The Scientific Council of the Academy sat for its 507th semi-virtual meeting on Sunday, February 6th. Prof. Davari Ardakani presided over the meeting in which the heads of the scientific departments, secretary, vice president for research and deputy president, and secretary of the Foresight Council of the Academy were present.
At first, Prof. Davari welcomed the audience and said that he is glad to have Prof. Towfighi as the new chairman of the Department of Engineering Sciences of the Academy and wished him success in this position. He also expressed his gratitude to Prof. Eslami, former chairman, for his efficient services during his term.
Referring to the proposed research topics by Prof. Salehi, Prof Davari stated that what is clear in these proposals is the role and position of the human sciences and scientists and experts in human and social sciences of the country. Therefore, due to the significance of the human science in our current historical situation, the Department of the Human Sciences of the Academy should be developed. Then Prof. Mohaghegh Damad suggested that an interdisciplinary division of the Departments of Human Sciences and Islamic Sciences be set up to address the issues that the country is facing and find solutions for them.
The meeting continued with the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. Then, the following topics were discussed and decided upon:
- The nominations of the Department of Agricultural Sciences for honoring outstanding engineers in agriculture and natural resources in 2022;
- The Academy's spiritual and scientific support for the 4th International Conference on Welding and Non Destructive Testing;
- The extension of the collaboration of five guest scholars with the Department of Agricultural Sciences and four guest scholars with the Department of Engineering Sciences for a two-year term.
Then, Prof. Salehi, explained the macro plans and topics of the planned think tanks and working groups, noting that the Academy does not want to do academic work, but intends to enter the issues affecting the society as an assembly of the country's elites. He said that it is intended to set up think tanks on important and related issues with the participation of the departments of the Academy. In the first step, six think tanks of artificial intelligence, water, natural hazards, climate change, social harms, and economic challenge were proposed. The budget and planning working group was another proposal. Prof. Salehi added that the topic of the Seventh Development Plan is currently being considered and plans are under way to examine this matter as well.
