Norwegian Academy Of Science
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The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters ( no, Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi, DNVA) is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway. Its purpose is to support the advancement of science and scholarship in Norway.


History

The Royal Frederick University in Christiania was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Trondhjem had no university, but had a learned society, the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, established in 1760. The purpose of a learned society in Christiania was to support scientific studies and aid publication of academic papers. The idea of the
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-inspired university, where independent research stood strong, had taken over for the instrumental view of a university as a means to produce civil servants. The city already had societies for specific professions, for instance the
Norwegian Medical Society The Norwegian Medical Society ( no, Det norske medicinske Selskab, la, Societas Medica Norvegica) is a medical organisation in Norway. It has its roots in an informal group created in 1826, which subscribed to and shared foreign medical journa ...
which was founded in 1833. However, these societies were open for both academics within medicine as well as physicians outside of academia. The learned society would be open to employed academics only, but from all academic branches. The idea did not come to stay in 1841. Money was a problem; also there were "doubts with regards to the adequacy of the scientific powers". However, cross-disciplinary cooperation was flourishing. The first scientific congress in Norway was held in 1844. Two hundred people within the natural sciences and medicine convened for the fourth Scandinavian meeting of natural researchers. Finally, in 1857 a source of finances were found: professor of medicine
Frants C. Faye Frants may refer to: *Frants Banner (died 1575), Danish landowner and lensmann * Frants Berg (1504–1591), Danish clergyman, Bishop of Oslo *Frants Beyer (1851–1918), Norwegian average adjuster, tax inspector and composer *Frants Diderik Bøe, ( ...
. The academy was founded, and inaugurated on 3 May 1857 under the name . "Christiania" was later changed to "Kristiania". The name was taken in the early twentieth century,Collett, 1999: p. 108 and from 1924 "i Kristiania" was dropped, when Oslo voted to return the name to its original Norwegian name. The economic support from the state was minimal during its first fifty years. As such the academy led a humble existence. In the early twentieth century, Waldemar Christofer Brøgger (later the university's first
rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
) suggested a plan to strengthen the academy. He established the
Nansen Foundation Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (; 10 October 186113 May 1930) was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat, and humanitarian. He led the team t ...
, specifically tied to the academy to strengthen its economy. Brøgger's goal was to employ own researchers to secure independence from the university, however this never happened. The purpose of the academy remained to advance science and scholarship in general through meetings, seminars and support of research and publications. Nonetheless, the Nansen Foundation and other economic sources were important. They helped in the establishment of other bodies, such as the early Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture. The foundations lost some of their importance after World War II. However, an entirely new source of funding was found, as Otto Lous Mohr suggested to use surplus from a state-owned, national lottery.Collett, 1999: p. 187 The establishment of Norsk Tipping was laid down in 1946, and took place in 1947. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters wished to administer this income through a council of its own, but the
Government of Norway The politics of Norway take place in the framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the Council of State, the cabinet, led by the prime minister of Norway. Legislative power i ...
refused and created the research council
NAVF The Norwegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities (Norges almenvitenskapelige forskningsråd, NAVF) was one of Norway's five research councils. It was established in 1949. NAVF was responsible for funding the natural sciences. In 1993, t ...
(, the Norwegian Council of General Research). The academy could merely suggest representatives for this council. Ever since then, the state-driven research councils have been more important than the academy, economically. NAVF and other bodies were merged in 1993 to become the Research Council of Norway. The Board of Directors of the Academy is elected annually. The President of the Academy for 2022 is microbiologist Lise Øvreås.


Organisation

The General Meeting is the supreme body of the Academy. The board of the Academy consists of its President, Secretary General and Vice-President together with the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary of the two divisions, Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences. President of the Academy is professor of law,
Hans Petter Graver Hans Petter Graver (born 5 November 1955) is a Norwegian legal scholar. He serves as professor and was the dean at the Faculty of Law, University of Oslo between 2008 and 2015. He was replaced by Dag Michalsen. Career He is a son of Siren and Pe ...
(
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). Vice presidents are;
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and
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. King Harald V of Norway is honorary president. The Academy aims to fulfill its mission by initiating and supporting research, organizing meetings and international conferences, publishing scientific writings and appointing representatives to national and international bodies. Each year, the Academy organizes at least 12 open meetings with topics covering a wide range of academic disciplines. As of 1 April 2021, the Academy had 946 members, of which 535 Norwegian and 411 foreign. The members are divided into the mathematics and science class, and the humanities and social sciences class.


Prizes and other activities

The academy is responsible for awarding the
Abel Prize The Abel Prize ( ; no, Abelprisen ) is awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians. It is named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829) and directly modeled after the Nobel Prizes. ...
in
mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
and the Kavli Prize in
astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline said, Astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the h ...
, nanoscience and neuroscience. It also represents Norway in the
International Council for Science The International Council for Science (ICSU, after its former name, International Council of Scientific Unions) was an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the advancement of science. Its members ...
(ICSU), the Union Académique Internationale (UAI), the
European Science Foundation The European Science Foundation (ESF) is an association of 11 member organizations devoted to scientific research in 8 European countries. ESF is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organisation that promotes the highest quality science ...
(ESF) and the
All European Academies All European Academies (ALLEA) is the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities. It was founded in 1994, and brings together more than 50 Academies of Sciences and Learned Societies from over 40 member countries of the Council of ...
(ALLEA). The academy is also part of the European Science Academies Advisory Council (EASAC) and one representative from the academy is stationed at the headquarters in Brussels. Its aim is to promote science based governing. The academy has approximately 900 members, both foreign and Norwegian. Prize winners are also added to the member lists upon being awarded.


See also

* List of members of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters


References


External links

* {{Authority control 1857 establishments in Norway National academies of sciences National academies of arts and humanities Organisations based in Oslo Scientific organizations established in 1857 Science and technology in Norway Members of the International Council for Science Learned societies of Norway Members of the International Science Council