Layout 27032008.indd - Portal Rasmi Akademi Sains Malaysia

LAPORAN PRESIDENPRESIDENT’S REPORTtelah membentangkan tiga laporan kemajuan kepada‘Jawatankuasa Antara Agensi kepada PengurusanRisiko Gempa Bumi dan Tsunami’. Kajian ini dijangkasiap sebelum September 2008.Program Brain Gain juga mencerminkan peranan dankepakaran Akademi dalam menentukan penyediaanlaporan pakar strategik berhubung pelbagai aspekpenerapan STI. Malaysia perlu membangunkan asasyang kuat dan menyediakan kepakaran secaraberterusan demi mempertingkatkan kadar inovasi serayamenjulang daya saing Negara. Selain ini, Malaysia perlumelipatgandakan kerjasama P&P untuk meningkatkantahap inovasi kebangsaan, penghasilan penyelidikantempatan dan kejayaan pengkomersilan. ProgramBrain Gain baru Malaysia meneliti cara-cara inovatifuntuk mencungkil kepakaran saintis antarabangsayang tersohor, tanpa memerlukan mereka berpindahsecara fi zikal. Defi nisi baru Brain Gain menggandingkanpara saintis dengan industri—demi merapatkan jurangantara para saintis dan pengkomersilan. Tambahanpula, program Brain Gain ini akan menumpukan fokusmemenuhi permintaan pasaran dengan mengemblengtenaga dengan sektor awam untuk menepati keperluankepakaran mereka. Panel Kajisemula Pakar telahmembuat dua puluh tujuh kunjungan jerayawara keinstitusi-institusi dan satu ke sebuah Institut Penyelidikan.Tujuh permohonan di bawah setiap program iaituProgram Pelawat Unggul dan International Fellowshipdan Post Doctoral Programme diluluskan. Satu lawatanpromosi publisiti ke Amerika Syarikat mengenai ProgramBrain Gain Malaysia telah dirancang dari 22 Julai – 1Ogos 2007.Satu lagi bidang yang dititikberatkan oleh Kerajaanmerupakan pendekatan strategik terhadap PendidikanSains. Akademi telah diberi peruntukan di bawah RMK9menerusi Program Jangkauan Luar Pendidikan Sains.Objektif Program ini ialah untuk memperkasa sistempendidikan Negara terutama dalam bidang sainsdan teknologi demi pertumbuhan dan pembangunanekonomi, dan untuk menanam sifat kreativiti dankecemerlangan di kalangan pendidik mata pelajaransains dan matematiks.Sepanjang tempoh lima tahun RMK9, Akademi telahdiberikan peruntukan untuk memulakan programpenerbitan termasuk jurnal saintifi k bertaraf antarabangsadan mendapat pengiktirafan pengamal. Justeru lahirlahASM Science Journal sebagai satu wadah penyebaranpenemuan P&P, analisis polisi dan prespektif penyelidikanyang berwibawa. Isu pertama ASM Sc. J., Vol 1, No.1,2007 yang merangkumi pelbagai disiplin diterbitkanreports to the Inter-Agency Committee on Earthquakeand Tsunami Risk Management. The study is expectedto be completed by September 2008.The Brain Gain Programme also refl ects the role andexpertise of the Academy in requiring the preparationof strategic expert reports on various aspects of STIuptake. Malaysia needs to develop a strong base andsupply of scientists to increase the pace of innovationand improve national competitiveness. In addition,it needs to intensify R&D collaboration to increasenational innovation levels, indigenous research outputand commercialisation successes. Malaysia’s new BrainGain Programme looks at innovative ways to tap intothe expertise of top international scientists, withoutphysically relocating these individuals. The new defi nitionof Brain Gain links scientists with industry—to bridgethe gap between research and commercialisation. Inaddition, the Brain Gain programme will focus on fulfi llingmarket demands by working with the private sector tomeet their need for talents. Twenty-seven roadshowvisits were made to institutions and one to a researchinstitute by the expert review panel. Seven applicationseach under the Distinguished Visitor Programme andInternational Fellowship and Post-doctoral Programmewere also approved. A promotion tour to the USA topublicize the Brain Gain Malaysia programme was alsoundertaken on 22 July – 1 August 2007.Another area of concern to the Government is thestrategic approach to Science Education. The Academyhas been given a 9MP allocation under the ScienceEducation Outreach Programme. The objectives of theProgramme are to strengthen the Nation’s educationsystem in the areas of science and technology for thegrowth and development of the economy, and toinstill the educators of science and mathematics witha sense of creativity and excellence.Over the fi ve-year period of the 9MP, the Academyhas been given funding to initiate a publicationsprogramme including an internationally recognised andpeer-reviewed primary scientifi c journal. Thus the ASMScience Journal was initiated to serve as a forum fordisseminating signifi cant R&D fi ndings, policy analysesand research perspectives. The fi rst issue of our multidisciplinaryASM Sc. J., Vol. 1, No. 1, 2007 was published12In Pursuit of Excellence in Science