Dear Partners of NAQA and Ukraine!<\/b><\/p>\n
For many years the scholars from Russia have benefited from various international research and internship grant programs provided by the Western democracies. Sadly, \u00abreturn on investment\u00bb was used to strengthen and solidify Putin\u2019s anti-democratic regime. Consummation of financial means without appropriation of the civic values and virtues is a manifestly unambiguous sign of the Russian academic community\u2019s complicity with the regime. For example, the Russian rector council supported the war against Ukraine, collecting hundreds of signatures.<\/span><\/p>\n The shocking support or silence of a vast majority of the scholars in Russia in view of the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the war crimes committed by the Russian army cannot be justified by any human and ethical standards. To support or to keep silent in view of atrocities and suffering inflicted by the Russian Government on the innocent civilian population of Ukraine makes Russian academia equally responsible for the crimes against humanity. Sadly, the Belarusian scholars also remain silent observers of Russia\u2019s crimes against humanity in Ukraine. Their support of the actions of the Lukashenko regime as well as silent contemplation of the Russian invasion is also a crime.<\/span><\/p>\n So <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> is our Appeal to the global academic and research community on de-putinization of academia with clear proposals.<\/span><\/p>\n Here<\/span><\/a> is a form to sign our Appeal<\/span>.<\/b><\/p>\n We understand that these measures are strict, but today is not the time for half-measures. The world ignored the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008; the world did not react adequately in 2014 when Russia occupied Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk districts. The world shouldn\u2019t repeat the same mistake over and over again. Impunity encourages new violations. In the famous words, \u00abthe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\u00bb. We are deeply grateful for those brave Russian and Belorussian scholars, who publicly condemn Putin\u2019s regime. Therefore, we propose these restrictions should not apply to individuals and institutions that have a proven record of public condemnation of the Russia\u2019s armed aggression against Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n This appeal has already been signed by over 8600 Ukrainian and Western academics, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Barbara Oakley<\/b> \u2013 Oakland University, author of MOOC \u201cLearning How to Learn;<\/span><\/p>\n Michael Houghton<\/b> \u2013 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine;<\/span><\/p>\n Emmanuelle Marie Charpentier<\/b> \u2013 <\/span>Nobel Prize in Chemistry<\/span><\/a>;<\/span><\/p>\n Peter John Ratcliffe<\/b> \u2013\u00a0 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine;<\/span><\/p>\n Robert Zubrin<\/b> \u2013 President & founder of the Mars Society;<\/span><\/p>\n Joshua LaBaer<\/b>\u00a0 \u2013 Executive Director and Professor of Biodesign Institute, Arizona State Univerity;<\/span><\/p>\n Grant McFadden<\/b> \u2013 Center Director and Professor of Biodesign Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, Arizona State Univerity;<\/span><\/p>\n Daniele Spadaro<\/b> \u2013 INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Catania;<\/span><\/p>\n Tim Spiller<\/b> \u2013 Director, York Centre for Quantum Technologies;<\/span><\/p>\n Michele Rebesco<\/b> \u2013 Editor-in-Chief Marine Geology, National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics.<\/span><\/p>\n You can see the full list of signatories <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n