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The Academy of Romanian Scientists’ Research Project Competition for Young Researchers “AOSR-TEAMS-II” EDITION 2023-2024 – “Digital Transformation in Science”

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===== INFORMATION PACK =====


I.
PURPOSE OF THE COMPETITION –
The competition stimulates the participation of young people in research in topical areas of science and technology.

The main objective is to increase the international scientific visibility of young researchers by stimulating the publication of original scientific results in international journals with significant impact factors and the filing of patents for associated technological procedures.

Another objective is to establish scientific collaboration between young researchers and members of the Academy of Romanian Scientists (AOSR).

II. COMPOSITION OF THE RESEARCH TEAM
The research team will be composed of research scientists or research assistants, as well as university teachers, doctoral candidates or persons holding a doctoral degree, up to 35 years of age. The team leader, having a doctorate, may be up to 45 years old. The team includes the Director and at least one member.

Research team members cannot apply to two projects. Members of winning and funded teams from the previous AOSR-TEAMS 2022-2023 competition are not eligible to submit a project.

Each approved paper will be monitored by an AOSR member, who will not be remunerated for this work.

III. PROJECT DURATION AND CONTRACTING
The duration of the project is a maximum of 20 months from the date of signature of the contract. Contracting will be on the basis of copyright assignment to the AOSR. Project members will mention on the articles published based on the results obtained and the additional affiliation:

“Academy of Romanian Scientists, Ilfov 3, 050044 Bucharest, Romania”

IV. PROJECT BUDGET
The budget allocated for a project is a maximum of 50 000 lei, divided over two years.

V. PROJECT PROPOSAL STRUCTURE
The project proposal will have the following structure, divided into two files:

FișV.A.
A.1. Project Manager
Signed curriculum vitae (max. 3 pages), indicating previous projects led
Contact email address and phone number
Link to personal page (optional)
Link to Google Scholar papers/credentials page https://scholar.google.ro/citations
A.2. Research team
List containing, for each participant:
Surname, Date of birth, Professional grade, Job
Link to personal page or Curriculum Vitae, Link to Google Scholar papers/credentials page.

VB file
B.1. Project proposal (max. 10 pages in Romanian)

  1. Title, indicating one scientific field from the list of 12 fields in Section VI
  2. Keywords
  3. Objectives, indicating their importance
  4. Methodology, indicating the degree of originality
  5. Estimated intermediate/final results with indication of timetable of activities
  6. Articles expected to be prepared with an indication of the minimum impact factor of the journal where they will be published. Possible patent proposals
  7. Bibliography
  8. Amount requested (do not specify types of expenditure).

B.2. Title and summary in English (max. 10 lines)

VI. SCIENTIFIC AREAS PROPOSED FOR COMPETITION
Research topics will relate to keywords such as: digitisation algorithms, computer generation of analytical solutions, digitisation of scientific databases, artificial intelligence in scientific research, computer integration of public services, digitisation and robotics, neural networks, machine learning, etc, in the following areas:

  1. Mathematical sciences
  2. Physical sciences
  3. Chemical sciences
  4. Biological sciences
  5. Geonomic sciences
  6. Engineering sciences
  7. Agricultural and forestry sciences
  8. Medical sciences
  9. Economics
  10. Socio-human sciences
  11. Information sciences
  12. Military science

VII. EVALUATION PROCESS
Projects will be evaluated by teams of 2 evaluators, usually one from the country and one from abroad. The evaluators will be selected from AOSR members, members of other academies, academics, researchers from the country and abroad, with recognised scientific merit. Evaluators cannot have projects in competition. Evaluators will be selected and validated by the Scientific Board of the AOSR.

The project proposal can accumulate after evaluation max. 100 points.

If the individual evaluations of a project differ by more than 15 points, the project will be re-evaluated in a panel with the participation of the evaluators and a member of the AOSR Scientific Council, appointed by the AOSR President. The final score will be determined after the panel discussion.

The total number of projects accepted will be around 24, with the aim of covering as many of the competition areas as possible. In one area, two projects will usually be accepted for funding.

Evaluation criteria
A
.1. The director’s experience in the field, established on the basis of the projects led or in which he/she has participated and international scientific visibility, proven by the papers published in the field and their citations (max. 20 points)
A.2. International scientific visibility of team members (max. 10 points)
B.1. Fulfillment of the research areas set for the competition (eliminatory)
B.2. Timeliness and importance of the project theme (max. 15 points)
B.3. Originality of proposed solutions (max. 20 points)
B.4. Clear definition of the research objectives, methodology and plan of activities leading to its achievement (max. 30 points)
B.5. Staging of research activities (max. 5 points) 

Proposal disqualification criteria
C
.1. Non-compliance with the scientific fields of Section VI
C.2. Failure to meet the age criteria
C.3. Proposals containing at least one joint participant
C.4. Google Scholar pages will not contain the work of others with the same name. Identification of such work leads to disqualification of the proposal. 

VIII. SUBMISSION OF THE PROJECT PROPOSAL
The V.A file signed by the project manager and the V.B file, both in pdf format, should be sent by email to:  secretariat.aosr@gmail.com,  and their receipt will be confirmed by an entry number sent to the sender’s e-mail address. Any appeals will be sent to the same address.
Questions about the competition can be sent to the above address or to: delion@theory.nipne.ro

IX. COMPETITION CALENDAR

2023
16.01            – Publication of the competition on the institution’s website www.aosr.ro
17.01-26.02 – Submission of project proposals
27.02-20.03 – Analysis of proposals and posting of competition results
21-23.03      – Submission of appeals
24-31.03      – Examination of appeals and publication of final results
01-10.04      – Contracting of projects accepted for funding
11.04-31.12 – Research activity

2024
01.01-04.12 – Research activity
01-10.12      – Evaluation of final research reports and papers/patents submitted for publication.

X. FINAL REMARKS
Signed progress reports in pdf format (max. 10 pages) should be emailed to 30 July, 5 December 2023, 30 June 2024 and the final report on 4 December 2024 on the basis of which the reception committee decides on the payment of the respective phases. The milestone results will be communicated at conferences organised before the reporting dates. The results of all projects will be published on the AOSR website.

Payments will be made in four instalments and the Project Manager will report on how the money will be spent.

The December reports for each year will contain manuscripts of papers submitted for publication and editorial acknowledgements of receipt, as well as patent proposals.

The final report will mention at least two papers based on the results of the project published in journals listed in the Web of Science database with mention of affiliation to AOSR.

VIDEO January 15: Mihai Eminescu Day – National Culture Day

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On the occasion of 15 January – Mihai Eminescu’s Day and the National Culture Day -, the Academy of Romanian Scientists organized the Scientific Symposium “Culture, means of access to the Space of Universal Values” . The event took place on 12 January 2023, starting at 11 am, in the Constantin Angelescu Conference Hall of AOSR and was attended by personalities of Romanian education, culture and science.

Considering the special significance, with a high symbolic value, of the 15th of January, the Symposium aimed to bring back into the present consciousness the importance of the National Poet’s work for the Romanian existence and the development of our culture, to underline its universal value and the need for new generations to know it. At the same time, the event revealed the role of national culture, through its perennial works, beyond conjuncture and ideology, in promoting Romanian civilization and spirituality in the area of universal values.

VIDEO


The event was structured in two parts: the Scientific Session and the Artistic Session. At the opening of the Symposium, prefaced by the academic hymn Gaudeamus igitur, prof. univ. dr. eng. Adrian Badea, President of the Academy of Romanian Scientists, said that 15 January is a day of joy, when we pay homage to Mihai Eminescu, “the full man of Romanian culture”, and celebrate National Culture and its values. Through the value of his work, Eminescu, the National Poet, opened the path of Romanian culture towards universality.

His Eminence Theodosius, Archbishop of Tomis and university professor, gave an academic lecture in which he stressed that Eminescu represents a synthesis of Romanian writing and culture, is a universal personality in his aspiration to embrace the universal spirit and the value of his creation. The “Perfect Poet of our culture” was also a religious man, not just a man of literature, the speaker stressed, for the religious dimension of his spirit and work advocating important Eminescian creations. Identifying himself with his country and his nation, loving the people, the poet shows a deep Romanian spirit, which, through his very rich culture, through the comprehensiveness and value of his work, becomes a universal spirit. The universality of the poet is deeply rooted in the very nature of the nation and the country: a Latin country with Eastern spirituality. Essentially, concluded Archbishop Theodosius, through his creation, Eminescu represents the Romanian nation and captures the divine Logos.

In a lecture entitled “Eminescu – Universal Poet”, Ioana Vasiloiu, PhD lecturer at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest, presented the coordinates of the poet’s existence and work, involving in the exposition fundamental critical landmarks of the exegesis of Eminescu. University professor Nicolae Georgescu, a leading Eminescuologist, gave a literary history lesson with significant elements from the biography and reception of Eminescu’s work. As a result of the recognition of the value of his work, the poet’s work began to be translated during his lifetime, the first translations of Eminesci’s poetry being in Hungarian and German. An important moment in the poet’s European career and a first step in his penetration into universality was his translation into German in the volume Rumänisches Dichtungen, published in 1881 in Leipzig, in which Eminescu is present with 20 poems, together with Alecsandri, Bolintineanu and I. Negruzzi. The poet was well known in German culture, which was the first cultural bridge to other cultures.

Stating that we love Eminescu even without knowing him well enough, Professor N. Georgescu advocated the need to know the work of the National Poet. In the second part of the event, the Artistic Session, young actors recited poems by Emineschi Claudia Ene and Andrei Atabay (UNATC) and performed musical creations on Eminescu’s verses by baritone Alexandru Chiriac (Brasov Opera) and mezzo-soprano Mihaela Ramona Bolojan (National Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima”, Cluj-Napoca), accompanied on piano by Ieronim Buga (Romanian Athenaeum).

At the end of the Symposium, the President of the AOSR, Professor Adrian Badea, said:”Cultural values, together with the achievements of scientific research, are a gateway to the space of universal spirituality. They give the measure of a civilisation’s value, expressing its spiritual strength and greatness. Eminescu, through his genius and his creations, opened the way to universality for Romanian culture and civilization. The process has been continued by other great minds in the fields of culture and science and continues today. As a nation with great potential for intelligence and creativity, we have an important contribution to make to the heritage of universal culture and science. This is why we must focus on education, create a high-performance education system, encourage quality and excellence in academic education and scientific research, encourage and support exceptional young people. Through culture and science, not through other circumstantial means, we show what we really are in the world and place ourselves in the perennial space of universal values.”

Communication and Public Relations Office of the Academy of Romanian Scientists
(Contact: comunicare.aosr@gmail.com )
Bucharest, 14.01.2023

VIDEO The 30th “Mihai Eminescu” Symposium – 173 years since the birth of the poet

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The Academy of Romanian Scientists – USA BRANCH, the Union of Professional Journalists of Romania, the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitanate of the Two Americas and the Romanian Institute of Orthodox Theology and Spirituality – NEW YORK organize the 30th “Mihai Eminescu” Symposium (173 years since the birth of the poet), with the theme Romanian education and culture today – Assessment and directions
Imaginary dialogue with Eminescu. What do you think, Mr. Eminescu, about Romanian education and culture today?


Saturday 14 January 2023, 10:00 AM (17:00 in Romania)
at the Romanian Orthodox Church “Sf. Ap. Peter and Paul”, Astoria, New York (14-20 27th Ave.)

Join ZOOM Meeting
Meeting ID: 852 5875 2895Passcode: 395548


TIME SCHEDULE
Opening protocol
Pr. Prof. Dr. Theodor Damian, President of the New York Branch of the Academy of Romanian Scientists and of the Romanian Institute of Orthodox Theology and Spirituality

Prayer by M. Eminescu, performed by Lia Lungu
Anthem of Stefan Voda
Wake up Romanian

Messages:
Prof. univ. Dr. Adrian Badea, President of the Academy of Romanian Scientists
Dr. Nicolae Condrea, Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the USA and Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas

PRESS RELEASES
Moderator: Prof. Nicole Smith

Acad. Theodor Codreanu, Critic and Literary Historian, Huși
Eminescu’s philosophy: implications for the school vision

Prof. univ. Dr. Nicolae Georgescu, Critic and literary historian, Bucharest, Romania
Eminescology, an interdisciplinary science

Prof. univ. Dr. Anca Sîrghie, Critic and literary historian, Sibiu
The “real” school as an institution of identity in the vision of the publicist Mihai Eminescu

Dr. Marian Nencescu, Critic and literary and art historian, Bucharest, Union of Professional Journalists of Romania
Eminesque News: School between education and culture

Pr. Prof. univ. Dr. Theodor Damian
Writer, President of the American Branch of the Academy of Romanian Scientists and of the Romanian Institute of Orthodox Theology and Spirituality, New York
The relevance of Eminescu’s vision of education

Prof. univ. Valentina Ciaprazi, Writer, Professor of French Language and Literature, LaGuardia College, New York
Criticism of snobbish imitation in Eminescu’s poetry: Our young people

Kavli 2022 Prize for Nanoscience awarded to Prof. Jacob Sagiv, researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science and honorary member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists

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In a festive ceremony on 6 September 2022 at the Oslo Concert Hall, Prof. Jacob Sagiv of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, an honorary member of the AOȘR, received the Kavli 2022 Prize for Nanoscience. You can watch the ceremony on the AOSR You Tube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8b7yyJ28iE&list=PLJpvLc37UAv51J-45buIrz5by5CxdGAEu&index=2

Prof. Jacob Sagiv, a member of the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science, was honoured – along with three other laureates – for pioneering research in the field of “Self-assembled monolayers on solid substrates: molecular coatings for controlling surface properties”.

Prof. Jacob Sagiv (left) receives the Kavli Prize from King Harald V of Norway (second from right) and Prof. Lise Øvreås, President of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters.

According to the Kavli Foundation’s official website, the Kavli Prize, awarded every two years, “honours scientists for discoveries in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience – the big, the small and the complex”. The laureates, who share $1 million in each of three scientific fields, are selected by committees appointed by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters. Prof. Sagiv shares the award with David L. Allara of Pennsylvania State University, Ralph G. Nuzzo of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and George Whitesides of Harvard University.

Between 1978 and 1980, Jacob Sagiv, a chemist and researcher in materials physics and chemistry, published pioneering scientific papers in what was to become the modern field of self-assembled monolayer research.

A relevant web page http://www.ishitech.co.il/0202ar3.htm is dedicated to the prestigious achievements in nanoscience and nanotechnology of Prof. Jacob Sagiv.

In 1980, Jacob Sagiv discovered that molecules containing a chemical called octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) spontaneously react with a glass surface to assemble themselves into individual layers [1]. In 1983, a Bell Labs research team led by David Allara discovered that molecules with thiol (sulfur-containing) groups on a gold surface also self-assemble into individual layers [2]. These self-assembled monolayers are a few nanometres thick (determined by the choice of molecule) and allow researchers to tailor the properties of a surface. For the first time, scientists could imagine building three-dimensional structures at the nanoscale layer by layer, such as laying rows of bricks to build a wall. These structures are used to build molecule-based electronic devices, biosensors and new types of optical materials.
[1] J. Sagiv, J. Am. Chem. Shock. 102, 92-98 (1980).
[2] R. G. Nuzzo, D. L. Allara, J. Am. Chem. Shock. 105, 4481-4483 (1983).

The Google Academic database shows that Jacob Sagiv’s pioneering paper, published in 1980 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, is cited more than 2300 times (Google Academic, November 2022).

Jacob Sagiv has published over 70 scientific papers in high impact journals (three papers in Nature, several papers in Advanced Materials, Nano Letters, Langmuir, etc.), which have been cited more than 7500 times (excluding self-citations). The average number of citations for each paper exceeds 100, a high score, indicating a very influential, world-class scientist, a possible future Nobel Prize winner.

His seminal achievement, published in 1980 in J. Am. Chem. Soc., is mentioned in the list of the most prominent nanoscience discoveries of the 20th century; see web page: https://www.iinano.org/from-1971-to-2000/

Culture, a means of access to the Space of Universal Values

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On the occasion of 15 January – a date with a special symbolic significance in the Romanian spirituality calendar: the Day of Mihai Eminescu and the Day of National Culture, the Academy of Romanian Scientists organizes the scientific symposium Culture, means of access to the Space of Universal Values. The event will take place on 12 January 2023, starting at 11 am, in the Constantin Angelescu Conference Hall of AOSR (Ilfov Street, no. 3, sector 5, Bucharest).

The symposium aims to bring back to the present awareness the importance of the National Poet’s work for the Romanian existence and the evolution of our culture, to underline its universal value and the need for new generations to know it. At the same time, the event will highlight the role of national culture, through its perennial works, beyond conjuncture and ideology, in promoting Romanian civilization and spirituality in the universal space of values.

The event is structured in two parts: the Scientific Section and the Artistic Section. In the first part, lectures on Eminescu and national culture will be given by personalities from the Romanian academic and cultural world. The second part of the symposium will be a poetic and musical recital.

Conference “Digital transformation of public cultural institutions”

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“Ion Heliade Rădulescu” County Library of Dâmbovița, Dâmbovița County Council, Dâmbovița County Centre for Culture, in partnership with the Archbishopric of Targoviste and the Academy of Romanian Scientists organize the Conference “Digital Transformation of Public Cultural Institutions”, held by Prof. Dr. Doina BANCIU, Vice-President of AOSR.

Date: 13 January 2023, 11.00 a.m.
Location: Dâmbovița County Library, Târgoviște – Stelea Street no. 2, Conference Hall

– Artistic moment performed by the Muntenia Symphony Orchestra Sextet –

On wisdom in administration

Article published on the website romanialibera.ro
Author: Alexandru Vlad Ciurea

The other day I visited Brasov. I have never hidden the fact that I have a special feeling for this city where I grew up and trained until I left for college. And I never broke contact with him.

I don’t visit it as a tourist; I give consultations in Brasov, I participate in official events, scientific conferences, I have launched most of my books here too. I know the history of the city, I know a number of personalities, in short, I am at home.

Well, I had a big surprise a few days ago when, walking around the city centre, I discovered that all the terraces in the famous Council Square were closed. And those on Republicii Street, another well-known place in Brasov. I was told that this was the decision of the City Council, taken following a regulation adopted by the City Council.

Of course, the decision has raised the ire of terrace owners, who have protested that even during the pandemic the terraces were not closed. In other words, where there’s law, there’s no haggling!

But the problem is of a different nature and is a question of the wisdom of those who run a city, whatever it may be. The paradigm of local lawmaking differs from that of national lawmaking. Here, power is much closer to citizens. Direct interaction is much more convenient. Equally, the level of detail at which local issues are known is infinitely greater in local government. And with this knowledge of the problems, it is much easier for the authority to intervene to settle any grievances of citizens.

In this context of a close relationship between the local administration – City Council and Mayor – and citizens, the political and ideological differentiation between the elected representatives of the community is diluted. Or, it should be diluted, because it is difficult to determine, for example, the line of a bus depending on the political party a local councillor comes from. This is valid – as is my entire argument! – in the normal situation where councillors and the mayor have no interests of their own other than those of the community.

Coming back, I confess that I don’t understand what the winter open terraces are doing to anyone? There’s plenty of room for the Christmas fair, and staying on a terrace would have been short-lived due to the cold. On the other hand, why close instead of opening up as much as possible and exploiting the economic potential of the city and creating more opportunities for tourists?

One of the arguments of the Brasov administration would be that those spaces are public and should be put out to tender. Very good, why haven’t they done this before? And here I must add something else: public space belongs to everyone, not to the City Hall or the City Council. You can’t restrict a right of the people of Brasov to do – legally and for a fee, of course – something on a space that belongs to the people of Brasov. This kind of confusion is so common in Romania that it is said that “the Government gives…”, when the Government manages our money, not owns it. The confusion is maintained for electoral interests by our politicians, but this is another matter.

Local government also has an advantage: it can quickly talk to citizens. I will give you the example of a mayor of a nearby commune in Covasna county, Dobârlău. A young and coherent mayor who, in a few days, decided, through a lightning poll, the destination of some money left in the commune’s treasury before the winter holidays. She asked her citizens what they would prefer: to put on a Christmas show, to install holiday lighting in all four villages of the commune, or to allocate the money to projects that the commune has underway (and it has projects worth 20 million euros!). People overwhelmingly responded that they wanted holiday lighting. Based on this response, the commune administration took the necessary decisions and went to work…

The full article can be read HERE

Schengen area and the Education budget

Article published on the website tribunainvatamantului.ro
Author: Sorin Ivan

The Schengen theme remains on the front page of public attention, awakening long-dormant egos and chronic carelessness, arousing firm attitudes towards recovering lost dignity, in the “Wake up, Romanian” paradigm. On the refusal to welcome us, following Austria’s shock vote, opinions are divided, in good local tradition, in a framework where it is very difficult, if not impossible, for people to get along and agree, especially on big issues, strategic objectives and country projects. Some say it is serious that we were not welcomed, that it is an act of defiance and humiliation of us as a people, others, that it would not be so serious, explaining: “What do we need Schengen for? We’ll sit on the border like we do now, with the Greeks or the Hungarians, and go about our business. It is possible without Schengen”. In the same pendulum swing from one attitude to another, some believe that those who rejected us should be boycotted, others that this is not the case, the only way being diplomacy. That’s pretty much how it is with Schengen, plus a lot of unknowns that politicians should explain to the voting public.

Next year’s education budget should be (in fact, should work) differently, given that it is the fate of education, a matter of major importance for every student, for the young generations and, without fancy words, for the future of Romania. But, in reality, they’re pretty much the same. The news of the 2.1% budget (as it was initially reported in the public space) has caused and still causes contradictory reactions: some criticize the situation and accuse the continuous decline of education funding, in an already tradition of Romanian education policy, teachers and non-teaching staff protest, as they regularly do, in front of public institutions, and others think it is good, the real amount being 3.2% of GDP: 2.1% through the Ministry of Education and 1.1% through local authorities, so more money for education than last year and in previous years. The second category includes the Minister, who says that the budget is sufficient and can ensure the smooth running of education.

Even if, mathematically, there will be more money, the funding allocated to education is still insufficient and far from what it should be. A small budget in relation to the provision of the law (6%) and the high objectives to which education is subordinated contradicts the logic of the steps taken in the field of schools and reform, namely laws, projects and programs, all subsumed to the Country Project called Educated Romania. It is yet another mode of snail’s pace progress towards the proposed state-level target, which is in fact high on the horizon of predictions and possibilities. Because educating a society affected by a lack of education – and as a result of totalitarian decades, perpetuated ignorance and retrograde mentalities – transforming a country with educational shortcomings, unequal education, quality and efficiency difficulties into a country educated in all senses is a strategically important objective of great complexity and difficulty. Such a metamorphosis is only possible through quality education. And quality education requires substantial, consistent and long-term funding. With little money, the whole endeavour risks remaining a beautiful utopia…

The full article can be read HERE

Happy Holidays!

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We wish you a Merry Christmas, with love, hope and peace!
May the New Year 2023 be for you and the whole family full of health, joy, happiness and good luck in everything!

Happy Birthday!
Prof. univ. dr. Adrian Alexandru Badea – President of AOSR

Diploma of excellence – 30th anniversary of the establishment of the specialization Managerial and Administrative Assistance – Faculty of Letters

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The Department of Administrative Sciences (Faculty of Letters) celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Management and Administrative Assistance specialization in the presence of Mr. conf. univ. dr Sorin Costreie – prorector of the University of Bucharest and Mrs. conf. Dr. Cristina Bogdan – Dean of the Faculty of Letters, as well as other professors from the faculty management. The book published on this occasion, “Bureautica – AMS – AMA – 30 years of academic history”, edited by Mrs. Prof. Dr. Oana Iucu, director of the department, as well as the interventions of the guests (former directors of the department and alumni) demonstrated the topicality and modernity of the specialization.

On this occasion, the university management awarded three diplomas of excellence to Prof. Dr. Ing. Doina Banciu, vice-president of AOSR, received this distinction in the magnificent hall of the Faculty of Letters Library, which was overcrowded for the large audience.