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Foundation Considers OptionsVictor Rabinowilch, vice-president for programs at the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation says: "What we are concerned about is that practically a whole generation of scholars and creative individuals who have all of a sudden been given the opportunity to think and write as hey wish, may be lost." Mr. Rabinowilch was in Russia last week to lay the groundwork for a number of assistance programs that his foundation was considering. He could not be more specific about the proposals, except to say the foundation was concerned about the plight of younger Russian scholars, nuclear-weapons conversion, and the maintenance of unique resources in their country—such as archives and botanical collections— that are now threatened by cuts in government support. At the American Association for the Advancement of Science Sandra Burns, associate director of international programs, says her office is conducting a survey of members who are actively collaborating with Russia’s scientists to determine how the association could best use its resources to help before it makes any specific proposals. The American Physical Society is examining such possibilities as paying for foreign journal subscriptions that are being canceled in Russia because of the lack of funds, developing a program in which U. S. institutions can donate equipment to Russian laboratories, and bringing together Russian and American research institutes to work on common problems. “0ne of the things we're working on is to promote the concept in which universities or national laboratories are paired with well-known facilities in the Soviet Union," explains Irving A. Lerch. a professor of medical physics at New York University and director of international scientific affairs for the physical society. Such a relationship could lead not only to cooperative research. but to long-term exchanges of faculty members and graduate students”jjjjjhhhhhhhhhhhhnjjjjjjmnmnnmm,’;lop, he says. At the Federation of American Scientists, officials are working on a plan that would bring the directors of dozens of Russian institutes to the Untied Stales to solicit subcontracts for specific types of research. Jeremy J. Stone, president of the federation, says he is hopeful the plan can promote long-term relationships between the two sides that would provide important additional resources to some Russian research teams by diverting relatively small amount of money from U.S. science projects. "Very little money would be required." he says. adding that his plan would not divert support from U.S. projects and may allow American researchers to do more with limited funds. "If they didn'1 hire a research intern, it would free up $15.000. That could fund a whole Russian project." Bewildering Array of InstitutesFor officials of American science societies and foundations, who are now confronted with the complexities of the Russian bureaucracy and a bewildering array of Russian research institutes of varying quality, determining who and what to support and making certain that the assistance ends up where it is supposed to, - are no simple tasks. Mr. Lerch of the physical society notes Efforts to Aid Russia's Scholars Are More Than a Humanitarian Gesturethat the former Soviet Academy of Sciences, which recently transferred its assets to the newly formed Russian Academy of Sciences. supported many institutes that did first-rate work. But he adds, "some institutes were supported by the academy structure simply because they were politically correct. They were of no value scientifically." "Divining which is which is going to be difficult" for foundations and societies looking to funnel resources to specific institutions, Mr. Lerch says. "The former Soviet Union as a whole is a sinkhole." Mr. Stone says his plan to provide modest subcontracts to Russian research institutes could avoid that problem, since institutes that do not return work of the highest quality would not be given additional support. 'Someone Specific'“Let's put this on a capitalist basis," he says. "Let the American scientists figure out who's who." Joseph McGhee, director of exchanges at the U.S. State Department's Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs—until recently called the Office of Soviet Union Affairs—says that because funds can .be easily entangled or lost within the Russian bureaucracy, groups sending money to help scholars there should "have someone specific in mind." Donations of equipment, he adds. can run into additional problems with customs regulations in Russia, U.S. export-control regulations. and other legal impediments. "Unless there's a competent consignee on the other end. God knows where it's going to end up," he says. Loren R. Graham, a professor of the history of science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. says that because the "organization of Russian science and culture is presently in turmoil, direct assistance to major institutions should probably be avoided." "We easily could support the wrong organizations in the power struggles going on." he adds. Mr. Graham and others are also concerned that a Russian tax of as much as 60 per cent on foreign donations of funds and equipment and an official exchange rate that can significantly reduce the value of financial contributions could inhibit support from U.S. foundations and other non-profit organizations. |