Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 15 September (BelTA) – The Belarusian school of plasma physics has gained worldwide recognition, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Vladimir Fortov said at the eighth international scientific conference Plasma Physics and Plasma Technology in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

“The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus holds a special place among the scientific research institutions in the post-Soviet space. There are some fields of science in which Belarusian researchers are world leaders. The NASB became an outstanding scientific institution already in the times of the Soviet Union. Many of the NASB organizations have gained worldwide recognition. The organization studying plasma physics is one of them,” Vladimir Fortov noted.

He recalled that scientist Mikhail Ilyashevich came to Minsk from the then Leningrad in 1956. He organized the work of the Institute of Physics and encouraged young talented researchers to study plasma. “Today these researchers have their own scientific schools,” Vladimir Fortov pointed out.

The President of the Russian Academy of Sciences said that today plasma physics enjoys strong interest. Its practical application is continuously widening. For example, findings from the field of plasma physics are used in microelectronics, healthcare, and agriculture. The market of plasma technologies is estimated at $3-4 trillion. It is second only to the market of chemical products.

“Scientists from different countries should be provided with opportunities to meet and exchange ideas. Such meetings help generate new ideas that can be further implemented in practice,” Vladimir Fortov noted.

BelTA reported earlier that Vladimir Fortov visited Belarus in the capacity of the RAS President for the first time. On 15 September, he paid a visit to the NASB and delivered a report at the eighth international scientific conference Plasma Physics and Plasma Technology. Vladimir Fortov is expected to meet with NASB representatives to talk over the mechanisms and prospects of scientific and technical cooperation. Besides, he will hold talks with Chairman of the NASB Presidium Vladmir Gusakov and the leading scientists of the NASB. Apart from that, Vladimir Fortov will visit the permanent exhibition of scientific achievements and the History Museum at the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.

Minsk is hosting the eighth international scientific conference Plasma Physics and Plasma Technology on 14-18 September. The first edition of the conference took place in 1994. The event is held in the Belarusian capital once in three years. This year, the list of participants includes representatives of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, India, and other states. The conference is themed around all main aspects of plasma physics and the practical application of its findings in industry, healthcare, biology, and environmental protection.