TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world
TWAS
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|
| Abbreviation | TWAS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1983 |
| Type | INGO |
| Location |
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Region served
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Worldwide |
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Official language
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English |
| Website | TWAS Official website |
| TWAS Prize | |
|---|---|
| International award for contributions to Science | |
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| Sponsored by | The World Academy of Sciences |
| Country |
Italy 
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| Formerly called | TWAS Awards in Basic Sciences (till 2003) |
| Reward(s) |
|
| First awarded | 1985 |
| Last awarded | 2016 |
| Highlights | |
| Total awarded | 242 |
| Website |
http://www.twas.org/
|
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the South (see North-South divide). Its headquarters are located on the premises of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy.
TWAS was founded in 1983 under the leadership of the Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam of Pakistan by a group of distinguished scientists who were determined to do something about the dismal state of scientific research in developing countries.
The founding members of TWAS therefore decided to set up an organization that would help to:
Since its inception, TWAS's operational expenses have largely been covered by generous contributions of the Italian government; since 1991 UNESCO has been responsible for the administration of TWAS finance and staff on the basis of an agreement signed by the director general of UNESCO and the president of TWAS.
It was named "Third World Academy of Sciences" until 2004 and "TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world" before September 2012, when it was renamed to is current name, "The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries."
The Founding Fellows of 1983 include
The TWAS Prize is an annual award instituted in 1985 by TWAS to recognize excellence in scientific research in the global South. At inception, the award was titled TWAS Awards in Basic Sciences and was awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics categories but was merged with the TWNSO (Third World Network of Scientific Organizations) Prizes in Applied Sciences in 2003 to form the present-day TWAS Prize, which is awarded in nine categories viz. Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematics, Medical Sciences, Physics and Social Sciences. The award carries a plaque and a cash prize of US$ 15000 and is open to scientists living and working in a developing country.
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