NUCLEAR PHYSICS IS THE STUDY OF THE ATOMIC NUCLEUS, ITS STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOUR. IT IS A KEY BASIC SCIENTIFIC FIELD THAT INVESTIGATES THE PROPERTIES OF MATTER AT THE SUBATOMIC LEVEL. OVER THE PAST CENTURY, SUCH RESEARCH HAS LED TO A VAST RANGE OF APPLICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES, MANY OF THEM EXPLOITING NUCLEAR REACTIONS AND THE HIGH-ENERGY RADIATION EMITTED. IN THIS WAY, NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED NOT ONLY TO HEALTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY IN COUNTRIES ACROSS THE WORLD BUT ALSO MORE GENERALLY TO HUMAN PROGRESS, CULTURE AND A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT.