Today, August 8, 2019, election of a director was held at the National Antarctic Scientific Center. As a result of the vote, Evgen Dykyi was elected Director – 23 scientists gave their votes for him.
In total, 26 NASC full-time researchers took part in the elections. Two polling stations were set up – one at the Center’s premises in Kyiv and the other at the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station. Voting ballots of scientists working in Antarctica were transmitted to Kyiv via the Internet in the form of scanned copies. Voting lasted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The counting of votes was conducted by a specially created election commission consisting of four NASC researchers.
The election of the NASC Director was held in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Science and Scientific Activity” adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in 2016. This is the first election of the head of the National Antarctic Scientific Center. Until now, the directors of the institution have been appointed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Since March 2018 Evgen Dykyi, PhD has been NASC acting Director. Before that he was the Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology, as well as the head of Odesa Mechnykov Research Institute. A participant of the Maidan, from the first days fought in the volunteer battalion “Aydar”. Was awarded the Order “For Courage” III degree.
In his election program, Evgeny Dikiy notes the priority course: further modernization of Akademik Vernadsky station, providing additional research funding sources, development of the Antarctic Peninsula monitoring network, conducting comparative studies of both Arctic and Antarctic Polar Regions, social protection of polar explorers. The full program of Evgen Dykyi can be found here.
Recall that according to the Law of Ukraine “On Science and Scientific Activity”, NASC director is elected for a five-year term.