For the second year in a row, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, along with the entire country, has been operating under martial law. Its head, academician Anatoliy Zahorodniy, spoke about the results of 2023 and plans for the future in an interview for the program "About Science. Competently" (author – academician Volodymyr Semynozhenko) for the NAS of Ukraine YouTube channel.
He noted that 2023 was not easier than the previous year. Due to missile attacks, scientists had to work under constant air raid alerts, without proper electricity and heating supply. Basic funding was further reduced. Academic institutions continued to suffer damage and destruction, losing expensive scientific equipment as a result of mass missile strikes.
But even under these conditions, the Academy’s scientists continued to work and achieve world-class results. As an example, the President of the NAS of Ukraine mentioned the successes of scientists involved in the preparation and execution of experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, observations with the Hubble, TESS, and James Webb space telescopes. Despite severe damage, scientific activity continues at the UTR-2 and GURT radio telescopes. Materials scientists synthesized crystals with p-type electrical conductivity for the first time, which are extremely promising for use in optoelectronics and nonlinear optics, as well as materials for thin-film solar cells and water-splitting catalysts. Chemists synthesized new substances and materials to meet the needs of energy, chemical industry, environmental protection, and more. Geneticists proposed new extra-drought-resistant high-yield winter grain crop varieties. These can replace fodder corn in southern regions of Ukraine, which has not been grown there in recent years due to critical drought. Social humanities researchers conducted demographic studies and research on the social condition of society. New volumes of major encyclopedic publications were released.
Regarding the most significant practical implementation results of developments, Anatoliy Zahorodniy named advanced electron-beam technologies used in energy, rocket and space engineering, and medicine; modified bioactive ceramics successfully used for the first time to restore large lost limb fragments in soldiers after gunshot wounds; special polyurethane composites used to reinforce soils, tunnel linings, and waterproofing in the metro. Social humanities specialists participate in creating digital intelligent language-information systems and knowledge bases about weapon systems and military equipment, ammunition prohibited by the Geneva Convention, and military personnel of the aggressor country who committed crimes on Ukrainian territory (the database contains over 70,000 personal records of Russian servicemen).
The head of the Academy also noted that despite the difficult wartime, the Scientific and Technical Complex "Institute of Single Crystals" managed to open a new laboratory with the latest equipment for comprehensive microbiological and molecular genetic research. He also mentioned that new elements of the control and protection system for water-water reactors developed at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology are already undergoing testing.
Anatoliy Zahorodniy also specifically addressed the work of academic institutions for the security and defense of our state and spoke about cooperation with international partners.
During the interview, the President of the NAS of Ukraine also outlined the Academy’s vision for reforming the scientific sphere. He emphasized, in particular, that the Academy has never denied the necessity of such reform, but reforms must be transparent, understandable, balanced, and implemented step by step.
In conclusion, academician Anatoliy Zahorodniy highlighted the main tasks for the Academy in the near future. These include research in the interests of security and defense, economic high-tech progress during wartime and post-war periods, as well as the development of quantum technologies and artificial intelligence.