Our Research

Throughout its more than 50 years of experience SCK•CEN has earned a reputation as a centre of excellence for research in the field of peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

SCK•CEN company synopsis (570 kB)

All research activities are concentrated into three scientific institutes, each specialised in a different research domain of the nuclear field.

• Institute for Nuclear Materials Science - NMS - Leaflet NMS (548 kB)
• Institute for Advanced Nuclear Systems - ANS - Leaflet ANS (581 kB)
• Institute for Environment, Health and Safety - EHS - Leaflet EHS (562 kB)

Researchers at SCK•CEN study the following research domains:

• Advanced nuclear systems: GEN-IV & MYRRHA (ADS)
• Nuclear materials
• Fusion technology
• Radiation protection
• Disposal of radioactive waste
• Societal aspects of nuclear research

The scientific institutes are further organised into expert groups devoted to specific research topics and projects.

SCK•CEN has several research facilities and laboratories at its technical domain. The most important infrastructures are:

• BR1 - Belgian Reactor 1
• BR2 - Belgian Reactor 2
• BR3 - Belgian Reactor 3
• VENUS - a zero-power critical facility
• HADES - the underground laboratory
• LHMA - Laboratory for High and Medium level Activity

Our scientific publications can be consulted in our Institutional Repository. Every year, we also publish a Scientific Report with the most important research results accomplished by our scientific staff.

We offer young scientific researchers the possibility to prepare a PhD thesis and support a four-year contract from a university, or provide a two-year contract at SCK•CEN for post-doc research. More information about this programme is available in the section Guidance for young researchers.