The AASSA General Assembly Meeting was Held and TÜBA Honorary Member Prof. Dr. Kemal Aras was elected as the AASSA Deputy Chairman

The AASSA General Assembly Meeting was Held and TÜBA Honorary Member Prof. Dr. Kemal Aras was elected as the AASSA Deputy Chairman

The 3rd Summit of South Asian Science Academies, including the General Assembly of the Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA) and the scientific meetings titled ‘Biotechnology, Scientific Communication and Fairs in Agriculture’ took place in Delhi, India on October 13-18. During the General Assembly attended by TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, Council Member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Nuri Yurdusev and Honorary Member Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Aras elections were held resulting in the India National Sciences Academy (INSA) Member Prof. Dr. Krishan Lal being elected AASSA Chairman and TÜBA Honorary Member Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Aras being re-elected as AASSA Deputy Chairman.

Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Aras had participated in the first AASA General Assembly held in Seoul, capital of Korea, in the year 2000 as a TÜBA principle member. He served as AASA’s Board Member between 2000 and 2004, as the AASA General Secretary between 2005 and 2008 and Director of AASSA Projects between 2009 and 2011. With the establishment of the AASSA in 2012 he was elected the AASSA Deputy Chairman. 

The AASSA, which is comprised of 34 member Asian countries including China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, Turkey and other member country academies, was founded as the Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia in the year 2000 and joined the Federation of Asian Scientific Academies and Societies in 2012 (FASAS) to become the Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA). The secretariat of the AASSA is conducted by the Korean Science and Technology Academy (KAST). 

The AASSA carries out its work with the purpose of providing research and development with collaboration between the science and technology experts of Asian countries to be utilized in the development of these countries, keeping in mind the importance of joint projects between academies. Some of the projects that have been completed and are ongoing by the AASA covering the subjects of energy, water, climate changes, decreasing the risks of earthquakes, food sources and the preservation of these sources, biotechnology and renewable energy sources: ‘Sustainable Development Project in Asia’, ‘Science Education in Asia Project’, ‘The Place of Women in Science and Technology Project’, ‘Projects Towards Not Falling Behind in Technology, Preventing This, Excelling in Technology, Understanding Science and Explaining Science’ and ‘A Scientific Approach to Cultural Heritage for the Development of the Economy’. 

The results of projects completed by 2010 have been compiled in 5 separate books under the title ‘Towards a Sustainable Asia’ edited by Prof. Dr. Aras and Prof. Dr. Yi Wang and published in cooperation with the German Publishing Company Springer. The second round of results from the project that are continued after this 5 book series are planned to be completed by the end of 2015.

Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Aras has been working for nearly 10 years to increase the development of international relations between academies on science, technology and other subjects, to create cooperation between AASSA, relevant organizations and scientists and to monitor and organize workshops for these types of projects being conducted towards the development of science and technology in countries and the broadening of new horizons for scientists. 

TÜBA has been actively participating in the AASSA and the AASSA since its establishment. TÜBA, which has organized ‘The AASSA Board of Directors Meeting and Workshop on the Scientific Effects of Cultural Heritage on Economical Development’, Experts Meeting on the Development of Cultural Heritage Work in Asian Countries, AASSA Board and General Assembly Meeting and International Science Education Workshop, İzmir: Environment and Resources Workshop, İzmir: The Place of Women in Science and Technology Workshop’ in cooperation with AASSA plans another coordinated effort to organize the ‘Food: Food Sources and Preservation Workshop’ in 2015.

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