The plan to reorganize the RAS Commission to Combat Pseudoscience involves transferring its functions to the RAS Expert Council. Yet the commission’s head, academician Evgeny Aleksandrov, remains unclear about the specific steps that will be taken. He shared his perspective with socialbites.ca, outlining his views on the proposed changes.
Alekseyev reported that he had a discussion with the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Gennady Krasnikov, during which he outlined ideas for improving the commission’s work. Krasnikov listened, offered no immediate comment, and Aleksandrov learned of the decision only two months later. He noted that Stepan Kalmykov, the chairman of the Expert Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences, asserted that the move does not mean the commission is being dissolved, but rather reorganized, and Aleksandrov confirmed this interpretation.
Nevertheless, Aleksandrov admitted that details about the reorganization were not communicated to him directly. He emphasized that he has not received any official briefing and hopes the change will not lead to a shutdown. He pointed out that the commission, its weapons program, energy initiatives, and public outreach have always required careful management, and he believes those areas have faced persistent interference.
According to Aleksandrov, the restructuring could involve heightened scrutiny of inventions and project evaluations, a trend not always tightly tied to scientific merit. He suggested that the presidential apparatus may have been overwhelmed by objections from a broad spectrum of inventors, prompting a shift to the Expert Council. The idea is that the Expert Council would oversee the commission’s work more directly, while still leveraging its expertise. He added that this development represents another move toward formalized guidance and centralized control. In earlier years, the commission enjoyed substantial autonomy, including a freer line of communication with the press. A subsequent resolution fixed more actions under the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Aleksandrov pondered the consequences of these new regulations. Time would reveal their impact, he asserted.
The decision to reorganize was announced in December 2022. Stepan Kalmykov, who chairs the Expert Council, explained that the move aimed to reduce the number of separate commissions and councils operating under the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The shift reflects an administrative effort to consolidate governance structures while maintaining the core mission of assessing scientific work and related innovations. While the precise outcomes remain to be seen, the consolidation signals a broader trend toward streamlined oversight and clearer lines of responsibility within the academy. Critics and supporters alike are watching closely to understand how this transition will affect the evaluation processes, transparency, and the academy’s public engagement. As the plan progresses, observers anticipate that the Expert Council will assume a more prominent role in guiding policy, setting standards, and coordinating with researchers across disciplines. The ultimate effect on groundbreaking research and the pace of scientific communication will become evident only with time, practice, and continued oversight by senior leadership.