based on the ion accelerator science facility and nuclear physics research, an accelerator-driven advanced nuclear fission energy system is proposed to solve the long-term sustainable supply of nuclear fuel, the full utilization of uranium resources and the safe and harmless disposal of spent fuel. In terms of people's health, relying on this major scientific device, after more than 20 years of continuous efforts, we have developed advanced heavy ion therapy tumor technology with independent intellectual property rights, and developed a special heavy ion accelerator device for the treatment of solid tumors, which has been industrialized and promoted.

Major science and technology infrastructure is also an extremely important platform for gathering high-end talents, training talents, demonstrating the image of a major country, promoting international cooperation and exchanges, and carrying out science and core technology exchanges. For example, the modern Institute of Physics has established close cooperative relations with more than 50 research institutions and universities in the United States and Europe, produced very important scientific and technological achievements, and trained a group of scientific research talents for our use. During the construction of Lanzhou heavy ion cooling storage ring project, the role of international cooperation was fully played, and a number of foreign experts participated in the construction. These rare experiences have cultivated and created a group of high-end scientific and technological talents, young scientific and technological talents and high-level innovation teams with international level and vision. It can be said that major scientific and technological infrastructure has become a "reservoir" for cultivating and absorbing outstanding scientific and technological talents.

The Institute of Modern Physics is a base-based institute that relies on major scientific and technological infrastructure to carry out research on advanced nuclear energy systems driven by heavy ion science and technology and accelerators. For more than 60 years, the Institute has been conducting research on nuclear physics, atomic physics, radiobiology, heavy ion driven high energy density physics, material irradiation and technology, accelerator-driven advanced nuclear fission energy, ion beam-based nuclear technology related applications, and particle accelerator large scientific facilities. It has led the development of China's heavy ion science and technology, accelerator driven nuclear energy technology, and achieved a number of major basic research achievements represented by the synthesis of new nuclides and accurate measurement of nuclear mass; A series of key technological breakthroughs have been made in the fields of superconducting ion source and continuous-wave high-current proton superconducting linear accelerator. A number of heavy ion irradiation technologies such as heavy ion treatment of cancer and irradiation mutagenesis breeding have been transformed, and the localization of special equipment for heavy ion tumor treatment of large medical equipment has been realized. As of July 2022, as the first unit and participating unit, a total of 186 achievements of the Institute of Modern Physics have won provincial and ministerial level awards, including 20 national awards.