Subj: Funding for astronomers in the Former Soviet Union
2-16-92
Colleagues,
The astronomy funding situation in the Former Soviet Union is rapidly becoming desperate. I am serving on an AAS committee to help out. Below is an appeal that is being sent to the US astronomical community; please contribute whatever you can. Note that some senior scientists are donating up to $1000 each, but a large number of $25 donations would be just as useful --- typical salaries of astronomers in the FSU are $3-10 per month. We are trying to enable good scientists to continue to do their work, just as you or I would want in a similar situation.
Thanks.
Alex Filippenko
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This is an urgent appeal for donations to support astronomy and astrophysics during the current economic crisis in the republics of the former Soviet Union (FSU). The situation has deteriorated (see attached letter from Bochkarev) to the point that very good scientists, including an entire generation of young astronomers, face grave difficulties remaining in the field. Problems are particularly acute for astronomers at observatories, theorists, and young people - those in the space program and at Universities being only slightly better off. The small current salaries of astronomers there (between $50 and $100 per YEAR) gives rise to the possibility of helping in a meaningful way with only a moderate amount of funds, PROVIDED THAT ACTION IS TAKEN QUICKLY.
To facilitate these activities, our Committee has been established by the American Astronomical Society. In the FSU an Advisory Committee is also being set up which is expected to have approximately a dozen members nominated by our Committee (names of the FSU Advisory Committee will be provided upon request). This Advisory Committee in the FSU will be headed by Professor Alex Boyarchuk, President of the International Astronomical Union. Funds raised here will be used to finance a small grants program in the FSU. Based upon current scientific productivity and strength of proposal, a minimum of 50 awards of approximately $200 each will be made. Obviously the more money we raise, the more science can be supported. The idea is not to provide welfare, but to enable a small core of productive astronomers to continue to do high quality work. These awards will be made in a lump sum, we hope beginning the latter part of March. Depending upon the amount of funds raised, a second set of awards might be made in May. Recipients will be chosen by the FSU Advisory Committee and we will receive a list. Recipients will be expected to publish at least one paper in a refereed journal within one year of their award.
If sufficient money is raised, we shall also finance, at a special individual rate, 5 to 10 subscriptions to the ApJ and AJ. The cost of these journals in terms of hard currency has now become prohibitively large even for major institutions.
If you are able, please make a contribution. In these extraordinary times, modest grants can have a substantial impact on the actual living conditions of our colleagues in the FSU. Perhaps even more important is the message of our respect for their contributions to astronomy and of our hopes that they will be able to continue their work during these difficult times.
Donations should be sent IMMEDIATELY in the form of checks payable to the ``AAS FSU Astronomy Program" and mailed to:
AAS Executive Office
Attn. AAS FSU Astronomy Program
2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20009
Credit cards - Visa, Master Charge, and American Express - are acceptable and may be easier to use some cases, but will incur a charge of from 3% to 6%. Your donation is tax deductible.
You may also be able to support astronomers in the FSU though such professional means as collaboration on scientific projects, helping with travel to the US both to collaborate and to observe, visiting the FSU, and sending preprints there.
signed:
The Committee to Support Astronomy in the Former Soviet Republics
John Bahcall Inst. for Advanced Study, President of the AAS
Frank Drake UC Santa Cruz
George Field Harvard Center for Astrophysics
Alexei Filippenko UC Berkeley
Riccardo Giacconi Dir., Space Telescope Science Institute
Jim Hesser Dir., Dominion Astrophysical Obs., VP AAS
Ken Kellermann NRAO, Chair USNC-IAU
Julie Lutz Washington State Univ., President of the ASP
Dick McCray Joint Inst. for Laboratory Astrophysics
Jerry Ostriker Princeton Univ. Observatory
Dave Schramm Univ. Chicago
Stan Woosley UC Santa Cruz, Councillor AAS, Chair Committee
I would like to inform you about bad news on the status of science in Russia and the former USSR. Last summer I had sent to AAS executive office a letter with information about problems in Soviet astronomy. Now the problems are getting a dramatic development.
Governments of republics of late USSR, including Russia, have no money for real support [of] sciences including astronomy. On behalf of SAS Congress we have sent an open letter on the topic to magazine "Nature". Astronomy is a small science and therefore very sensitive to variations of conditions, and situation becomes really dramatic now.
Russian government has not paid any hard currency subscription on 1992 for all Russian libraries. So we get a chance to be without ApJ, AJ, BAAS, AAp, MNRAS, ApSpace Sci. etc in all Russia in 1992! Therefore from the name of SAS I would like to ask AAS to help with free-of-charge subscription of at least principal astronomical and astrophysical journals for several main astronomical libraries in Russia.
From Jan. 10 we have got new airline prices for international flies which 40-50 times higher then a year ago and corresponds market relation between US$ and Rubles. From Feb. 1 we'll probably get dollar prices for telephone and fax; e-mail is also Commercial in our country. Month salary of scientists between 3 and 10 US$, which one among lowest in our country. Taking into account average budget of our institutions (about 100 US$ per year for a collaborator) it means strongest economical isolation of our scientists.
In such situation our scientists, science groups and institutions have very strong necessity in active cooperation with Western science as soon as possible (cooperative observational and theoretical projects). But as I know NSF can give grants for cooperative programs with foreigners only after initiation of proposals by american astronomers. It would be very important a humanitarian help for our scientists and institutions, including e-mail support, PCs, telecommunication equipment (fax machines, modems), light receivers etc.,at least second hand equipment.
We would like to ask you to help us in distribution this sad information in Western scientific community as well as to help us in contacts with possible sponsors, including Russian community and persons with Russian roots.
Any small donations in real money could be very useful also. E.g. our institutions have no money for inner baseness trips. But 1000-2000 US$ are enough for arrange large all-country scientific meeting with grants for many scientists.
Looking forward to hear from you as soon as possible
