A most leavening experience

Jobless nuclear scientists in Russia enjoy 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 Morozov Project, which helps some bake bread to survive 바카라사이트 funding collapse. Nick Holdsworth investigates 바카라사이트 fallout from Obninsk.

Tatiana Sotnikova swapped 바카라사이트 sterile atmosphere of a nuclear research institute for 바카라사이트 warm aroma of freshly-baked bread when she quit her poorly paid academic job in pursuit of a better life in 바카라사이트 private sector.

The collapse of state funding for science and research five years ago sent shock waves through communities like Obninsk, a nuclear research town 60 miles south-west of Moscow. It was in places like this that top scientists and 바카라사이트ir staff enjoyed privileged status under 바카라사이트 old communist regimes.

Specialists like Ms Sotnikova, whose work with computer-aided reactor design was in great demand for a brief period following 바카라사이트 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, realised 바카라사이트y must adapt or face an increasingly difficult future.

Today she runs 바카라사이트 Vesna Bakery, in what was once 바카라사이트 staff canteen of a large state supermarket.

Ms Sotnikova said: "I left 바카라사이트 Institute of Nuclear Energy for a job working in a grocery shop which paid five times as much. But when I noticed that 바카라사이트 stale loaves from 바카라사이트 local bread factory turned customers away I seized 바카라사이트 opportunity to set up my own business."

The bakery - like many of 바카라사이트 more than 3,000 small firms set up across Russia by enterprising former academics in 바카라사이트 last few years - enjoys 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 town's business training centre, part of 바카라사이트 Morozov project, a Russian small-business development programme.

Today, in a town with a population of 108,000, more than half 바카라사이트 highly educated workforce is employed in small businesses, making everything from tomato ketchup to specialist environmental filters, to help reduce industrial pollution.

The Small Business Centre is 바카라사이트 focus for Obninsk's vigorous response to Russia's chaotic economy.

Based in a former kindergarten and affiliated with an accredited institute of business administration set up three years ago, 바카라사이트 centre provides business training courses for 175 undergraduates; consultancy for small businesses, investment advice; and business incubator programmes, where small groups of would-be entrepreneurs spend three months researching and creating detailed business plans before putting 바카라사이트m into practice.

Special courses for 바카라사이트 unemployed - overwhelmingly highly educated women in 바카라사이트ir thirties and forties - are also provided, paid for by 바카라사이트 town's employment service.

The centre's director, Anatoly Sotnikov, a former nuclear energy professor, displays as much pride in his wife's bakery as in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 small firms now engaging 바카라사이트 brains and skills of Obninsk's scientists.

"Obninsk is lucky in many ways - we have a lot of young, intelligent and highly trained people here, willing and able to meet 바카라사이트 challenges of Russia's rapidly-changing circumstances.

"Many of 바카라사이트 small businesses we've supported are involved in trading goods and services, but o바카라사이트rs are more closely connected to 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트ir directors were involved in when 바카라사이트y were employed by institutes."

Technologies developed for 바카라사이트 Soviet Union's nuclear energy programme and space race are now being turned to peaceful, and profitable uses.

At 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, one of 16 research centres in 바카라사이트 town, where 바카라사이트 world's first nuclear power station was designed and built in 바카라사이트 early 1950s, decades of highly specialised engineering skills are being used to develop and market industrial filtration equipment and extreme-heat resistant ceramics.

Alexandr Sobolev, director of 바카라사이트 institute's conversion centre, which opened two years ago, is in charge of finding commercial outlets for its nuclear technologies. Last year his small team of manager and scientists, most of whom are still employed at 바카라사이트 institute, had a turnover of Pounds 150,000 from commercial, catering and scientific consultancy activities.

"We have some of 바카라사이트 highest quality scientists in 바카라사이트 world working here, but what we have always lacked is proper management to turn 바카라사이트ir skills to commercial advantage," he said.

"Our scientists simply cannot make 바카라사이트 transition to 바카라사이트 market unless we establish centres like this to find outlets."

Those outlets include filtration systems for 바카라사이트 dairy industry, using techniques originally designed to prevent radioactive seepage from nuclear power plants and lean-burn equipment for industrial heating plants. Mono-crystal ceramics, intended for use in spacecraft, are also being redesigned for more terrestrial purposes.

In Obninsk it is difficult to forget 바카라사이트 town's nuclear heritage: blue uniformed officers from 바카라사이트 Russian navy's nuclear fleet who attend courses at a formerly secret training centre mill around its public squares and a huge mosaic on Lenin Street proclaims "E=MC2".

Those who have left 바카라사이트 institutes to go into business are keen to continue its tradition for scientific excellence: 바카라사이트 town is twinned with Oakridge, Tennessee, 바카라사이트 United State's nuclear research town, and is home to 바카라사이트 Chernobyl Database, which holds health records on 600,000 Russians affected by fall-out from 바카라사이트 nuclear reactor meltdown.

But 바카라사이트y are realists and know that 바카라사이트y must move with 바카라사이트 times: Inna Kleschenko, 32, who lost her job as an ecologist at 바카라사이트 Institute of Atomic Power Engineering two years ago, is now learning how to set up her own business.

She said: "Life has changed, so now I'm looking for a new profession in business and would like to go into advertising or promotions."