The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) ( be, Нацыянальная акадэмія навук Беларусі, russian: Национальная академия наук Беларуси, НАН Беларуси, НАНБ) is the

national academy A national academy is an organizational body, usually operating with State (polity), state financial support and approval, that co-ordinates scholarly research activities and standards for academic disciplines, most frequently in the sciences but ...

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

History

Inbelkult - predecessor to the Academy

The Academy has its origins in the Institute of Belarusian Culture (Inbelkult), a Belarusian academic and research institution founded on 30 January 1922. In the early 1920s, a key policy of newly established

Soviet Belarus The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, or Byelorussian SSR; be, Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка, Bielaruskaja Savieckaja Sacyjalistyčnaja Respublika; russian: Белор� ...

was the advancement of science, aimed at accelerating the technological, economic and social development of the republic and resolving a broad range of regional issues. The idea of creating a Belarusian academic and research institution was discussed during 1920 - 1921 and by November 1921, a commission consisting of academicians

Yefim Karsky Yefim Fyodorovich Karsky ( be, Яўхім Фёдаравіч Карскі, Jaŭchim Fiodaravič Karski, russian: Ефим Фёдорович Карский; russian: Евфимий Феодорович Карский, older name form) (1 January 1 ...

, Jazep Dyla and Ściapan Niekraševič prepared a founding charter of Inbelkult. Pursuant to the charter, Inbelkult was both research and cultural-educational institution, a multidisciplinary organisation focusing on ethnographic, linguistic, literary, artistic, cultural, historical, natural and geographical studies. The first meeting of Inbelkult took place on 30 January 1922, which is considered its foundation date. At first Inbelkult consisted of two departments - ethnological-linguistic and natural science and had among its members a number of prominent academics, poets and writers such as Ściapan Niekraševič (who was the first Chairman of Inbelkult),

, Jasep Losik, Janka Kupala, Jakub Kolas, and Źmitrok Biadula. Meticulous work was carried out to standardise the modern Belarusian language and between 1922 – 1924 six compilations of Belarusian terminology were published comprising 15 thousand Belarusian terms. In 1923, archaeological and ethnographic expeditions were carried out and the publication of a monthly magazine in this area was initiated. Works of Inbelkult's academics were published in "The Notes of the Department of Nature and National Economy" and "The Notes of the Department of Humanities". In July 1924, the government of Soviet Belarus designated Inbelkult "the highest state academic institution" whose role was to coordinate all academic work in the republic, with a right to organise museums, libraries and archives, convene academic conferences and carry out expeditions. Inbelkult was able to purchase foreign publication and research tools duty-free. In January 1925,

Usievalad Ihnatoŭski Usievalad Ihnatoŭski (, russian: Все́волод Мака́рович Игнато́вский; 19 April 1881 — 4 February 1931) was a Belarusian politician, scholar and the first president of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. ...

was appointed as new chairman of Inbelkult. By 1926, the number of Inbelkult's departments has grown to include Belarusian language and literature, Belarusian art, historical and archeological (since 1927 socio-historical), the study of the revolutionary movement in Belarus, natural sciences, medicine, agriculture and others. The institute also had two ethnic minorities departments, Jewish and Polish, with independent academic commissions. The Institute also boasted its own library and a natural history museum. By the end of the 1920s, Inbelkult has attained significant academic achievements in the areas of humanities and natural sciences and further broadened its studies, which prompted the Soviet Belarusian government to reorganise Inbelkult into the Belarusian Academy of Sciences on 1 January 1929.

Academy in Soviet Belarus

During the Soviet period, the Academy was called the ''Belarusian Academy of Sciences'' in 1929–1936 and the ''Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR'' in 1936–1991. The first president of the Academy was

(1881-1931), Belarusian politician and historian, professor of the

Belarusian State University Belarusian State University (BSU) ( be, links=no, Белару́скі дзяржа́ўны ўніверсітэ́т, ; russian: links=no, Белору́сский госуда́рственный университе́т) is a university in Mins ...

. Although at inception the Academy had only 128 staff members, among them 87 scientists, it became a leading academic center influencing the economic, technological, social and cultural development of Soviet Belarus. By 1941 the Academy had grown to 750 staff and 12 subdivisions. Stalin's purges caused great damage to the Academy's intellectual potential. The first chairman of Inbelkult and famous linguist Ściapan Niekraševič was executed in 1937 and the first president of the Academy

committed suicide in 1931. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

the normal activity of the Academy was severely interrupted. Some scientists continued their research at institutions in Russia and other regions of the former Soviet Union but many employees of the Academy were conscripted. Scientific laboratories, equipment, buildings and library funds were burned or looted. In 1945, the total number of employees of the Academy was only 360 people. However the Academy was rapidly rebuilt after the war. Right after the war's end, eight institutes started their activity again and by 1951 the Academy had 29 subdivisions with 1234 staff including 33 academicians. The Academy was supported by the governments of

and the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

as well as by leading scientific centres in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

and other Soviet cities. Through its history the National Science Academy of Belarus has grown up to a respectful scientific center. A USSR-wide fame had Belarusian scientists like Panas Achrem ( chemistry), Mikałaj Barysievič (

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

Fiodar Fiodaraŭ Fiodar Fiodaraŭ, ( be, Фёдар Іванавіч Фёдараў, , russian: link=no, Фёдор Иванович Фёдоров, Fedor Ivanovich Fedorov), (June 19, 1911 – October 13, 1994) was a Soviet and Belarusian physicist, whose scient ...

(physics), Vienijamin Vaciakoŭ (medicine, biology), Uładzimier Ułaščyk (

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

Academy in independent Belarus

After Belarus gained its independence, the Academy continued its work as the ''Academy of Sciences of Belarus'' between 1991–1997. In 1997, it was reorganised as the National Academy of Sciences with the status of the highest state scientific organization of Belarus, responsible for coordinating and conducting fundamental and applied scientific research. The main tasks of the Academy are defined by legislation as: * scientific support for the economic, social and state-legal development of the Republic of Belarus, its culture, as well as the rational use and protection of nature; * organisation and coordination of fundamental and applied scientific research carried out by all subjects of scientific activity, including in the fields of nano- and biotechnologies, robotics, fundamental and applied scientific research, developments in the most important areas of natural, technical, humanitarian, social sciences and arts in order to obtaining new knowledge about a person, society, nature and artificially created objects, increasing the scientific, technical, intellectual and spiritual potential of the Republic of Belarus; * implementation of a unified state policy, coordination and state regulation of the activities of organizations in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, with the exception of planning, distribution and efficient use of the radio frequency spectrum; * organising and conducting research into the polar regions of the Earth; * ensuring the introduction of domestic technologies in pharmaceuticals, agro-industrial complex, biotechnological production, industries of new materials and other high-tech sectors of the economy; * implementation of scientific and methodological support for the organisation of fundamental and applied scientific research carried out by all subjects of scientific activity; * determination and submission for approval in the manner prescribed by law of lists of priority areas of fundamental and applied scientific research of the Republic of Belarus; * identification of fundamentally new ways of scientific and technological progress, participation in the development of recommendations on the use of the achievements of domestic and world science in practice; * ensuring the development of science in the Republic of Belarus; * implementation, together with the State Committee for Science and Technology, of accreditation of scientific organisations; * creation of conditions for the development of scientific schools, training of highly qualified scientists, advanced training of scientists and specialists, including in foreign scientific centers; * making, in the prescribed manner, proposals for financing scientific, scientific, technical and innovative activities in the Republic of Belarus; * conducting monitoring and operational sociological research; * organising and conducting monitoring of the flora and geophysical monitoring, monitoring of the fauna and integrated monitoring of natural ecological systems in specially protected natural areas within the framework of the National Environmental Monitoring System in the Republic of Belarus, scientific support for maintaining state cadastres of flora and fauna.

Organization

Locations

Research facilities

Scientific-application centers

The scientific-application centers (Научно-практические центры, Scientific and Practical Centers) were introduced by Lukashenko's decree in 2006. Their emphasis is the problems of vital interest for the economical development of the country. The first centers of this kind created in 2006 specialize in

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

. Later in 2006 an

e-commerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain managem ...

* Scientific and Practical Center for Arable Farming * Scientific and Practical Center for Animal Breeding * Scientific and Practical Center for Potato, Vegetable and Fruit Growing * Scientific and Practical Center for Agriculture Mechanization * Scientific and Practical Center for Foodstuffs * Inter-branch Scientific and Practical Center for Identification Systems and E-business Operations

Research institutes and centers

* Central Botanic Garden * Grodno Zonal Institute of Plant Growing * Institute of Applied Physics * Institute of Arable Farming and Selection * Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry * Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering * Institute of Chemistry of New Materials * Institute of Economics ** The Center of Agricultural Economics * Institute of Electronics * Institute of Experimental Botany * Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine * Institute of Flax * Institute for Fish Industry * Institute of Forest * Institute for Fruit Growing * Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry * Institute of Genetics and Cytology ** The National Co-ordination Centre for BioSafety * Institute of Geochemistry and Geophysics * Institute of Heat and Mass Transfer * Institute of History * Institute for Land Reclamation * Institute of Linguistics * Institute of Literature * Institute of Mathematics * Institute for Meat and Milk Industry * Institute of Mechanics of Metal-Polymer Systems * Institute of Metal Technology * Institute of Microbiology * Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics * Institute of Philosophy * Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry *

Institute of Physics The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a UK-based learned society and professional body that works to advance physics education, research and application. It was founded in 1874 and has a worldwide membership of over 20,000. The IOP is the Physic ...

* Institute of Physiology * Institute of Plant Protection * Institute for Problems of Natural Resources Use and Ecology * Institute of Radiobiology * Institute of Sociology * Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry *

Institute of State and Law The Institute of State and Law (ISL) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) (''Russian'': Институт государства и права Российской академии наук (ИГП РАН)) is the largest scientific legal ce ...

* Institute of Study of Arts, Ethnography and Folklore * Institute of Technical Acoustics * Institute for Vegetable Crops *

Institute of Zoology The Institute of Zoology (IoZ) is the research division of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in England. It is a government-funded research institute specialising in scientific issues relevant to the conservation of animal species and their hab ...

* Joint Institute of Machine Building * Joint Institute of Power and Nuclear Research - "Sosny" * Joint Institute of Solid State and Semiconductor Physics * Physical-Engineering Institute ** Scientific and Engineering Center "Plasmoteg" * Polessian Agrarian-Ecological Institute * Powder Metallurgy Institute * Republican Scientific and Engineering Center for Remote Sensing of Environment "Ecomir" * Research Center of Resource-Saving Problems * Scientific-Engineering Enterprise "Geoinformation Systems" * Scientific and Production Center "The Institute of Pharmacology and Biochemistry" * United Institute of Informatics Problems

Design facilities

Unitary enterprise A unitary enterprise (russian: унитарное предприятие) is a government-owned corporation in Russia and some other post-Soviet states. Unitary enterprises are business entities that have no ownership rights to the assets that th ...

Metallopolimer **Development and production of equipment for grading and recycling of polymer secondary materials. **Development and production of equipment for application of polymer powder coatings. **Production of equipment for recovery of building refuse. **Manufacture of fibrous-porous materials *Unitary enterprise Nuklon **Development and organization of manufacture of laser-optical and spectral devices for scientific research, medicine, ecologies, equipment for processing of milk, vegetable growing, hothouses, electric drives for

wheelchair A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability. These can include spinal cord injuries ( paraplegia, hemiplegia, and quadriplegia), cerebr ...

s, electro bicycles *R&D center CKB **machine building, instrument manufacturing, optical production *R&D center

Axicon An axicon is a specialized type of lens (optics), lens which has a Cone (geometry), conical surface. An axicon transforms a laser beam into a ring shaped distribution. They can be convex or concave and be made of any optical material. The combinat ...

**Design and manufacturing of spectral devices for composition, structure and properties of matter control and for medical-biological measurements;

optoelectronics Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radiat ...

devices for control of environmental parameters and technological processes; solid-state lasers and tunable dye lasers; meters of laser radiation wavelength; high-resolution laser spectrometers; glass and crystalline optical elements; unified mechanical assemblies for breadboard of schemes of optical, laser and spectral devices; printed-circuit boards * Design Bureau "Academical" ("ОКБ Академическое") **Experimental-design works of power plant engineering type on manufacturing the complex installation for scientific investigations and equipment for industrial use. Design and manufacturing of reservoir equipment; vessels, working under pressure; heat-exchange apparatus, hermetic machines and sealing units, rectification installation and other equipment

Experimental facilities

*Scientific Experimental Station on Sugar Beet *Agricultural Experimental Station of Minsk, Mogilev and Vitebsk Oblasts *Experimental bases of the Institute of Forest

Libraries, museums, archives

Yakub Kolas Central Scientific Library Yakub or Yaqub ( ar, يعقوب‎, Yaʿqūb or Ya'kūb , links=no, also transliterated in other ways) is a male given name. It is the Arabic version of Jacob (name), Jacob and James (name), James. The Arabic form ''Ya'qūb/Ya'kūb'' may be direct ...

* Belarusian Agricultural Library * Museum of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus * Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture * Museum of Boulders of the Institute of Geochemistry and Geophysics, a unique collection of glacial boulders of over 2,000 glacial stones * NANB Central Scientific Archive

"Belarusian Science" publishing house

Previously known as ''Navuka i Tekhnika'' ("Science and Technology").