Academy of Science’s presidium to have new members

Half of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ presidium will be formed from new members, the Academy’s newly elected President Vladimir Fortov said on Saturday. The new members are necessary “to make the transition from one president to the new one smooth,” he said adding that in future the Academy’s divisions would receive additional functions, and certain functions from deputy presidents would go to the presidium. The number of the presidium members will remain unchanged - 58. Now, the academicians are preparing for secret voting to elect deputy presidents and the presidium members. Fortov has suggested candidatures for the deputies, and the general meeting will vote for them. Fortov named ten candidatures, where every second person is a current vice president. “In my opinion, this list is most balanced to let the new presidium start working productively,” he said. For the first time ever, representatives of the Urals and the Far East divisions of the Academy may become deputy presidents.