Estonian Academy of Sciences


Founded in 1938, the Estonian Academy of Sciences is Estonia's national academy of science in Tallinn. As with other national academies, it is an independent group of well-known scientists whose stated aim is to promote research and development, encourage international scientific cooperation, and disseminate knowledge to the public. As of March 2017, it had 77 full members and 20 foreign members. Since 15 October 2014, the president of the Academy is the mathematician Tarmo Soomere.

Divisions

The Academy has four divisions:
  • Division of Astronomy and Physics
  • Division of Informatics and Engineering
  • Division of Biology, Geology and Chemistry
  • Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences

    History

The Academy was established in 1938 as a learned society. When Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union the Academy was dissolved on July 17, 1940. In June 1945 it was reestablished as the Academy of Sciences of the Estonian SSR. In Soviet times, it consisted of a central library and four divisions containing 15 research institutes as well as other scientific societies and museums. In April 1989, shortly before Estonian independence, the academy regained its original name of Estonian Academy of Sciences. At this time it was also restructured into its present form.

Presidents

The Academy's most prestigious prize is the Medal of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. This is awarded "for outstanding services in development of Estonian science or in helping forward its development, as well as for services in performance of tasks of the Estonian Academy of Sciences."

Location

The Academy is located on Kohtu Street in Tallinn. Its building is the so-called palace of Ungern-Sternberg, built in 1865 by the architect Martin Gropius.

Estonian Academy Publishers

At the academy, the Estonian Academy Publishers is located. As of 2021 the publisher publishes seven journals:
  1. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences
  2. Estonian Journal of Earth Sciences
  3. Oil Shale
  4. Linguistica Uralica
  5. Trames
  6. Estonian Journal of Archaeology
  7. Acta Historica Tallinnensia
In addition, the publisher publishes The Yearbook of the Estonian Mother Tongue Society.
The publisher published the following journals:
  1. Estonian Journal of Ecology
  2. Estonian Journal of Engineering
  3. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Geology
  4. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Chemistry
  5. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Physics. Mathematics

    Associated organizations

Several organizations are associated with the Academy.
These institutions or societies have activities and goals that conform to the objectives of the academy.
They include:
  • Estonian Naturalists' Society
  • Estonian Geographical Society
  • Society of Estonian Regional Studies
  • Estonian Mother Tongue Society
  • Estonian Union of the History and Philosophy of Science
  • Estonian Learned Society in Sweden
  • Estonian Literary Society
  • Learned Estonian Society
  • Estonian Musicological Society
  • Estonian Physical Society
  • Estonian Association of Engineers
  • Estonian Biochemical Society
  • Estonian Semiotics Association
  • Estonian Chemical Society
  • Estonian Society of Human Genetics
  • Estonian Society for Economics
  • Estonian Society for the Study of Religions
The press is also a member of the Association of European University Presses.