The Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), founded in 1916, is a non profit, non governmental, independent entity which operates as an honorific scientific society and as a consultant for the government, when requested to do so, to perform technical studies and studies on scientific policies. Its focus is the scientific development of the Country, the interaction among Brazilian scientists and the interaction of these with researchers from other nations.
The Academy receives contributions from its individual and corporate members and receives financial support from governmental agencies, especially those pertaining to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC). The Brazilian Academy of Sciences has been recognized by researchers of the history of science, as one of the oldest associations of scientists in the country, and admittedly the most prestigious among these entities.
Institutional Mission
Recognize and stimulate – through means of a rigorous selection process among the pairs-the admittance to its staff of the most important Brazilian researchers who, due to the leadership they perform in the advance of scientific and technological activities of the Country, can be considered the most legitimate representatives of the national scientific community.
Identify and stimulate young people with great potential for science, promoting the annual election of young researchers of notable talent, who come from all the regions of the country, to become Affiliated Members of the Academy for a limited period of time.
Represent the Brazilian scientific community, nationally and internationally, aiming towards the implementation of a policy of Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) which promotes the development of Science to benefit the society.
Promote the mobilization of the scientific community to act together with the constituted powers, aiming towards a national scientific and technological advance and the encouragement of innovation.
Actions of the ABC
The traditional functions of the Academies of Sciences, all over the world, have been progressively evolving. Today one expects them to effectively contribute towards promoting scientific studies which help endorse national policies of important issues for the country, in ST&I.
This task is being performed, increasingly by ABC, since the beginning of the 1990s, when it began interacting with the federal government and its agencies, by means of propositions of new programs and actions, in identifying research priorities in several issues of national interest, focused on the economic development and the well being of the Brazilian population.
The activities of ABC, contemplate several actions which cover the holding of national and international seminars and workshops, and the issuing of documents. In addition it attempts to follow the main activities of the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary Powers, both for the execution of the National Policy for ST&I, as well as for supplying the scientific rationale necessary for the formulation of public policies and decision makings. Special recognition should be given to the Academy’s international performance, with a formal partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).
Within the sectorial policies which present a more significant interface with the ST&I policies, the Educational Policy stands out, especially with regards to the graduation of quality people in the areas related to knowledge and in the search for scientific rationale which aim towards the creation of solutions for the obstacles which are encountered in the learning process. Other sectorial policies, such as those of Health, Agricultural, Envivonmental, Foreign Policies and that of Regional Integration, as well as the Industial policies and those of Infrastructure also have relations of great importance with the policy of ST & I.
The Academy publishes two periodicals (Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências e Pesquisa Antártica Brasileira), and a weekly electronic bulletin ABC News), organizes scientific events, develops special programs and projects and maintains an exchange with foreign scientific academies as well as with other national and international organizations. These activities, aimed at promoting science, make funds available for the academic society and generates a large number of documents, prizes and publications.
With the main objective of promoting scientific quality and the progress of Brazilian Science, ABC has as its fundamental characteristic its supra-institutional nature and an ample diversity in the areas of interests of its members. These credentials qualify the Academy to discuss and propose new solutions to scientific and socio-economical issues which require a multidisciplinary approach, which is the most important mission of the Academy for the future.
