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2 Science and Technology Priorities
Pages 24-55

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From page 24...
... activities that should be considered as priority areas for financial and other types of support by the Kazakhstani government.1 CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF THE S&T INFRASTRUCTURE Before addressing specific S&T areas and fields that deserve priority status, the committee emphasizes that strong support is needed for the following types of activities that cut across all S&T programs. Universal Broadband Access to the Internet by Members of the S&T Community Science has long been based on theory and experimentation.
From page 25...
... Appropriate Modern Equipment Throughout the Research Laboratories Most of the research equipment in the universities and research institutes that committee members visited is out of date. Much is not even operating.
From page 26...
... Wise use of the oil windfall, incentives to attract investment in Kazakhstan, and decisions concerning privatization of public-sector companies and institutions are issues laden with economic considerations that should be addressed by well-trained specialists. Many other examples could be cited.
From page 27...
... Several universities and research institutes offer specialized courses in economics. Their research agendas seem impressive -- for example, solving poverty and related vulnerability problems, innovation in Kazakhstan in the global context, ecologically sustainable exploitation of minerals.
From page 28...
... Finally, foreign colleagues should be encouraged to provide unneeded back issues of journals, which would be of interest to Kazakhstani scientists. Ethics for S&T-Related Activities Ethics cut across many S&T activities, such as experiments related to cloning, reporting and interpreting results of human trials for new drugs; and compliance with engineering standards in the design and construction of buildings and bridges, to name but a few examples that directly affect human lives.
From page 29...
... as well as some sound ones. Research managers often took excessive personal credit for important scientific findings that should have been attributed to team efforts rather than individual efforts.
From page 30...
... They should be carried out on a continuing basis by Kazakhstani specialists. However, these areas/fields deserve strong support during the next several years, and designating them as priority areas/fields should help ensure that such support is forthcoming from the government.
From page 31...
... In addition to their vagueness, the criteria do not call for adequate consideration of the importance of effective use of S&T in meeting a broad range of specific societal needs of Kazakhstan, except when meeting such needs is a derivative of the general contribution of S&T to economic progress. For example, the support provided on a daily basis by the S&T community for governmental health, environmental, water conservation, and social services programs may not be eligible for consideration for priority status using the MES criteria.
From page 32...
... Also, there will be future political and economic measures undertaken by the international community or by Kazakhstan's leadership that will affect economic and social conditions that provide the context for the priorities to be given to S&T programs. The national debate over the country's development strategies may well lead to the selection of priorities other than those set forth in this report.
From page 33...
... Strong support for the following three fields is recommended. Assessment of Nuclear Power Facilities For many years the National Nuclear Center has conducted feasibility studies of nuclear power plants to help solve residential and industrial electricity problems, particularly in the Almaty region.
From page 34...
... R&D programs, particularly those linked to international efforts, will be particularly important to ensure that nuclear specialists stay abreast of worldwide developments that affect the choices and operation of nuclear power systems. Also, Kazakhstan needs strong capabilities to ensure that the siting and engineering of nuclear power plants in a tectonically active region do not create unacceptable risks.
From page 35...
... In addition, a variety of services are based on this experience, including the design of construction projects of interest to both the governments of small towns and the oil industry and development of procedures to respond to mining and other emergencies. Given the economic importance of these activities and the long experience of Kazakhstan in this field, uranium mining deserves priority status.
From page 36...
... Data banks contain a great deal of public health and germplasm information that is important to the international community. At the same time, the government is investing significant new resources into restoring lost capabilities.
From page 37...
... The Ministries of Health and Agriculture should ensure from the outset that the program meets the needs of local authorities and practitioners responsible for day-to-day surveillance. They should then be able to commit to supporting the program for the indefinite future.12 As to prevention, the embryonic efforts of Kazakhstani scientists to employ modern biotechnology approaches in the search for effective drugs and vaccines are already showing positive research results as evidenced by continued funding of research efforts by foreign partners as well as the government of Kazakhstan.
From page 38...
... But from the committee's observations of the country's medical system, cancer therapy stands out as an area of particular interest. Strong support by the government should enable Kazakhstan to become a leader in the not too distant future in both R&D activities of global significance and treatment technologies and services for the entire Central Asian region.
From page 39...
... Also, Kazakhstani researchers are just beginning to manipulate the molecular structures of naturally occurring species using modern genetic engineering techniques. Kazakhstan has unique plant species and an inexpensive and experienced workforce.
From page 40...
... The enthusiasm of the research teams in response to this support is infectious. Given the likely payoff from establishing a market niche in orthopedic devices, this field should be given priority status.
From page 41...
... Priority status for agriculture is important to ensure that the required talent will be attracted to the field and that both exports and food products available for local consumption will continue to rise in quality and availability. Cereal Grains Kazakhstan has unique patterns of precipitation, drought, temperatures, and soil moisture conditions.
From page 42...
... When coupled with the existing cadre of experienced specialists in the field of animal science, they call for priority status for this field. Nutrition Throughout the former Soviet Union, increases in cases of infectious and noninfectious diseases have been clearly linked to deterioration in the quality of nutrition.
From page 43...
... Fortunately, Kazakhstan has the capability to continue to make research contributions of international scientific significance and of importance to the general population of the country. Hydrocarbon Resources According to Kazakhstani officials, investments in oil extraction in Kazakhstan since the mid-1990s are expected to exceed $80 billion within a decade.
From page 44...
... Of course, the quality of the available workforce and the related educational institutions as well as the reliability of existing analytical laboratories are significant determinants as to whether international companies will invest in Kazakhstan or in any country. In view of the importance of the oil and gas sector and the near total reliance of Kazakhstan at present on imported technologies to develop and utilize petroleum resources, this field clearly deserves priority status.
From page 45...
... Catalysis has long been a strength of the Kazakhstani research community and deserves new impetus as the oil and gas sector continues to expand. Assessments of Reserves The importance of strong government scientific capabilities to assess the extent and quality of Kazakhstan's hydrocarbon resources is increasing as new fields are opened and developed.
From page 46...
... There are contamination threats of organic pollutants and heavy metals to ground and surface water, and heavy metals are being spread over large segments of the soil. On a broader basis, detailed environmental impact assessments are needed to ensure that future investments do not cause serious problems.
From page 47...
... • Pyrometallurgy: chlorination, magnesium reduction, titanium alloys, agglomeration of materials, and magnetic separation.21 Assessment of Ore Deposits Analogous to the discussion in a previous section on assessment of hydrocarbon reserves, the government of Kazakhstan should have strong internal ca 20Information provided by Kazakh National Technical University, September 2006. 21For additional details, see The Institute of Metallurgy and Beneficiation, brochure, undated, Almaty, obtained July 2006.
From page 48...
... • Air: reduction of air emissions (including particulates, SOx, NOx, and heavy metals) , waste gas treatment and disposal, and protection of respiratory tracts.
From page 49...
... At times the population consumes water that does not meet bacteriological standards.23 There is no national research agenda for the development, conservation, and protection of water resources nor are there regional agendas. Many ministries are 22For additional details, see Ecotech, www.ecotech.kz/en/2005/desc/#2, accessed September 20, 2006.
From page 50...
... The relationships among water, agricultural, and environmental issues are manifold. Thus, appropriate use of S&T in the assessment and management of water resources can have broad impacts on many sectors of the economy, and this area deserves priority status.
From page 51...
... Of course, the difficulty of assessing groundwater resources must be addressed. They are not subject to the whims of neighboring countries that seek a greater share of surface water resources, and this resource needs to be protected and used appropriately.
From page 52...
... While reducing environmental problems often seems to be of secondary importance to the rapid development of Kazakhstan's technological capabilities, highly visible steps to ensure the safety of drinking water can be a stimulus for giving more attention to environmental problems that directly affect human lives. Construction The construction industry accounts for 6 percent of national income, and the industry's growth rate has been over 20 percent in recent years.
From page 53...
... Given the threat to life and property involving more than 10 percent of the nation's population and the opportunities for Kazakhstani specialists to be important participants in worldwide efforts to reduce damage from earthquakes, priority support should be given to the S&T community, which is responsible for upgrading the capabilities of the nation to reduce damages from future earthquakes. Construction Materials At present a large percentage of construction material is imported.
From page 54...
... 1. The engineering research community seems to have good linkages with the power generation companies, and a number of investigations at the universities and research institutes are under way to improve the efficiency of the electrical power system.
From page 55...
... Kazakhstani specialists have proposed that former defense-oriented machine plants in the country that are no longer being used to capacity may be able to produce components of wind turbines, perhaps in cooperation with Western companies, at relatively low cost. A few Kazakhstani specialists and their international partners that are currently supported through the World Bank's Global Environmental Facility have ambitious plans to develop wind power.


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