B.
E. Paton, President of the AcademyB.
E. Paton, President of the Academy 2001, the year of the 10-th anniversary of the independent
Ukraine, will take, in my view, a special place in the present-day history
of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine. Primarily, this is
due to the unbiased assessment of the achievements and problems of the
Ukrainian science in this period, its place in the international science
system and role in meeting the major challenges of economic, social and
cultural development of this country.
The previous year was also rich in events of utmost importance for
the Academy activities. The General Meeting of the NAS of Ukraine approved
the new Statute of the Academy, which, in compliance with new legal regulations
and under new conditions, defines its principal tasks, duties and rights
as those of the top research institution in the nation. Salaries of the
Academy research personnel were raised significantly. Fundamental research
in major areas of natural, social sciences and humanities was included
as a special item to the list of priority directions in the development
of science and technology for the period up to 2006.
And, finally, a special feature of the previous year was the fact that
stabilization of the economic situation, state support measures, including
provision of social welfare for scientists, resulted in certain improvements
in the science sphere of Ukraine in general, and in the National Academy
of Sciences in particular. For the first time in several years, the number
of Academy's researchers increased, including that of the candidates and
doctors of sciences. The number of young scholars went up 10% on the 2000
figure. After a long recession, the scope of research efforts expanded,
the number of license agreements and contracts rose, as well as that of
patented inventions and useful models.
No doubt, it would be still premature to announce
a definitive victory over negative tendencies and resolving of the problems
accumulated. But, summing up the results of the last decade, one does not
take any risks in stating that, despite heavy losses, our Academy was able
to preserve its powerful research potential and leading academic schools
in numerous advanced science areas. Some results of fundamental research
enriched the international treasury of knowledge. Quite a lot of promising
scientific and technical developments were produced. The sphere
of social sciences and humanities got a significant momentum. There
are also numerous examples of Academy's active role in meeting major challenges
of the national scale.
The year under review also witnessed convincing
proofs of this. Scholars of the Academy obtained a series of whole new
results in some highly relevant directions of mathematics, information
science and mechanics. Theoretical and experimental studies in physics
and astronomy made a significant contribution to the development of advanced
concepts concerning the nature of physical phenomena and the Universe.
A number of significant works in the Earth sciences, physical and engineering
problems of materials science and power engineering were done. Research
results of international level were attained in some areas of chemistry
and life science.
In the sphere of social sciences and humanities,
a large amount of fundamental research in economics, social, political,
ethnic and cultural development of the Ukrainian society was carried out.
Work to prepare a draft Strategy of the economic and social development
of Ukraine for 2002-2011 was started - and a draft Concept of reforming
the political system of Ukraine prepared. A weighty contribution to the
scholarly backing to the national and cultural revival of Ukraine is the
preparation and publication of numerous basic works, the first two volumes
of the five-volume "History of the Ukrainian Culture", "The Ukrainian Language"
Encyclopaedia, "History of the Ukrainian Literary Language" being among
them. An important event in the public and cultural life of Ukraine was
the issuing of the first volume of "Encyclopaedia of the Present-Day Ukraine".
As before, scholars were active in their efforts to study and publish works
of Ukrainian historical, cultural and literature heritage. In particular,
scholarly publication of an outstanding landmark of the Ukrainian spiritual
culture - the Peresopnitsia Gospel - was made, also started was the issuing
of academic 12-volume collections of writings by T.H.Shevchenko and O.T.Honchar.
Fruitful work of the Academy scholars was highly appreciated by the
state. In 2001, about 60 NAS members and researchers of its institutions
became winners of the State Prizes of Ukraine in Science and Technology,
18 scholars were awarded with honorary titles of Merited Workers of Science
and Technology and 24 researchers received high state awards.
As before, the Academy attached top priority to
the scientific backing of the basic economy branches, to developing science-intensive
high-tech production. Jointly with leading specialists of other agencies,
it worked out Fundamentals of the energy strategy of Ukraine out to 2030
and further perspective. The fuel
and-power sector started implementing the co-generation technology
of combined production of heat and power, as well as technology of integrated
degassing of coal seams and measure rock. The Academy played an active
role in preparing the State program of developing mineral-resource base
of Ukraine, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in the late 2001. A large
amount of research was done for the benefit of agribusiness. For the first
time in Ukraine, trans-genic plants of cereal crops were obtained - those
of wheat, oat, triticale. High-yield varieties of winter wheat, sugar beet,
soybean, maize hybrids, as well as new agrochemicals and biologically active
substances, were produced. They are being introduced successfully to farming
practice in many regions of the country.
Continuous work was done to implement high-tech developments in practice,
which, if introduced on a large scale, could produce a high economic effect
and raise the competitiveness of domestic production. Among these are technologies
of burning high-ash low-grade coal in circulating fluidized bed, production
of high-purity titanium and its alloys, new efficient plant-growth regulators.
Yet, the level of introducing these and numerous other developments to
practice remains unsatisfactory. Primarily, this is due to the lack of
the system of efficient mechanisms and stimuli that are to ensure necessary
investments to the innovative development of industry.
In the previous year, certain experience was accumulated in operating
the Ukraine-first R&D facility pools based in Academy institutions.
As of now, these pools have obtained and sold high-tech produce of Hr 50
mn worth. Out of nearly 60 officially registered projects, however, practical
work was only started on 12 ones in 2001. In our opinion, some more time
is needed to comprehensively analyze the activities of R&D facility
pools, resolve rather serious current inconsistencies and ensure real efficiency
of these, undoubtedly, promising innovative structures. At the same time,
revival of their pilot-production and design facilities is gaining the
utmost importance for numerous NAS research institutions.
An important aspect of the Academy activities was concerned with scientific
backing to environment preservation and ensuring sustainable development,
prevention of natural and technogenic emergencies.
Extensive work was done to study the causes and nature of floods in
the Transcarpathian region. The expert conclusion submitted by the Academy
to the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers proposed a number
of measures towards preventing and eliminating such disasters in future.
One should also note that NAS scientists presented a strong case against
the project to build the Danube-Black Sea deep waterway through the absolutely
forbidden zone of the Danube Biosphere Reserve, suggesting
an alternative route. By the way, our attitude towards this issue got
a positive appraisal of the President of Ukraine.
A joint session of the NAS Presidium and the Board of the Ministry
for Emergencies and Protecting the Population from the Chornobyl Disaster
Impact analyzed the status of natural and technogenic safety of Ukraine
and identified state-policy priorities in the sphere of population protection
from technogenic and natural catastrophes. Academy's proposals concerning
evaluation of the current operating status and residual life, safe exploitation
of high-risk facilities were taken account of in the Presidential Decree
issued in December 2001 to set up an inter-agency commission on science
and technology safety under the Council for National Security and Defense
of Ukraine.
Considerable attention was given to improving efficient coordination
of fundamental research in Ukraine, rationalizing its subjects, organizing
integrated interdisciplinary studies. At the Academy's suggestion, early
in 2001 the Cabinet of Ministers set up the Inter-Agency Council on Coordinating
Fundamental Research and approved regulations of its activities. An important
result of its work is the fact that for the first time ever the list of
priority directions for developing science and technology up to 2006, fixed
by the respective Law of Ukraine, contained fundamental studies of major
problems of natural, social sciences and humanities. Also determined were
basic regulations of collaboration between the State Fund for Fundamental
Research, which last year obtained the status of research institution and
that of legal entity, and the Inter-Agency Council on Coordinating Fundamental
Research, performing the functions of the supervisory board of the Fund.
The Academy formed 13 target research programs, approved by its Presidium
in early 2002, within the priority direction 'Fundamental research into
major problems of natural, social sciences and humanities'. The development
of these programs was aimed not merely at giving addressed support to the
most relevant fundamental studies, but also at introducing elements of
competition for research projects, extending interdisciplinary studies.
Of great importance is also the fact that the Academy continues to
start and gives support to new research directions meeting the present-day
needs of science and society. In particular, among those that have appeared
in the recent years are nanophysics and nanoelectronics, biosensorics,
cell and tissue transplantation. One can expect in the near future new
scientific breakthroughs from these areas, as well as from those of intelligent
information technologies, soft-matter physics, decameter radioastronomy,
materials science, molecular physiology, cryobiology. I should emphasize
that such an important new direc
tion as bioethics got organizational infrastructure last year, with
leading Ukrainian specialists in biology, medicine, philosophy and law
being involved in solving its problems.
A significant sign of the regional activities of the Academy was further
development of its business cooperation with local authorities. Agreements
with Lviv and Donetsk Oblast State Administrations were signed. The Program
of NAS collaboration with the Lviv oblast was formed and is being carried
out, the work to prepare the Program of scientific and technical development
of the Donetsk oblast up to 2020 is practically over. Academy institutions
obtained weighty results under the Program of cooperation between NAS of
Ukraine and the Kyiv City State Administration. Last year, major directions
of this program for the next 4 years were approved. Of great importance
is the fact that a Concept of sustainable balanced development of Kyiv
in the 21-st century was worked out, with a broad range of scholars and
specialists taking part in it. Principal ideas of this document have formed
the fundamentals of the general plan of Kyiv city development up to 2020.
An important result of the period under review is a notable revival
of international science and research-and-development ties of the Academy.
The range of research institutions participating in international science
programs and exchanges has extended, the number of joint projects and publications
has gone up, that of international science forums has also increased. The
NAS of Ukraine made the principal contribution to the international symposium
'Role of international organizations in the development of European R&D
space', held in September 2001 on its base. Scholars and specialists of
16 countries, as well as representatives of 10 international organizations,
attended this forum supported by UNESCO and the European Commission.
Great efforts went into measures concerned with
the activities of the International Association of the Academies of Sciences
(IAAS). One is to note that in accordance with the decision of its Council,
adopted last year in Dushanbe, our Academy will remain the base of the
Association. In terms of bilateral inter-academy relations, special attention
was given to developing collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences,
primarily in such important areas as space exploration, social sciences
and humanities.
Assessing the prospects of developing the science
potential of the NAS of Ukraine, I'd like to dwell on two issues that,
in my view, are the most pressing ones.
First, this is the problem of recruiting young researchers to our institutions.
As in the previous years, continuous and intensive efforts were taken to
solve the problem. The Agreement on cooperation with the Ministry of Education
and Science is being implemented successfully and collaboration of the
Academy with leading universities of the nation has deepened. Numerous
new structures have been set up and successful functioning of the existing
ones has been ensured to provide organic integration of science and education.
The scope and ways of addressed support to young researchers of the Academy
have broadened due to competitions of science projects proposed by young
researchers, as well as stipends and prizes of the President of Ukraine.
No doubt, all this has already brought some positive results. In particular,
the indices of recruiting young researchers to the Academy and those of
the post-graduate studies have improved. Still, one has to admit that the
measures taken are insufficient to radically change the situation to the
better. Of top priority is the problem of providing housing for young scholars.
And we appreciate the steps of the Kyiv City State Administration that
provided over Hr 5 mn for the purpose.
Another acute problem is extremely unsatisfactory
provision of Academy's science institutions with material and technical
resources, primarily with state-of-the-art research facilities, materials
and chemicals necessary for research. The amount of finance allocated for
these needs from the State budget of Ukraine does not meet even the minimum
requirements necessary for supporting the adequate level of experimental
studies, exploiting large-size research facilities, organizing scientific
expeditions etc. Moreover, if last year the Academy received budgetary
financing for salaries and utilities in full, financing of 'other expenses'
was at just over 40% of the target figure. Insufficient finance for this
item amounted to about Hr 40 mn. And though under the Law of Ukraine 'On
the 2002 State Budget of Ukraine' the finance for the NAS activities in
fields of science and science-and-technology rose by nearly one fourth
as compared to the previous year, this increase is essentially intended
for salaries and pay-roll taxes. So, to develop its material and technical
base of research, the task of utmost importance for the Academy and its
science institutions still is to actively raise more extra-budgetary finance
via commercializing their developments, fulfilling assignments of other
organizations and obtaining grants. Of great significance will be continuation
of successful work towards setting up centers for shared use of advanced
science equipment, started jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science.