The founding of the National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales - ANCEFN), one of the oldest Argentine institutions of its kind, dates back to March 26, 1874, when the decree establishing the creation and operation of the bodies that would form the University of Buenos Aires was issued. After half a century, on June 16, 1926, it was declared an autonomous civil institution with its own statutes and regulatory provisions enacted by the National Government.

As provided in its statutes, the Academy has the mandate to be: "A civil association, of a scientific nature, with legal status, that aims to foster the advancement, development and promotion of exact, physical and natural sciences and their technologies, with the purpose of contributing to the progress of the Nation".

The ANCEFN's headquarters are located on the fourth floor of the "House of National Academies" building, which was declared National Historical Monument in 2002.

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

The governing body of the ANCEFN is the Executive Committee, made up of a president, a vice president, a secretary general, a minutes secretary, a treasurer and an assistant treasurer. These authorities serve a two-year term, but can be reelected indefinitely, except for the president and the vice president who can be reelected once for two consecutive terms at the same post.

Both the Executive Committee and the plenary, which consist of all Regular Members, meet on a regular basis from April to December to discuss aspects related to the operation of the ANCEFN. The subjects dealt with include: national and international relations, proposals of candidates for prizes, requests for the sponsorship of scientific meetings, organization of public sessions, and the awarding of prizes, grants and scholarships, among many others.

The ANCEFN is divided into three Divisions:

• Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy
• Engineering
• Chemical, Earth and Biological Sciences

Each division consists of Regular Members (maximum thirteen) according to their specialty, and is headed by a president and a secretary.

There are Permanent Committees and Special Committees. Furthermore, the ANCEFN, together with four other National Academies, makes up the Interacademy Board for the Improvement and Integration of Science and Technology Learning.

Today, the ANCEFN consists of Regular Members (the only ones with right to vote), Honorary Members, Emeritus Members (academy members who have had an outstanding performance as Regular Members but have already retired), National Corresponding Members and Foreign Corresponding Members.. Both the latter and the Honorary Members must have been directly involved in scientific or technological activities in our country.

MEMBERS

Among the members that have honored the ANCEFN there are three Argentine Nobel Prize winners: Bernardo A. Houssay (Medicine and Physiology, 1947), Regular Member between 1946 and 1971; Luis F. Leloir (Chemistry, 1970), Regular Member between 1956 and 1987; and César Milstein (Medicine and Physiology, 1984), Corresponding Member (Cambridge, United Kingdom) between 1984 and 1985, and Honorary Member from 1985 to 2002. Other Nobel Prize winners that were ANCEFN's members are Albert Einstein, Severo Ochoa, Ilya Prigogine, Jean Roche and Antoni Zygmund. Other Nobel Prize winners that are still Honorary Members are James W. Cronin, Leon M. Lederman and Frederick Sanger.

Among the renowned Argentine scientists that have been Regular Members we can mention Juan María Gutiérrez, Germán Burmeister, Horacio Damianovich, Venancio Deulofeu, Angel Gallardo, Ernesto E. Galloni, Andrés O. M. Stoppani, José S. Gandolfo, Alberto González Domínguez, Enrique Herrero Ducloux, Luis A. Santaló, Cristóbal M. Hicken, Eduardo L. Holmberg, Luis A. Huergo, Teófilo Isnardi, Otto Krause, Juan J. J. Kyle, Ramón G. Loyarte, Francisco P. Moreno, Guillermo White, Lorenzo R. Parodi, Marcos Sastre and Alberto P. Calderón, among many others.

The ANCEFN currently has Argentine and foreign members who excel in science and technology.

PRIZES

The ANCEFN annually awards up to nine prizes to leading scientists and technologists for their scientific and technological contributions at the national level. These prizes cover the different theme areas represented in the institution.

GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

In 1999 the ANCEFN launched the grant program "National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences", intended for young researchers who carry out their doctoral thesis work in universities and research centers of our country.

Moreover, it also runs the scholarship program "In libris carpe rosam", intended for students of the University of Buenos Aires, under 22 years of age. These scholarships, established by the funds donated by Eng. Inés A. Mastronardi and that carry the name of her sons, are granted in Mathematics ("Marcelo G. Barroso Mastronardi" scholarship) and in Biological Sciences ("Paulo D. Barroso Mastronardi" scholarship).

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The ANCEFN is in close contact with other national and foreign academies, as well as with international organizations, universities and scientific institutions. Furthermore, together with the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), it is the local representative of the International Foundation for Science (IFS), which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and awards research grants in many countries around the world. The ANCEFN also has mutual cooperation agreements with organizations such as the American Philosophical Society, the Indian National Science Academy, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The ANCEFN has had an active participation in the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues (IAP), since this world network of Academies of Science was established in 1995. It is also member of the Third World Network of Scientific Organizations (TWNSO).

PUBLICATIONS

From 1928 the ANCEFN annually publishes the "Anales" (Annals), and from 1995, the bulletin "Noticias" (News). Both publications are used to communicate the activities carried out by the Academy and its members, as well as information of general interest related to the subjects and areas of work covered.

In addition, the papers presented at the Scientific Sessions are usually published in the "Monografías" (Monographs).

The ANCEFN also has this web site (www.ancefn.org.ar) as a medium of communication. The site is available to the Argentine scientific community through the section called "Comunicaciones Científicas Abiertas" (Open Scientific Communications).

PUBLIC SESSIONS

Conferences are part of the activities scheduled by the ANCEFN. They are given by invited scientists or academy members, after ordinary sessions, during the incorporation of new members or at the ceremony when the annual ANCEFN prizes are given. During these public sessions the new member, the prize winner or the invited scientist are introduced by a Regular Member. These conferences are included in the "Anales".

The ANCEFN also organizes Scientific Meetings, where subjects of scientific or technological interest are discussed.

Moreover, as required, special ceremonies are held to honor Regular Members who have died.

LIBRARY

The ANCEFN has a Library that consists of more than 400 regular publications and over 2,000 books. This material is obtained either by purchase, donation or exchange with national and international institutions.

THE FOUNDING OF THE CONICET

In answer to a survey from the President's office in 1956, the ANCEFN gave its opinion recommending the founding of the "National Scientific and Technical Research Council to be run by competent men of science, which shall seek to promote original research and help capable and productive researchers by providing funds, working material, grants and other resources that guarantee success in their task". Based on this opinion, the ANCEFN was asked to draw up a project, indicating the basis and purposes for that Council (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - CONICET). In June 1957, the project was submitted to the President's office. After some modifications suggested by other institutions, the project was approved by Decree-Law No. 1291 on February 5, 1958.

NONCONVENTIONAL ENERGY

Another major task performed by the ANCEFN was the drawing up of a project and a study on the use of Patagonian tides as an energy source. This project was submitted to the Executive for consideration. By a decree signed by President Marcelo T. de Alvear and the Minister of Justice and Public Education Antonio Sagarna, it was decided that the project would be carried out under the sponsorship of the ANCEFN. The results, together with a supplement on "Inventory of hydraulic power in the Republic of Argentina", were published in two volumes in 1928, under the heading "Utilization of the Patagonian coast tides".

DARWINION BOTANICAL INSTITUTE

The ANCEFN, since 1934, together with the CONICET, runs the Darwinion Botanical Institute (Instituto de Botánica Darwinion - IBODA), donated by Regular Member Cristóbal M. Hicken and located in the Parque Aguirre quarter, in the locality of San Isidro, province of Buenos Aires.

The IBODA is especially devoted to taxonomic studies of the Argentine flora. It has a herbarium that consists of more than 600,000 specimens, with important and valuable material from the 19th century. The collections continue to expand at a rate of approximately 7,000 specimens per year, from either new collections or exchanges with other national and international institutions. Its Library is one of the most complete and dynamic in Latin America in the field of Botany. It comprises about 60,000 volumes, where approximately 100 are 18th century works and there are also some 16th century rare books.
The IBODA publishes the world famous journal "Darwiniana", mainly dedicated to original articles on systematics, floristics, palynology, ethnobotany, etc. It also publishes the bulletin "Hickenia", whose main objective is the quick publication of short articles dealing with botanical news, such as the description of new taxons and the solution of taxonomic and nomenclature problems. The IBODA's web site (www.darwin.edu.ar), allows access to the Catalog of Vascular Flora in Argentina and to the abstracts of papers published in "Darwiniana" and "Hickenia".

The IBODA is especially devoted to taxonomic studies of the Argentine flora. It has a herbarium that consists of more than 600,000 specimens, with important and valuable material from the 19th century. The collections continue to expand at a rate of approximately 7,000 specimens per year, from either new collections or exchanges with other national and international institutions. Its Library is one of the most complete and dynamic in Latin America in the field of Botany. It comprises about 60,000 volumes, where approximately 100 are 18th century works and there are also some 16th century rare books. The IBODA publishes the world famous journal "Darwiniana", mainly dedicated to original articles on systematics, floristics, palynology, ethnobotany, etc. It also publishes the bulletin "Hickenia", whose main objective is the quick publication of short articles dealing with botanical news, such as the description of new taxons and the solution of taxonomic and nomenclature problems. The IBODA's web site (www.darwin.edu.ar) allows access to the Catalog of Vascular Flora in Argentina and to the abstracts of papers published in "Darwiniana" and "Hickenia".