National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine facts for kids
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| Formation | November 27, 1918 (official date and the first General Assembly)
November 14, 1918 (signing of the law by the Hetman of Ukraine) February 11, 1919 (by the Soviet historiography) |
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| Headquarters | Kyiv, Ukraine |
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Chairman
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Anatoliy Zahorodniy |
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) is a very important organization in Ukraine. It is funded by the state and manages many research institutes across the country. Its main goal is to help science and technology grow in Ukraine.
The NASU is the top research organization in Ukraine. It works alongside five other academies that focus on different science areas. The Academy has many departments, research institutes, and scientific centers.
Every year, the Academy reports on its work to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The main office of the Academy is in Kyiv, at vulytsia Volodymyrska, 57.
From 1919 to 1991, it was part of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.
Contents
How the Academy's Name Changed Over Time
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has had five different names throughout its history. This table shows how its name changed.
| Names for the Academy | Native language | dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian Academy of Sciences | Українська академія наук | 1918—1921 |
| All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences | Всеукраїнська академія наук | 1921—1936 |
| Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR | Академия наук Украинской ССР | 1936—1991 |
| Academy of Sciences of Ukraine | Академія наук України | 1991—1993 |
| National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine | Національна академія наук України | since 1994 |
History of the National Academy of Sciences
How the Academy Was Created
The idea for the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences came from the Ukrainian Science Society in April 1917. This was eight months before the Soviet-Ukrainian War began.
The Academy was officially started during the time of the Ukrainian State. The Minister of Education, Mykola Vasylenko, suggested forming a special group. This group was led by Volodymyr Vernadskyi, an academician from the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The group worked on a plan to create the Ukrainian Academy of Science in Kyiv. This plan included a National Library, a National Museum, and other scientific places. On November 14, 1918, the Hetman of Ukraine, Pavlo Skoropadsky, signed the law to establish the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. He also approved its rules and appointed the first 12 full members, called academicians.
The Academy's first rules said it would have three main research areas. These were history and language, physics and mathematics, and social studies. It planned to have many institutes, commissions, museums, and laboratories. All its publications were to be in the Ukrainian language.
The Academy's rules also stated that members could be from the Ukrainian State or from West Ukraine. Foreign scientists could also become members if two-thirds of the active members agreed.
The Ukrainian government chose the first leaders and academicians. Future members would be elected by these first academicians. Some of the first members were famous historians, economists, and scientists.
The Academy officially began its work in late November 1918. On November 27, 1918, Volodymyr Vernadsky was elected the first President. Ahatanhel Krymsky became the permanent secretary.
The Academy's Early Years
The Academy started during a time of great political trouble and economic hardship. This included the Ukrainian–Soviet War, the Russian Civil War, and the Polish–Soviet War. The Academy's leaders tried to get recognition from each new government. They always stressed that the Academy was focused on science, not politics.
Despite money problems, hunger, arrests, and some members leaving, the Academy survived. It even grew its structure and research areas. It also began preparing its scientific works for publication.
On February 11, 1919, the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences was given a mansion in Kyiv. This building, which used to be a boarding house, became its new home. The next day, on February 12, 1919, the Academy held a special meeting. From the late 1920s, this day was often considered the start of the Academy in Soviet history.
After many changes in power, the Bolsheviks took control of Kyiv permanently in December 1919. Volodymyr Vernadsky resigned as President. Orest Levytsky was then elected President for a few years.
In 1921, the Academy was renamed the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (VUAN). This new name showed its importance for all Ukrainian lands. However, relations between the Academy members and the Soviet authorities became difficult.
In 1929, two of its members and 24 other associates were arrested. They were accused of belonging to a group called the Union for the Freedom of Ukraine, which was later found not to exist. None of those arrested were ever released.
Leaders of the Academy
Here are the people who have led the Academy as Presidents and Chief Scientific Secretaries.
Presidents of the Academy
| Presidents of the Academy | |
|---|---|
| Vladimir Vernadsky | 1918 — 1921 |
| Orest Levytsky | 1919 — 1921 |
| Mykola Vasylenko | 1921 — 1922 |
| Orest Levytsky | 1922 |
| Volodymyr Lipsky | 1922 — 1928 |
| Danylo Zabolotny | 1928 — 1929 |
| Aleksandr Bogomolets | 1930 — 1946 |
| Vladimir Plotnikov | 1941 — 1942 |
| Aleksandr Palladin | 1946 — 1962 |
| Borys Paton | 1962 — 2020 |
| Anatoly Zagorodny | 2020 — incumbent |
Chief Scientific Secretaries
| Secretaries of the Academy | |
|---|---|
| Ahatanhel Krymsky | 1918 — 1928 |
| Ovksentiy Korchak-Chepurivsky | 1928 — 1934 |
| Izrail Agol | 1934 — 1937 |
| Mykhailo Kyrpychenko | 1941 |
| V.Chudynov | 1941 — 1942 |
| Anatoliy Shpak | |
| Anatoly Zagorodny | 2009 — 2011 |
| Vyacheslav Bohdanov | 2015 — |
How the Academy is Organized and Managed
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is a top scientific organization in Ukraine. It is "self-governed," meaning it can mostly decide its own research topics. It also manages its own finances, staff, and international scientific partnerships.
The Academy brings together many scientists. These include full members, corresponding members, and foreign members. It conducts important research in natural, technical, social, and humanities sciences.
How the Academy is Managed
The highest decision-making body is the General Assembly. This group includes all full members and corresponding members. Scientists from the Academy's research institutes also take part in some decisions.
Between General Assembly meetings, the Academy is run by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Presidium. This group is elected every five years. The Presidium meets in the former Countess Levashova building in Kyiv.
The NASU has 3 main sections, which are divided into 14 departments. There are also 6 regional science centers across the country. These centers work with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The Academy's main parts are its research institutes and other scientific places. These include observatories, botanical gardens, and libraries. In 2006, the Academy had over 43,000 employees. More than 16,000 of them were researchers.
The NASU is responsible for most of the important scientific discoveries made in Ukraine. For example, they helped change lithium into helium and developed a special 3-D radar.
Academy Sections
The Academy is divided into three main sections, each with several departments:
- Section of Physical-Technical and Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Mechanics
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Department of Earth Sciences
- Department of Physical and Technical Problems of Materials Science
- Department of Physical and Technical Problems of Power Engineering
- Department of Nuclear Physics and Power Engineering
- Section of Chemical and Biological Sciences
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Biochemistry, Physiology and Molecular Biology
- Department of General Biology
- Section of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Department of Economics
- Department of History, Philosophy and Law
- Department of Literature, Language and Art Studies
Regional Science Centers
The Academy has regional science centers in different parts of Ukraine:
- Donetsk SC (now in Kramatorsk) - 9 research institutes
- Western SC (Lviv) - 18 institutes
- Southern SC (Odesa) - 7 institutes
- North-East SC (Kharkiv) - 17 institutes
- Dnieper SC (Dnipro) - 7 institutes
- Crimea SC (Simferopol) - 8 institutes (currently not active since 2014)
Most of the Academy's institutions (212) are in Kyiv. Other cities like Kharkiv (39) and Lviv (27) also have many. The Academy has at least one institution in most regions of Ukraine.
Scientific Institutions of the NASU
Libraries
The NASU has two national libraries:
- The V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine with 10 million books and old manuscripts.
- The V. Stefanyk National Library in Lviv.
Institutes
- A. Pidhornyi Institute of Mechanical Engineering Problems in Kharkiv
Parks and Nature Reserves
The Department of General Biology manages several parks and nature reserves:
- Trostianets dendro-park
- Donetsk Botanic Garden
- Danube Biosphere Preserve
- Karadah Nature Preserve
- Kryvyi Rih Botanic Garden
- Luhansk Nature Preserve
- M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden
- Oleksandriya dendro-park
- Sofiyivka dendro-park
- Ukrainian Steppe Nature Preserve
- Black Sea Biosphere Reserve
Publishing Houses
The NASU has two publishing houses that print scientific books and journals:
- «Наукова думка» (meaning "Scientific Thought")
- «Академперіодика» (meaning "Academic Periodical")
The NASU has made big contributions to many areas of science.
Awards Given by the Academy
Bogolyubov Prize
The Bogolyubov Prize is given to scientists who make outstanding contributions to theoretical physics and applied mathematics. This award honors the famous physicist and mathematician Nikolay Bogoliubov. It was first given in 1992.
Some Winners of the Bogolyubov Prize
- 2004 — Anton Grigorievich Naumovets
- 2002 — Leonid A. Pastur, for his work on field theory
- 2002 — Sergiy Peletminsky, for his work on field theory and disordered systems
- 1998 — A. V. Pogorelov, for creating advanced math methods for physics
- 1997 — Vasiliy S. Vladimirov
- 1996 — Vladimir A. Marchenko, for his work in mathematical physics
- 1993 — Oleksandr Sharkovsky, for his work on quantum systems
- 1992 — Yurii Mitropolskiy, for his work on averaging methods in physics
Vernadsky Gold Medal
The Academy has given out its Vernadsky Gold Medal every year since 2004. It is given to the most distinguished academicians.
Some Winners of the Vernadsky Gold Medal
- 2003 Borys Paton
- 2004 Platon Kostiuk and Szilveszter E. Vizi
- 2005 Viktor Skopenko and Nikolai Plate
- 2006 Yurii Mitropolskiy and Yury Osipov
- 2007 Myroslav Popovych and Georges Nivat
- 2008 Viktor Baryakhtar and Vladimir Kadyshevsky
- 2009 Volodymyr Marchenko and Jean Bourgain
- 2010 Mikhail Lisitsa and Manuel Cardona
- 2011 Borys Oliynyk and Blaže Ristovski
- 2012 Mykola Bahrov and Nikolai Laverov
- 2013 Oleksandr Huz and Herbert Mang
- 2015 Alexei Abrikosov
- 2016 Anthony Turner and Ganna V. Elska
- 2021 Anton Zeilinger
See also
- National Herbarium of Ukraine
- Ukrainian Science Society (1907–1921), an earlier science group
- Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
- Members of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Other State-Funded Research Institutions in Ukraine
- Institute for Problems of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine
- National Academy of Arts of Ukraine
- National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine
- National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine
- National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine
- National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine
- Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Public-Funded Research Institutions in Ukraine
- Academy of Mining Sciences of Ukraine
- Academy of Economic Sciences of Ukraine
- Academy of Higher Education of Ukraine
- Shevchenko Scientific Society
- Ukrainian Free Academy of Sciences of Canada (Winnipeg)
- Ukrainian Academy of Art and Sciences in the US (New York)
