Title: Still digging, still planting: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences – knowledge yesterday, knowledge today and knowledge for tomorrow

Authors: Regis Cabral

Addresses: FEPRO – Funding for European Projects, Ankarskatavagen 77A, SE-94134 Pitea, Sweden

Abstract: Since 1739 the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, KVA, has contributed to make Sweden, a small country, very influential. The KVA is known for the Nobel Prizes and for great names: Linnaeus, Scheele, Celsius, Berzelius, Nordenskiöld, Angstrom and Siegbahn. I survey KVA|s history: foundation (18th century), Berzelius (19th), Nobel (20th) and today. I also consider KVA|s future and significance. The Linnaean and the Nobel historical missions are at par with the challenges of new sciences and globalisation. Sweden can become a nation of knowledge providers. The KVA has the tradition and prestige to play a major role in this process.

Keywords: science for development; knowledge producers; space exploration; Nobel Prize; scientific academies; Sweden; science and economics; science and society; Linnaeus; Berzelius; Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2009.022675

International Journal of Technology Management, 2009 Vol.46 No.1/2, pp.51 - 70

Published online: 25 Jan 2009 *

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