Kazakhstan's National Academy of Sciences Elects First Foreign Members

In a historic move, the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of Kazakhstan has elected its first-ever foreign members. The decision was made by the General Assembly of the Academy on March 16, 2026.

This step is aimed at strengthening international scientific cooperation, integrating domestic science into the global research community, and fostering the exchange of advanced knowledge and technologies.

The newly elected foreign members are leading scientists of world renown:

Gennady Yakovlevich Krasnikov – Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He is a leading scientist in semiconductor device physics, micro- and nanoelectronics, specializing in the creation of ultra-large-scale integrated circuits.

Guo Huadong – Ph.D., Professor, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of the International Research Center for Big Data for Sustainable Development (China). He is a leading expert in artificial intelligence and spatiotemporal modeling, specializing in radar remote sensing and Earth big data.

Helmut Schober – Ph.D., Professor, Director of the European Neutron Research Center (Sweden). He is a prominent scientist in atomic energy, specializing in neutron physics and neutron interaction with matter.

Mark Christopher Elliott – Ph.D., Professor, Vice Provost at Harvard University (USA). He is a leading Sinologist specializing in Chinese and Eurasian history and politics, with expertise on Inner Asia during the imperial period.

The Academy stated that this decision marks an important step in enhancing the international prestige of Kazakhstani science. It is expected to expand cooperation with leading global research centers and promote joint scientific projects. The institution intends to continue systematically developing international scientific interaction to strengthen the country's scientific potential.