Foundation "Evolution" instead of "Dynasty": the popularization of science in Russia continues

Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS

October 31 (this is Saturday) the Dynasty Foundation finishes its work. As is known, this organization supported young scientists, its mission was to popularize science, with the conduct of publishing. Dynasty was founded by Dmitry Zimin, honorary president of VimpelCom, in 2002. For all its existence, the fund has spent about 2 billion rubles on the fulfillment of its goals. The organization has supported more than 2 thousand scientists and 5 thousand teachers, held more than a hundred scientific conferences.

As already reported, in May of this year, the foundation was listed by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the register of "non-profit organizations that perform the functions of a foreign agent." For this reason, the management of the fund has decided to stop work . However, back in June, it was proposed to organize a new organization that would allow implementing the missions of the Dynasty without the foundation itself, Gazeta.Ru reports . This proposal was heard: instead of “Dynasty” a new fund will appear, which was called “Evolution”.

The head of the new stent fund is Alexander Markov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, who is widely known to the scientific (and not only) community thanks to his popular science books. The board of the foundation will include the chief editor of the newspaper Troitsky Variant - Science, Boris Stern, deputy director of the Institute for Information Transmission Problems Mikhail Gelfand, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Askold Ivanchik, book publisher Varvara Gornostayeva, philologist Irina Levontin.
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“The idea of ​​the foundation is to continue in some sense what the Dynasty did, by no means entering into competition with what Zimin continues to do, simply did not want any Dynasty projects to stall ", - commented on the creation of the foundation Mikhail Gelfand.

Now the main task of the new fund will be publishing with the organization of conferences and lecture courses throughout Russia. This is done with the goal “that people who are engaged in educational activities in different cities should somehow unite and communicate. At the same time, the “Educator” prize remains, Zimin will be engaged in it, ”Gelfand says.

There will probably not be a complete replacement, but there certainly is a certain continuity. “I cannot say that this is a replacement for Dynasty, because Dynasty supervised a very wide area of ​​scientific programs and research. These are disparate sizes and budgets. We are talking about continuity, we will continue to adopt some things, save them, ”explains Lilia Sabirova, a representative of the foundation. The foundation will begin active work in November, with the participation (as planned) of a large number of volunteers.

Finances will be sought in various ways - both with the help of crowdfunding, and with the participation of direct sponsors. It is quite possible that Dmitry Zimin himself can join the financing of the fund.