At 6th August 2009, at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova took place a meeting of the scientific-academic community with His Excellency, Mr. Asif J. CHAUDHRY, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the USA in the Republic of Moldova.

The main objective of the session was to present the most successful stories registered during the programs financed by the USA Foundation for Civilian Research and Development (CRDF), through the Moldovan Research and Development Association (MRDA), as well as to identify new Moldovan-American, technical-scientific cooperation opportunities.

In his speech delivered during the meeting, academician Gheorghe DUCA, President of the Academy of Sciences, mentioned the impact of bilateral cooperation with CRDF on consolidation of human and research infrastructure’s potential of the Republic of Moldova. Also the President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova presented the dynamics of Moldovan-American development of cooperation, starting with the Cooperation Agreement signed in 2000 between Moldavian Government and CRDF.

From his side, H.E. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of USA in the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Asif J. CHAUDHRY highly appreciated the scientific potential existing in the Academy of Sciences of Moldova mentioning the fact that this academic institution is one of the most familiar research centre in Southern-Eastern Europe. Also in his message, the diplomat underlined that education and research represent themes of major interest in his work agenda in the Republic of Moldova (video).

During the session, Dr. Lidia ROMANCIUC, Executive Director of MRDA, presented information regarding grant programs launched till the present moment, offering practical examples of success stories.

It should be mentioned that since 2000 there were performed more than 300 Moldovan-American common projects, in which were involved about 2500 researchers. Among the projects financed by CRDF through MRDA were those for scientific equipment supply, for supporting the young researchers, for integration of science and education, for partnership between science and business, organization of symposiums etc. Dr. Sergiu VATAVU, senior staff scientist at State University of Moldova, beneficiary of the Moldovan Travel Fellowship Program (MTFP), mentioned the opportunities offered by this project to researches. Even thought the project ended three years ago, Mr. VATAVU maintains relations with the host-laboratory from USA, publishing common articles, exchanging samples and participating commonly to international conferences.

Prof. Leonid CULIUC, director of the Institute of Applied Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova presented the main results obtained by the coworkers of the institute, in MRDA/CRDF projects, starting with 2001 and till the present moment. In the reference period the institute beneficiated from 13 projects, that made it possible to purchase special installation and equipment for the researchers.

Also, the director of the institute mentioned the institutional support which represents 10% of the integral volume of the project, the importance of cooperation opportunity with foreign scientific centers, and the last one, the importance of researchers of the Institute of Applied Physics in the international scientific circuit.

H.E. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador and the President of the Academy of Sciences visited the Lyceum and the University of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, where they found out the opportunities offered by these two education institutions for future development of bilateral relations, and the involvement of didactic cadre in the formation of a new generation of researchers in Moldova.

With regard to maintaining the cooperation in giving the scientific-research support, the official communicated about the necessity of continuity and extension of this sphere through launching new cooperation initiatives.

Eugenia TOFAN,
Press-service of ASM