Daya Reddy, mathematician, served (2018–2021) as the ISC's inaugural President.[5] Sir Peter Gluckman, pediatrician, biomedical scientist, and science-policy expert, was elected President in October 2021.[6] Other ISC's inaugural Officers elected for the term of 2018–2021 were Elisa Reis (Vice President),[7] Jinghai Li (Vice President),[8] Renée van Kessel (Treasurer),[9] and Alik Ismail-Zadeh (Secretary).[10] Until February 2022, Heide Hackmann served as the Council's CEO.[11] In 2023, Salvatore Aricò was elected Chief Executive Officer.[12]
Activities
The Council convenes and mobilizes the international scientific community on issues of major scientific and public importance. Activities focus on three areas of work:
Stimulating and supporting international scientific research and scholarship, and communicating science that is relevant to international policy issues;
Promoting the ability of science to contribute to major issues;
Defending the free and responsible practice of science.
The Council is involved in co-sponsorship of a number of international research programmes, networks and committees.
The Council's present activities are guided by the Action Plan 2022-2024: Science and Society in Transition.[14] At the heart of the Action Plan is a selection of projects and programmes that are relevant to all scientific fields and all parts of the world.
Structure
The Council is governed by its Governing Board[15] and is advised by a number of advisory bodies in thematic areas such as space, polar, climatic, and data research.[16] It is headquartered in Paris with a regional office in Colombia. The Officers of the Governing Board are currently
Peter Gluckman (President),
Motoko Kotani (President-elect),
Anne Husebekk (Vice-President for Freedom and Responsibility in Science),
Salim Abdool Karim (Vice-President for Outreach and Engagement), and
Sawako Shirahase (Vice-President for Finance of the Council).
The ISC's next assembly is scheduled to be held in Muscat in 2025. [17]
Members
In 2020, the International Science Council has 135 member organizations, 40 member unions and associations, and 30 affiliated members.[18]
