Academy of Sciences of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

the highest scientific institution of the Turkmen SSR. Founded in 1951 on the basis of the Turkmen branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR; located at Ashkhabad.

In 1969 the academy membership included two honorary academicians, 23 academicians, and 21 corresponding members. The system of the academy incorporates three divisions and ten scientific research institutes: the division of physics and engineering sciences and chemical sciences (scientific research institutes—physics and engineering, chemistry, earth and atmospheric physics); the division of biological sciences (scientific research institutes—deserts, botany, zoology, and indigenous medicine); and the division of social sciences (scientific research institutes—the Sh. B. Batyrov Historical Institute, the Makhtumkuli Institute of Language and Literature, and economics), as well as several other scientific research institutions, the central botanical garden, the Repetek sand and desert station, a department of philosophy and law, the South Turkmenistan archaeological multipurpose expedition (IuTAKE), and others. The central scientific library contains 350,000 items (1968).

The leading research directions are the use of solar energy based on semiconductor engineering, deep structure of the earth’s crust and upper mantle, seismology, petroleum chemistry; natural salts; comprehensive utilization of desert resources; flora and fauna of the Turkmen SSR; indigenous medicine; and the history, philosophy, law, language, and literature of the Turkmen people.

The academy has published Izvestiia in three series since 1946, the journal Problemy osvoeniia pustyn’ since 1967, and other scientific literature; the Turkmen Soviet Encyclopedia is being prepared for publication.

Presidents of the academy have been T. B. Berdyev (1951–56), G. O. Charyev (1956–59), Sh. B. Batyrov (1959–65), and P. A. Azimov (since 1966).