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Buenos Aires, 24th April 1998
Dear Academy Members:
In agreement with the provisions of Article 23 of the Academy Bylaws, I
submit for your consideration the Annual Report, General Balance, Expenses and
Resources Account, Inventory and Accounts Surrender of the Financial Period
corresponding to 1997, the fourth year of management of the Executive Board,
reelected on 26th April, 1996, and which I am honored to preside.
During that period, we had to regret the passing away of Head Academy Member
Eng. Dr. Oreste amoretto and of Corresponding Member Dr. Gregorio Weber
(Urbana, Illinois, United States). We also learned of the death of Dr. Giovanni
B. Marini Bettolo, Corresponding Member in Rome, Italy, on 22nd July 1996.
In the course of the year, the following Corresponding Members were elected:
Eng. Orlando E. Villamayor (Paris, France), Dr. Walter F. Davidson (Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada), Dr. John W. Daly (Bethesda, Maryland, United States) and
Prof. Dr. Achim Miiller (Bielefeld, Germany).
From April to December a total of nine ordinary meetings were held.
In addition, public sessions were organized to incorporate Dr. Mariana D.
Weissmann, Dr. Enrique J. Baran and Dr. Eduardo H. Charreau as Head Academy
Members, as well as Dr. Enrique Castellano and Dr. Petar Alaupovic as
Corresponding Members in La Plata (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) and in
Oklahoma City (Oklahoma, United States), respectively.
Mention should also be made of the lectures delivered by Prof. Milija N.
Pavlovic (Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College of Science and
Technology, London, Great Britain) – within the framework of the agreement
with the British Council –, by Dr. Frank Avignone (Chairman, Department of
Physics, University of South Carolina, United States), by Dr. Cesar Nombela
(President, Higher Council of Scientific Investigations, Spain) and by Dr.
Harold M. Agnew (a participant in the first nuclear chain experiments and in
the Manhattan Project, besides directing the Scientific Laboratory at Los
Alamos), whose fruitful visit to the country was co-sponsored by the National
Atomic Energy Commission and by the National General San Martin University.
Likewise, it is worthwhile highlighting the "Enrique Humet"
Scientific Meetings on "Causeway Mechanics", coordinated by Academy
Member Felix J. Lilli, which attracted a significant audience, and the homage
to deceased Head Academy Members Dr. Jose B. Collo, Dr. Juan Blaquier, Dr.
Reinaldo Vanossi and Eng. Jose Luis Delpini, entrusted to Rear Admiral Eng.
Oscar A. Quihillalt, Eng. Roque Scarfiello, Dr. Pedro Cattaneo and Eng.
Fernandez Long, respectively, on occasion of the centennial of their births.
Another meaningful achievement of 1997 was the edition of a CD-ROM entitled
"Bernardo Alberto Hous say. First Argentine Nobel Prize in Science”.
This was prepared by the Academy jointly with the Argentine Academy of Letters,
the National Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the Institute of Biology
and Experimental Medicine and the University of Buenos Aires, and coordinated
by Academy Member Dr. Eduardo G. Gros. In such sense I wish to take advantage
of the opportunity to thank Dr. Gros very warmly for his invaluable
collaboration. This work was presented publicly in a ceremony convened by the
Presidency of the Nation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the granting of
the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine to Dr. Bernardo A. Houssay, which
took place at the National Cervantes Theatre on 10th December.
On 21st November, at the headquarters of the National Academy of Medicine,
the ceremony of delivery of the "National Academy of Exact, Physical and
Natural Sciences" and "Ernesto E. Galloni” prizes was carried
out. For the occasion, the guest lecturer of honor was Dr. Eduardo Moacyr
Krieger, president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, who referred to the
scientific and technological relationships between Brazil and the Argentina. In
this connection, I wish to thank Dr. Moacyr Krieger for having gathered with
Members of the Academy. The closure of the act was in charge of Lic. Juan
Carlos Del Bello, secretary of Science and Technology of the National Culture
and Education Ministry. Eng. Hugo Clausse, undersecretary of Public Works and
Services, attended in representation of the Lord Mayor of Buenos Aires City,
Dr. Fernando de la Rua. As regards the "Ernesto E. Galloni” prize, I
wish to highlight this award and to thank the family of the former president of
the Academy for the gift of U$S 10.000 intended to reward young research
workers – up to 35 years old –, in the areas proposed in rotation by
the three Sections, with an annual sum of U$S 1.000. The reward corresponding
to 1997 was granted in Physical Mathematics to Dr. Bernardo G. Mindlin. The
distinctions corresponding to the different areas were received by the
following scientists: the “Alberto Gonzalez Dominguez" award in
Mathematics, to Dr. Gustavo Corach; the "Enrique Gaviola" award in
Experimental Physics, to Dr. Julian G. R. Sereni; the "Egberto F.
Tagle" award in Highway Engineering, to Eng. Jorge M. Lockhart; the
"Luis M. Machado" award in Computer Mechanics, to Dr. Sergio R.
Idelsohn; the "Jose S. Gandolfo" award in Hydraulic Engineering, to
Eng. Nora E. Pouey – as she was unable to attend due to poor health,
Architect Oscar Bragos, her husband, received the diploma and medal – and
to Eng. Julio C. De Lio; the “Pedro J. Carriquiriborde" award in
Organometal Chemistry, to Dr. Norma E. Sbarbati de Nudelman; the "Arturo
Burkart" award in Botany, to Agr. Eng. Antonio Krapovickas; and the
"Victoria Angelelli" award in Economic Geology, to Dr. Isidoro B. A.
Schalamuk.
As far as international relationships were concerned, Dr. Juan G. Roederer,
Corresponding Academy Member in Fairbanks, Alaska, represented the Academy at
the meeting of the Inter-Academy Panel (IAP) on International Issues, where
reference was made, among other topics, to the so-called Year 2000 Conference
that the IAP is organizing. Subjects dealt with at that event were also
discussed at the meeting held by Academy Members Pedro J. Aymonino, Eduardo G.
Gros and the undersigned with Dr. John Campbell, director of the IAP and of the
International Affairs Office of the United States National Academy of Sciences
(NAS). On the occasion, mention was likewise made of the role of our Academy in
such Conference and the acceptance of the proposal by Dr. Campbell to organize
a meeting with NAS representatives.
With regard to the Year 2000 Conference in particular, our Academy has
appointed a Task Commission coordinated by Academy Member Huner Fanchiotti,
accompanied by Members Pedro J. Aymonino, Eduardo H. Charreau, Felix J. Lilli,
Raul A. Lopardo and representatives of the National Academies of Economic
Sciences and of Law and Social Sciences.
Concerning the agreement with the British Council, the same was carried on
favorably: during 1997 we welcomed the visits of Prof. Edward J. Wood
(University of Leeds), Dr. Milija N. Pavlovic (Imperial College of Science and
Technology) and Dr. lan J. R. Aitchison (University of Oxford), while at the
beginning of 1998 Prof. David I. Blockley (University of Bristol) and Dr. Brian
G. Cox (Zeneca Process Technology Department) will be received. Furthermore, we
are awaiting confirmation of the extension of the agreement to the period
elapsing from April 1st 1998 to March 31st 1999.
Independently of the above, replies were provided to consultations made by
the National Council of Technical and Scientific Research, the National
Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation and the Science and
Technology Secretariat, in addition to sponsoring numerous congresses,
sessions, symposia and international seminars.
As regards publications, during 1997 volumes 47 and 48 of "Annals"
and two numbers of the bulletin "Noticias" were issued. For the third
consecutive year the presentation of the Academy’s Report, with the title
"Annual Report 1996", was translated into English and sent abroad to
Corresponding and Honorary Academy Members whose mother tongue is not Spanish.
Besides, publication of the internal communication "Información
para los señores académicos [Information for Academy
Members]" was continued.
Halfway through 1997, the National Culture and Education Ministry granted
the Academy a special subsidy to attend building needs in their headquarters,
while a few months later, in October, further support was granted, requested by
the Academy for the Darwinian Institute of Botany (IBODA). In addition, at the
end of the year a request was made for reinforcement of the annual subsidy
assigned to the Academy and to the IBODA by the Ministry.
By means of this presentation, I extend my warmest congratulations to the
Academy Members who received awards and distinctions throughout 1997.
Cordial relations were maintained with the other National Academies through
the so-called "Meetings of the Presidents of the National Academies",
as well as with national authorities.
The Darwinian Botany Institute, under the competent management of Academy
Member Dr. Juan H. Hunziker, continued carrying out excellent research and
divulgement activities, as may be gleaned in detail from the corresponding part
of the present Report. During 1997 we had to regret the resignation of Lic.
Juan C. Gamerro as underdirector of that Institute, in whose place Dr. Fernando
O. Zuloaga was appointed.
In this brief annual summary, the President wishes to express his personal
gratitude to the Academy Members who make up the Executive Board and whose
collaboration and assistance was lent with the greatest scope and willingness,
and the same applies to the presidents of Academy Sections, Commissions,
Special Commissions and Programs, as well as to all colleagues as a whole.
Academy staff members carried out their duties reliably and efficaciously.
Dr. Juan Carlos Valles, Mr. Mariano G. Fernandez Alt, Mrs. Diana L. Pallini,
Misses Patricia N. Lopez and Beatriz L. Manso and Mr. Ramon Beron, performed
the assigned tasks with zeal and willingness. I wish to congratulate each and
every one of them for their unstinting collaboration.
Dr. Mario A. J. Mariscotti
President
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