Sixteen academicians elected to National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

Sixteen academicians and 28 corresponding members were elected to the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), BelTA learnt from the NASB press service.

"The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has summed up the results of the election of the new full members (academicians) and corresponding members. 16 academicians and 28 corresponding members were elected,” the press service said.

The election took place during the session of the general meeting of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 13 and 14 November. There were 24 vacancies for the title of an academician and 39 for a corresponding member. The biggest competition was among the candidatures for the title of academician in plant biotechnology (four persons). The biggest competition among the corresponding members was for the title of corresponding member in engineering technology (seven persons).

Among the new academicians there are three members of the Bureau of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences: First Deputy Chairman of the NASB Presidium Sergei Chizhik, Deputy Chairmen of the NASB Presidium Sergei Killim and Alexander Sukalo, Academician-Secretary of the two NASB branches, five directors of the NASB institutes. The title of academician specializing in heart surgery was awarded to the famous heart surgeon, head of National Research Cardiology Center Yuri Ostrovsky, in the area of tool making to Director of BelOMO’s Research Center LEMT Alexei Shkadarevich. The average age of the newly elected academicians is 61 years.

Among the 28 elected corresponding members are two academicians-secretaries the NASB branches, six heads of the organizations affiliated with the NASB, Director of OAO Design Bureau Radar – Management Company of the Systems of Radiolocation Holding Company Sergei Kostromitsky and a number of prominent medical scientists, including Director of the National Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopaedics Alexander Beletsky, Rector of Grodno State Medical University Viktor Snezhitsky. The average age of the newly elected members-correspondents is 60 years.

Election of NASB academicians and corresponding members is held every 2.5 -3 years for the existing vacancies across the specialties approved by the NASB Presidium.