The idea to create the Institute for Radiation Safety and Ecology (IRSE) appeared after the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) and re-shaping of the test site as a research center. The Decree of the President N.A. Nazarbayev No. 409 about the SNTS closure was published on 29 August, 1991, and in May 1992 the Resolution of the RK Cabinet of Ministers No. 779 “About creation of the RK National Nuclear Center and the Atomic Energy Institute” was issued. The Resolution of the RK Cabinet of Ministers No. 1082 of 29.10.1993 the IRSE formed on the base of military unit No. 52605 was included in the NNC.
Military unit No. 52605 formed in Zvenigorod (Moscow oblast) in June of 1948 specially for carrying out nuclear tests on the SNTS was a central element of the test site and consisted of two main structural parts – the unit administration and scientific research sub-units (experimental-scientific unit), on the base of which IRSE was formed. Activities of all test site structures were controlled by the commander of the military unit – Director of the Test Site. The first commander of military unit 52605 was general-lieutenant P.M. Rozhanov and the first scientific supervisor - M.A. Sadovsky.
By the end of 1948 the scientific sector consisted of several departments: department of physical measurements, biological and weapons departments. Each of the departments consisted of several laboratories. The main base for staff training in physical measurements sector was the Institute of Chemical Physics (ICP) under USSR Academy of Sciences headed by academician N.N. Semenov, who personally lectured on fundamentals of nuclear physics. The scientific supervisor of training of the officers for the experimental field was M.A. Sadovsky, who at that time was deputy director of the Institute. Staff training was carried out by specialists of the Institute of Chemical Physics O.I. Leypunsky, I.L. Zelmanov, G.L. Shnirman, P.A. Yampolsky, V.B. Miller and others. The same specialists headed corresponding laboratories of the sector. To train officers, specialists of the State Optical Institute headed by Professor M.A. Elyashevich were also recruited. The main center for training specialists in the biological sector was Burdenko Principal Military Hospital and Biophysics Institute of the USSR AMS.

The Hero of Socialist Labor (1949), laureate of Lenin (1962) and 4 State prizes, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1966). One of the best specialists in physics of explosions. During the Great Patriotic War M.A. Sadovsky headed the Department of physics of explosion at the Institute of Chemical Physics under USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1943 he determined a functional dependence of the shock wave on the amount of exploded TNT. Later “Sadovsky’s formula” was modified with respect to the nuclear explosion and is used everywhere to determine so-called TNT yield equivalent of nuclear explosion. In 1946 M.A. Sadovsky serving as the deputy director of AS ICP headed a special sector carrying out experimental investigations of all parameters of nuclear explosion. In 1946 M.A. Sadovsky was appointed as the first scientific leader of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. He occupied this position till 1968 and extensively contributed to the theory and practice of nuclear tests. In 1949, after successful tests of the first atomic bomb, M.A. Sadovsky was awarded Stalin Prize and the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1958, at the request of I.V.Kurchatov, M.A. Sadovsky became involved in the problem related to banning of nuclear tests and control of observance of potential agreements in this sphere. Since 1968, already heading the Institute of Earth Physics, for a long time M.A. Sadovsky was a scientific supervisor of the development of automated complex of seismic stations equipment in the USSR Minsredmash.

Organizational structure of the experimental-scientific sector changed many times because the composition and types of departments depended on specific tasks for experiments. At the initial stage, the test program formulated the following main problems: physical observations, biological observations, observations of explosion impact on different types of weapons and structures. Later, it became necessary to study radiation effects of nuclear explosions in more detail, in particular, to study radiation contamination of the area. To solve this problem the radiochemical laboratory was removed from the sector of physical observations, and on its base a new radiation direction was created. Biological sector was transformed into medico-biological sector with focusing its activities on the problems of influence of destructive factors of nuclear explosion on biological objects. Even before the test of the first Soviet nuclear charge we knew from the American experience of nuclear explosions that nuclear explosion, especially at low heights and on the earth surface is accompanied by radioactive fallout. Therefore, at the beginning of the tests in order to study radioactive contamination of the territory, in the experimental-scientific sector was organized a radiochemical laboratory. After carrying out tests on the SNTS it became clear that it was necessary to conduct more detailed study of the processes of radioactive contamination of the territory including production of fission fragments and isotopes with induced activity, creation of radioactive particles, their composition, properties, behavior in air and many other characteristics. Therefore, an independent radiation sector was created.
To study the impact of destructive factors of nuclear explosion on living organisms and, eventually, on the staff and population there was formed a medico-biological sector. It existed till disbandment of the test site. Special attention was paid to the destructive impact of ionizing radiation since at that time there was very little information on this pathology. The problem of radiation disease appeared only after the first nuclear explosions. Solution of this difficult problem practically started from zero, and the Test Site became the place of its studying. Practically SNTS became the place where foundation of medical radiology and radiobiology was created, and the first recommendations on radiation protection and radiation safety standards were developed. In 1969 a group of specialists including the specialists of the SNTS experimental-scientific sector was awarded the USSR State Prize for the works in the field of radiation medicine.
On 29 August, 1991 by the decree No. 409 of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev the Semipalatinsk test site was closed. Nuclear tests on that test site were stopped forever. All objects of the former test site were passed under control of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NNC RK). By June 1994 the last Russian military units including unit No. 52605 quartered on the Test Site left Kazakhstan. Together with the troops, a large part of the personnel of the scientific sector left Kurchatov and most of the equipment was removed from the test site. The first director of the Institute was doctor of biological sciences Akhmetzhan Tleubayevich Seysebayev, who survived with the Institute in the most difficult time – organization and first steps of the Institute. Scientific and equipment base of IRSE was formed by the laboratories of scientific sector of the military unit. Later on equipment basis of the Institute has considerably increased during implementing of the international projects and awarding of international grants first of all from ISTC, NATO and IAEA. Among the leading specialists worked G.S. Smagulova, V.A. Azarov, V.Yu. Sergeyev and others. In order to carry out immediate investigations of the radiation situation on the test site, it was decided to create on the basis of the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty a Branch of IRSE, which was headed by A.V. Yushkov. Among those who took active part in the creation of the Institute in addition to A.V. Yushkov it is necessary to name V.P. Burmistrov, S. Khazhekber (later the head of the department), O.I. Artemyev, V.A. Didorenko, N.N. Lashkul and others. In 1995 the position of director of the Institute was occupied by the last head of the Radiation Safety Service, candidate of technical sciences – Samat Gabdrasilovich Smagulov. In the period from 1997 till mid-2002 the Institute was headed by Murat Abdrashitovich Akhmetov, then till May 2006 the director of the Institute was Larissa Denisovna Ptitskaya. At the present time director of the IRSE is Sergey Nikolayevich Lukashenko.

AKHMETZHAN TLEUBAYEVICH SEYSEBAYEV
Seysebayev was appointed director of the Institute in 1993. Having passed training with the leading scientists of the Soviet Union (probation in the AS Institute of General Genetics, USSR, AS Institute of Biophysics, USSR), Akhmetzhan Tleubayevich became one of the organizers of radiobiological investigations in Kazakhstan and a leading scientist in the field of plants radiation genetics.
SAMAT GABDRASILOVICH SMAGULOV
Smagulov was director of the Institute from 1995 to 1997, candidate of technical sciences, veteran of the Test Site, Laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation in science and technology. In 1996 Smagulov in co-authorship was awarded the RF Government Prize in the field of science and technology for successful completion of liquidation of the last nuclear charged device. Awards: orders – “Courage” – 2000, “For serving motherland”, 3-rd degree – 1987, medal “For service in battle” – 1984, badge “for liquidation of ChNNP accident”.
MURAT ABDRASHITOVICH AKHMETOV
Akhmetov was director of the Institute from 1997 to 2002. As director of the IRSE NNC RK, Akhmetov made extensive contribution to organization and realization of liquidation of the infrastructure of nuclear weapons tests on the STS, which promoted successful fulfillment of international agreements of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Akhmetov was awarded Honored diploma of the Ministry of Power, Industry and Commerce. For great personal contribution to liquidation of the consequences of nuclear tests in Kazakhstan he was also awarded a medal “For outstanding labor achievements”.
LARISSA DENISOVNA PTITSKAYA
Ptytskaya headed the Institute from 2002 to 2006. In the position of deputy director and then director of the Institute she extensively contributed to the modernization of apparatus-methodological base and organization of research works in the Institute. She took part in the liquidation of the accident on Chernobyl NPP. She was awarded a medal “For outstanding labor achievements”

In this section we used materials of the book “Semipalatinsk Test Site. Creation, development, activity”, I.A. Akchurin, Moscow, 2007.

The Institute employs over 190 people including 4 PhD (candidates of sciences), 22 researchers and 82 people with university diplomas.

Leading scientific staff in the Institute