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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.

AOSR President, Prof. Dr. Eng. Adrian Badea, awards a prize for research at the “Thinking in Romania” Gala

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Prof. dr. eng. Adrian Badea, President of the Academy of Romanian Scientists, was invited to present an award at the “Gândit în România” Gala to Mr. Costel Vînătoru, for his horticultural research work at the Buzău Research and Development Station for Vegetable Growing and at the Plant Genetic Resources Bank – Buzău, of which he is the creator.
Costel Vînătoru also serves as a priest at the Episcopal Cathedral in Buzău, and is known as a priest of vocation, who is also involved in the training of future priests.

The “Gândit in Romania” Gala took place on December 14, 2022, at the Romanian Athenaeum and aroused a real interest from the audience, while being broadcast live on TVR International.

The event was attended by dignitaries from the Romanian Government, members of the Romanian Academy, university professors, researchers, students and pupils.

The “Thinking in Romania” Gala awarded 12 prizes in categories such as culture, science, education, inventiveness, research, and were presented by representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Academy of Romanian Scientists, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and Babeș-Bolyai University.

The first edition of the “Thought in Romania” Gala was dedicated to Gogu Constantinescu, the Romanian inventor with about 400 patents, one every two months, and who is mentioned among the “17 pioneers on the road to progress” in a table published in 1926 by the British magazine “The Graphic”, along with Einstein, Kelvin, Graham Bell, Edison, Marconi, Marie Curie.


AOSR Vice President, Prof. dr. eng. Doina Banciu, presented two awards at the Digital Transformation (DX) 2022 GALA, focusing on Smart Libraries in Romania and Digital Community Transformation

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Council, in collaboration with the magazine COMUNICAȚII Mobile and TelecomTV, organized GALA DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION (DX) 2022, 19th editionon 9 December at the Grand Hotel Continental in Bucharest with the motto Business-Industrial-Digital Transformation. GALA DX brought together the elite of ICT-connected industries from over 20 market verticals – Government, Automotive, Agriculture, Defence, Insurance, Aviation, Research, Construction, Culture, Education, Innovation, E-Commerce, Energy, Finance-Banking, Infrastructure, Internet, IT, Real Estate, Retail, Telecom, Security, Healthcare, Business Services, Utilities – producing over 75% of Romania’s GDP.

GALA DX 2022 started with a retrospective analysis of the current year and with forecasts for 2023 in the direction of digital transformation in Romania and internationally, the moderators of the event, Ion Vaciu – President of the Digital Transformation Council and Roxana Onea – Editor-in-Chief of COMUNICAȚII Mobile and TelecomTV Magazine, underlining the importance of a holistic and integrative approach to digital transformation from the horizontal IT and Telecom to other connected industries. In the new paradigm, the focus is on Transformation, but not necessarily on Digital, as Digital Transformation is predominantly a performance management process focused on People, not Technology. Of the 10 essential dimensions of a successful digital transformation plan, only one is allocated to digital and technology, the other nine are responsible for the act of performance management.

The DX GALA continued with the DX Excellence Awards, with the procedures for their deliberation being presented beforehand by the three juries: online jury of business users (over 1800 votes), Mobile Communication Magazine jury (and finally) and the aggregate decision of DX Council specialists .

Two of the GALEI awards were introduced by a Laudatio to the winners of the Romanian librarians’ community and those representing Smart Village from the Vice President of the Academy of Romanian Scientists (AOSR), Prof. Dr. Eng. Doina Banciu. The AOSR official presented the Digital Transformation Programme of the academic organisation and the scientific work that its members carry out in this strategic direction for our society.

She stressed the importance of Connected Communities, the emergence of a concept and a concrete reality of Smart Village in Romania, in Ciugud, a commune in Alba County, which has already produced a success story that should be multiplied in more areas of the country. Here the independent mayor Gheorghe Damian has managed to digitize almost all administrative processes at the town hall level and the interaction of citizens with the local administration, managing to virtualize even rural financial processes.

In addition, the AOSR vice-president mentioned the critical role of the Digital Library in a Knowledge-Based Economy, especially in the post-pandemic era that the whole planet has gone through and even more so in Romania, whose population is going through a pronounced process of functional, digital, social and economic illiteracy. New types of valuable content, accessible from anywhere, anytime, through Internet networks, are already bringing added value at societal level, helping to reduce the disparities between rural and urban segments, to reduce the Digital Divide. Therefore, the award granted by the organizers to the best known association in the country, ANBPR, comes as a recognition of the efforts of this professional category to the recovery efforts in the field of Education, mass culturalization, knowledge at societal level.

The list of the DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION (DX) 2022 Gala Award winners included:

* DX for SMART VILLAGE – COMUNA CIUGUD
Mayor Gheorghe DAMIAN

* DIGITAL COMMUNITY AWARD – ANBPR
– Dragoș NEAGU
, President | ANBPRNational Association of Librarians and Public Libraries in Romania