Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences

Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences
Name	Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences
Native name	Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales
Formation	1933
Headquarters	Bogotá, Colombia
Leader title	President
Leader name	(varies)
Website	(official)

Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences is a national learned society based in Bogotá dedicated to promoting research in the natural and physical sciences, engaging with public policy, and advising on scientific matters. Founded in the early 20th century, the Academy has interacted with Colombian institutions and international bodies to influence scientific standards and foster scholarship. Its activities span from publications and awards to scientific advice for ministries and partnerships with universities and research institutes.

History

The Academy was established amid intellectual currents linked to figures such as Alejandro López, Jorge Tadeo Lozano-era intellectuals, and contemporaries of Rafael Núñez and Carlos Eugenio Restrepo who promoted modernization in Colombia. Early members included scientists and engineers connected to National University of Colombia, University of Antioquia, and the Pontifical Xavierian University. During the mid-20th century the Academy engaged with ministries including Ministry of Agriculture (Colombia), Ministry of Education (Colombia), and state entities influenced by policies from administrations of Laureano Gómez, Alberto Lleras Camargo, and Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. In the late 20th century it interfaced with organizations such as the Organization of American States, UNESCO, and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research while hosting symposia featuring guests from Max Planck Society, Smithsonian Institution, and Royal Society delegations.

Mission and Activities

The Academy's mission aligns with principles found in institutions like the National Academy of Sciences (United States), Royal Society of London, and Pontifical Academy of Sciences, emphasizing advice to public bodies such as Congress of Colombia, ministries like Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Colombia), and agencies including Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario and Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi. Activities include organizing conferences comparable to those at International Congress of Mathematicians, workshops with partners like CERN, and policy briefs akin to reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Public outreach initiatives have linked the Academy with museums such as the National Museum of Colombia and observatories like National Astronomical Observatory (Colombia).

Membership and Structure

Membership follows models used by Académie des Sciences (France), Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, and Brazilian Academy of Sciences, with categories for corresponding members connected to institutions like Universidad del Valle, University of Cartagena, EAFIT University, and research centers such as CENIVAM and SINCHI Institute. The governing council resembles boards of European Molecular Biology Organization sections and rotates presidencies similar to practices at Chinese Academy of Sciences affiliates. Standing committees coordinate areas related to agencies like Colombian Petroleum Institute and programs sponsored by entities such as IDB and World Bank.

Research and Publications

The Academy publishes proceedings and bulletins comparable to journals from Royal Society Publishing and collaborates with academic presses at Universidad Nacional de Colombia Press and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Press. Its publications have featured research on subjects linked to work at Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR), and observatories like Instituto de Investigaciones en Física. Topics have overlapped with projects involving Andean Community biodiversity studies, SISBEN-related health statistics, and environmental assessments referencing Ramsar Convention sites in Colombia. The Academy has also produced monographs paralleling outputs from Science-series editors and collaborated on edited volumes with international publishers such as Cambridge University Press and Springer.

Awards and Recognition

The Academy confers awards modeled on honors like the Charles Darwin Award-type recognitions and national medals akin to those granted by National Academy of Sciences (United States), including prizes for lifetime achievement, early-career distinction, and thematic awards in fields related to associates at International Union of Geological Sciences and International Mathematical Union. Laureates have included researchers affiliated with Alexander von Humboldt Prize recipients, professors from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), and scientists linked to Caldas Institute and international projects funded by European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Collaborations and International Relations

The Academy maintains collaborations with bodies such as UNESCO, World Health Organization, Inter-American Development Bank, European Commission research programs, and regional networks like Red Iberoamericana de Academias de Ciencias. It has partnered on projects with CERN, Max Planck Society, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution, and Latin American counterparts including Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and Academia Nacional de Ciencias (Argentina). These relationships support joint symposia with institutions such as Museum of Natural History, New York and cooperative research agreements with universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, and University of Oxford.

Category:Scientific organizations based in Colombia