Scientists from six countries attend Congress of Physicists in Minsk

Scientists from several countries will discuss the problems and prospects of development of modern physics, Director of the Stepanov Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Kabanov said at the opening of the Fourth Congress of Physicists of Belarus.

“The main thing for the participants is to discuss the problems facing the physical science, its development prospects and to compare what is done in the country with the results in the international physics,” said Vladimir Kabanov, adding that this is the only way to map out the forward movement. "They say that in science there is no high road, but nevertheless the world development trends do exist and they shape out short-term results," said the head of the Institute. He drew attention to the fact there are a lot of well-known areas of research. However, the themes which are not in the focus today may become the hot topics in the future. "The combination of work on the main areas and search for new ways of development are the main task for physical science and its application in our country," said Vladimir Kabanov.

Vladimir Kabanov said that the holding of congresses allows physicists to close ranks and encouraged the participants to active work. He emphasized that this year the congress is held in the run-up to the 100th birthday of one of the founders of the Institute of Physics Boris Stepanov who was its head for 28 years. “Development of modern physics is associated with this man. Science seems to have no boundaries, it is international. However, its development in every country directly depends on the efforts of some individuals, enthusiasts who devote their lives to science,” Vladimir Kabanov said.

The Fourth Congress of Physicists of Belarus is held in the National Academy of Sciences on 24-26 April. The forum will discuss a wide range of issues including physics of the 21st century: new fundamental knowledge, materials, technologies and methods, interrelation between physics and energy saving, environment and medicine, the role of science in people’s life and the personnel training.

A symposium timed to the 100th anniversary since the birthday of academician Boris Stepanov will be held during the congress as well as a Belarusian-Swedish-Ukrainian seminar. About 270 scientific works have been submitted for participation in the congress. Leading scientists from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Sweden, and Poland are expected to take part in the operation of the forum.

The event is organized by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Stepanov Physics Institute, the Education Ministry, the Belarusian State University, the Belarusian Physics Society, and the Belarusian National Fund for Fundamental Research.