Arjan Koning new honorary doctor at Uppsala University
Arjan Koning is new honorary doctor at the Faculty of Science and Technology. Photo: Private.
Arjan Koning, head of the Nuclear Data Section at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has received an honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Congratulations on being awarded an honorary doctorate - what does it mean to you?
“Thank you, this is a very huge honour to me. I know these things are not easily given away. It´s a recognition of the work I´ve done in collaboration with Uppsala University. I feel like I leveled up! Uppsala will always have a special place in my heart.”
What has your collaboration with Uppsala University been like?
“My collaboration with Uppsala University goes back to the late 1990s. It took its start when I was giving advice on their program in Nuclear Physics. Between 2006 and 2013, me and Jan Blomgren, formerly professor in Nuclear Physics at Uppsala University, organized courses in Nuclear Physics in universities all over Europe. During these years I was also assisting PhD students from Uppsala University, mostly from a distance since I was living and working in the Netherlands at the time.
“In 2013, Uppsala University appointed me adjoint professor, which is a great honour, especially since being an adjoint professor allows you to nominate scientists to the Nobel Prize committee. Unfortunately, my nominee didn´t get the prize but it´s still a great honour!
“I was also a main lecturer at a big course on nuclear reactions. One main goal with my work has always been to prepare students for a professional future in the nuclear industry. When I tutor students through a thesis, I make sure it can be useful not only in the academia but also in the nuclear industry.”
You have also created two important tools for studying nuclear reactions. What can you tell us about them?
“I am the lead developer of TALYS, a software package for simulation of nuclear reactions. It´s the most used computer code program in Nuclear Physics. I also developed the Koning-Delaroche model, an optical model used to predict basic nuclear reactions. I see these as two main achievements of my career in Nuclear Physics.”
Currently you are head of the Nuclear Data Section at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Would you tell me about your work at IAEA?
“I went to IAEA, based in Vienna, Austria, in 2015. IAEA is the most important centre for nuclear data in the world. You can say that this organisation takes a central role in the world, concerning everything nuclear. We host scientists from Uppsala on a regular basis.
“Being head of a group of 16 people from all over the world gives an administrative burden, meaning I don´t have 100 per cent time for science. As much as I like this work, I´m also looking forward to have more time for science when I retire, in about three years.”
Are there any other achievements you are particularly proud of?
“Last year I was awarded the Los Alamos Oppenheimer coin as a scientist who has made significant contributions to nuclear science. By coincidence, one week before I received this award, the Oppenheimer movie was awarded seven Oscars!”
Sigrid Asker
Honorary doctor Arjan Koning
As a head of research, Arjan Koning has coordinated multiple international projects and served as chair of the European Joint Evaluation Fission and Fusion (JEFF) project from 2003 to 2010, an OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency consortium with around 50 members developing the European nuclear data library. He has also previously been programme director for the largest nuclear research programme at NRG in the Netherlands and advisor to the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs on nuclear science.
Koning earned his PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Groningen in 1992 and has collaborated with researchers from Uppsala University since the late 1990s, including as a second supervisor. He was also adjunct professor at Uppsala University from 2013 to 2019.
Arjan Koning will give his honorary doctorate lecture on 29 January, 12:15 –13:00, at the Ångström Laboratory, Heinz-Otto Kreiss Hall, Å101195.