Europe and United States assess international support of science in Russia and Ukraine

He was the keynote speaker at a conference titled �International Support of Science in Russia and Ukraine: A 10-Year Retrospective and Forward Look�, hosted by the Royal Society and the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF).

The conference participants payed special attention to three areas, deemed critical to the future of science and technology in Russia and Ukraine:

• Support of young researchers
• Bridging the gap between basic and applied research
• Strengthening research systems and infrastructure

The conference brought together scientists, program administrators, and government representatives from Western countries and Russia and Ukraine to look at programmatic models that have worked over the past 10 years.

Ten years ago, following the break-up of the Soviet Union and the associated economic crisis, Russia and Ukraine saw a virtual collapse of their scientific infrastructure. Western governments and organizations responded with an array of programs designed to help science and scientists in Russia and Ukraine, and the former Soviet Union (FSU) survive in the short term, and to rebuild the scientific infrastructure in the longer term. The West�s interests in pursuing these programs were diverse and include national security, altruism, and a pragmatic view of the roles of science and technology in stabilizing the region.

Dr. Gerson Sher, President and Executive Director of the CRDF and member of the conference organizing committee, summed up the expectations of the event. �The international community�s support of Russian and Ukrainian science has been truly of historic proportions,� Dr. Sher said. � We are hoping that this conference will help us to understand the impact of these programs and guide us in our future efforts.�

Sir Brian Heap, Foreign Secretary and Vice President of the Royal Society, said �This excellent joint initiative will highlight future opportunities and challenges for interactions with high quality science in Russia and Ukraine. This is more necessary than ever for the promotion of international stability. The Royal Society has a long standing programme with Russia and Ukraine from which outstanding research has emerged.�

The conference was held at the Royal Society in London, England on October 22-23, 2001. Additional information on the conference is available at http://www.crdf.org/conference2001.html.

The Royal Society is an independent academy promoting the natural and applied sciences. Founded in 1660, the Society has three roles, as the UK academy of science, as a learned Society, and as a funding agency. It responds to individual demand with selection by merit, not by field. The Society�s objectives are to:

• recognise excellence in science
• support leading-edge scientific research and its applications
• stimulate international interaction
• further the role of science, engineering and technology in society
• promote education and the public�s understanding of science
• provide independent authoritative advice on matters relating to science, engineering and technology
• encourage research into the history of science

The U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation is a non-profit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress and established by the National Science Foundation in 1995. This unique public-private partnership promotes scientific and technical collaboration between the United States and the countries of the former Soviet Union. The CRDF�s goals are to:

• support exceptional peer-reviewed research projects that offer scientists and engineers alternatives to emigration and help prevent the dissolution of the scientific and technological infrastructure of the countries of the FSU
• advance the transition of weapons scientists to civilian work by funding collaborative non-weapons research and development projects
• help to move applied research to the marketplace and bring economic benefits both to the countries of the FSU and the to the United States.

NOTE TO EDITORS

You are invited to interview the key speakers, Sir Brian Heap, Academician Zhores Alferov, Dr. Irina Dezhina, Dr. Gerson Sher, Dr Loren Graham, and Dr. Yarsoslav Yatskiv, as well as other speakers and panel presenters. Please contact the Royal Society Press Office to arrange a time for interviews. An agenda for the two days and background information on the speakers are available on request or on the CRDF web site.

For further information and to arrange an interview, please contact:

Soccy Ponsford
Press and Public Relations
The Royal Society, London
Tel: 020 7451 2508
Email: press@royalsoc.ac.uk