International Symposium
on
The Role of Science Academies towards the Future of Basic Sciences
İstanbul, Türkiye
28-29 April 2023
Basic sciences pave the way for high-impact discoveries that help make sense of the world as well as the universe we all live in. Namely, basic sciences enable researchers to explore the world so that they can try to find answers for a variety of fundamental questions about life processes. Technological and scientific breakthroughs achieved through basic sciences also empower human being to change and enhance living conditions. Likewise, scientific knowledge produced through research in basic sciences is important to stimulate sustainable development in a wide array of fields ranging from health-related quality of life to clean forms of energy. Moreover, basic sciences also benefit local economies as well as global economic growth as they facilitate new businesses, and thus create new job opportunities for individuals. Therefore, basic sciences can be considered as an indispensable resource for and part of human life.
As already known, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 as “the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development” and planned to organize events across the world until 30 June 2023. Based on this declaration, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) also decided to promote the importance of basic sciences by developing and carrying out a series of activities. In this sense, one of TÜBA’s most prestigious academy prizes was awarded for the field of Basic Sciences and Engineering in 2022. By the same token, TÜBA decided to organize a joint symposium in 2023, focusing particularly on basic sciences in order to contribute to the creation of a much greater appreciation for basic sciences, to discussions about and to raise awareness of the role of science academies for the future of basic sciences.
THEMES
Themes include but not limited to:
- The future of basic sciences
- The relationship between basic sciences and other fields
- Sustainability practices in basic sciences
- Role of basic sciences in sustainable living
- Basic science applications
- Recent developments in employment practices in basic sciences
- Science academies, universities, higher education and basic sciences
- The role of science academies in basic sciences
Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) is an autonomous apex body for the development and promotion of sciences in Turkey. The origins of the Academy go back to “Encümen-i Daniş” (Society of Scholars), which was founded in 1851 and known as the first Turkish science academy in the modern sense. TUBA is the single national academy in Turkey and it comprises all fields of sciences which are grouped under three categories namely a) basic and engineering sciences, b) health and life sciences, and c) social sciences and humanities. TUBA contributes to the promotion of sciences through its working groups, grants and awards, scientific reports and collaboration with sister academies in the world.
The Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA) was established in 2012 through the merger of the Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia (AASA) and the Federation of Asian Scientific Academies and Societies (FASAS) to promote solidarity and cooperation among the scientific and technological academies in Asia and Australasia and to play a central role in cooperative efforts for further developing the region through science and technology. AASSA currently has a total of 34 member academies and societies representing 30 countries. It is one of the four Regional Networks of IAP, the Global Network of Science Academies.