Academic seed

It seems that on that day there was no happier person than the acting President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Kozlov. And the reasons for joy were good: the last day before the vacation, a couple of months - and he will cease to lead the Academy of Sciences, and most importantly - the former director Mian managed to fight off the hot persuasion of colleagues to become a candidate in the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences. On July 25, 2017, on the day of completion of the nomination of candidates, on the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Vasilievich presented to reporters a list of seven applicants for the main academic post in the country.

He said that expanded meetings of the Bureau of thematic departments and meetings of the presidiums of regional branches were held from April 24 to July 20, 2017. After all the discussions and voting, as well as the nomination of each of the candidates at least 50 member science and academicians to the post of head of the Academy of Sciences, seven academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences were nominated (in alphabetical order):

Evgeny Kablov (CEO of the All -Russian Institute of Aviation Materials (VIAM)), nominated by the Bureau of Chemistry and Sciences of the Materials of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as 133 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (born in 1952, 65 years old);

Gennady Krasnikov (CEO of AO “NII Molecular Electronics”, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC Mikron), nominated bureau of the Department of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Presidiums of the Far Eastern and Siberian Branches of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as 122 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (born in 1958, 59 years old);

Robert Nigmatulin (Scientific adviser to the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences), nominated by 129 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1940, 77 years old);

Vladislav Panchenko (Scientific Director of the Institute of Problems of Laser and Information Technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Council of the RFFI), nominated by the Bureau of three departments: nanotechnology and information technologies, historical and philological sciences, global problems and international relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as 153 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1947, 70 years old);

Alexander Sergeyev (director of the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences), nominated by the Bureau of Three Departments: Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences and Energy, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics and Management of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Presidium of the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as 238 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1955, 61 years old);

Alexei Khokhlov (Vice -Rector of Moscow State University, head of the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of the Polymers of the Institute of Elemental -Organic Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences), nominated by 96 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (born in 1954, 63 years);

Valery Chereshnev (Director of the Institute of Immunology and Physiology of the Ukoran), nominated by the Bureau of the Department of Physiological Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as 78 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1944, 72 years old).

It turns out that the signatures in support of the candidates put almost a thousand members of the Academy of Sciences. Of the 13 departments (by areas of science), 9 were determined with their position, and of the three regional ones - all. So far, the position of medical and agricultural departments is not clear, as well as for whom mathematicians and representatives of the Earth sciences will vote. However, the position of the Bureau of the Department does not mean that all members of these departments will support those for whom the leadership spoke. This is evidenced by at least hot debates at a meeting of the Bureau of the Department of Historical and Philology Sciences, where the result of voting for Vladislav Panchenko was 11: 5 in his favor.

On July 25, on the day the press conference was held, the Federation Council approved the draft Federal Law No. 193608-7 with amendments to the 253-ФЗ “On the Russian Academy of Sciences ...” [1], approved on July 20 by the State Duma in the third reading. On July 29, the bill was signed by Vladimir Putin.

Amendments to the Law on RAS provide for the election of the head of the Academy of Sciences by a simple majority (more than 50%), and not two thirds of votes, as before. Until the general meeting of September 25–27, all candidates will have to be approved by the Government of the Russian Federation. Such a procedure “approval - not approvams” will be held in the modern history of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the first time. After the consultations held at the top, Valery Kozlov did not rule out that the Government of the Russian Federation can approve everyone.

However, if the government approves only one candidate or at the general meeting none of the candidates will gain more than 50% of the vote, or it will happen that all the candidates will withdraw from the elections until the vote, then new elections will be held within six months. The same will happen if the academician is not approved by the President of the Russian Federation selected after such a complex procedure for nomination, approval and voting by the Academy. Then, for the period before the repeated elections, Vladimir Putin will appoint the acting head of the Russian Academy of Sciences of one of the Academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which the government of the country will offer.

In September (most likely, in the Moscow House of Scientists), there will be speeches of candidates to the academic public. The programs of candidates will be published on the Internet, in particular on the RAS website. “ Why did you refuse? After all, your candidate would unite many, ” I asked Valery Vasilievich on the sidelines. He laughed and, flashing with a cunning eye, said: “But then there would be no such intrigue!” “I was sure that you would be persuaded. How did you manage to survive? " “But they will respect more.” Knowledgeable people say that Kozlov wants to focus on his more suitable work of the academic secretary of the department of mathematical sciences. After the death of academician L. D. Faddeev in February 2017, this position remains vacant.

At the press conference, fears were heard that the quorum would not gather at the general meeting (there were talk about some “dark forces” working on this). But Valery Kozlov expressed confidence that everything will be fine and the elections will be successful. However, before the voting day, a few more weeks, and I will not be surprised if one of the participants will withdraw his candidacy (again there are rumors about the possible removal of one of the academicians).

At the moment, potential leaders (judging by the number of departments and academicians who supported them are Gennady Krasnikov, Vladislav Panchenko and Alexander Sergeyev. In any intrigue, the most interesting moment is when several strong participants rush to the finish line, and the winner is revealed in an honest struggle, during the final spurt.

Whether the vote at the general meeting will become such a spectacular ending, and not by playing with the removal of the strong before the start of the race, time will tell. "Among the nominated people there are knowingly impassable candidates ... Why are they participating in the elections, realizing that they have no chance?" - asked colleagues from the "Search". Valery Kozlov said that he did not have an answer to this question: “The consent to the nomination is associated with the analysis of the situation, how realistic it is to be elected, and even more - what can be done in five years ... Yes, our candidates have unequal chances. And in fact, if we proceed from such realistic reasons, it is actually known who will be elected, ” the acting, laughs. Head of the Russian Academy of Sciences. With these words, he turned the gaze into the ceiling, hinting at a fateful course of events. “But we don’t know about it now” (see 38th minute of the video [2]).

In one, Academician Kozlov urges us to be confident: the votes in the elections will be honest honestly.

Natalia Demina

1. Http://asozd2.duma.gov.ru/main.nsf/(Spravka)?openagent&rn=193608-7

2. Video recording of the press conference of V.V. Kozlov dated July 25, 2017 see www.youtube.com/watch?v=w31g0uiqemu

PDF version of the collage (Gennady Krasnikov, Valery Chereshnev, Evgeny Kublov, Vladislav Panchenko, Alexey Khokhlov, Alexander Sergeyev, Robert Nigmatulin)