The decision was made at the Academy’s 178th general assembly.
Palinkas, aged 55, is the dean of Debrecen University’s
Department of Sciences.
He is taking over from neurologist E. Szilveszter Vizi, who has
led the institution since 2002.
Palinkas joined main opposition Fidesz in 2000. He has been a
Fidesz MP since 2006 and member of Parliament’s Education and
Scientific Committee.
He was Minister of Education from July 2001 until May 2002.
Between 1999 and 2001 he served as chairman of the government’s
scientific policy advisory body. Prior to that he was political
state secretary at the education Ministry from 1998-2001.
Palinkas graduated from Szeged JATE University in physics in
1977, from which year he worked at a the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences’ Debrecen Nucleus Research Institute (E Hungary). He was
the institute’s deputy director in 1990-1991 and director until
1996.
He was guest researcher in 1983-1985 in Texas and in Stockholm
in 1988-1989 .
He has been a permanent member of the Academy of Sciences since
2004.
