Iranian scientific achievements are not promoted because of political climate of our time and sanctions that have prohibited our scientists in getting recognition. Also we need to realize that Iran or Iranians who live in Iran are not good at Public Relations and self promotion which is considered arrogant. Given the limited resources and budget of Iranian universities and sanctions, Iranian professors and scientists have accomplished a great deal.
Iran’s economy is controlled by government entities and even these entities and their employees are controlling the private sector. Little support is given to small businesses where many ideas and innovations come from them. This is a huge barrier that we face in Iran.
Iran has many potential. Iran also has enough capital in its private sector and there is no reason, why private equity firms, venture capital firms could not be established with the right corporate governance to help ideas transform into products and then export these ideas to the rest of the world. Iran can easily become an exporter of technology. With less government control and fantastic geographical location, Iranians can take advantage of their brilliant minds and let their own “high net-worth individuals” invest in their own people, so that young industries and brilliant minds can flourish so that eventually Iran becomes known as a country whose contributions cannot be ignored in science, technology, agriculture and other areas. Investment in our own people has to start from within and once small businesses move from being VC’s into production of products then foreign investment and interest will come naturally.
A report by UNESCO in 2011 mentioned four Iranians who received the UNESCO Award for their contributions to science. All of these scientists live in Iran and are professors at various universities. The Awardees include Dr. Abbas Shafiee, Tehran University Pharmacology and Medical Sciences Professor, Dr. Mojtaba Shamsipour Professor of Chemistry in Razi University, Dr. Mohsen Nemat Gorgani, Tehran University Professor of Biochemistry, and Dr. Ali Akbar Sabouri Professor in Biophysics at Tehran University.
Dr. Farrokh’s website has the list of Awardees also. http://www.kavehfarrokh.com/2011/09/
