Geneticists and Selectionists, All-Union Society of

(full name, N. I. Vavilov All-Union Society of Geneticists and Selectionists; VOGIS), a scientific-public organization attached to the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, uniting scholars and technicians of the USSR who work in the fields of genetics and selection. The society was established in 1965 and held its formal charter session in Moscow on May 30-31, 1966, adopting a constitution and electing a central council of 80 and a presidium (located in Moscow) of 23 members. B. L. Astaurov was elected president.

At the beginning of 1971 there were 3,670 members of the society in 26 chapters located in capitals of the Union republics, in krai and oblast centers, and in other cities. The society’s goals and tasks include active participation in the development of all branches of genetics and selection, improvement of the qualifications of the society’s members and publication of their research, popularization and publicity for the newest theoretical and practical accomplishments in genetics and selection, and collaboration in the teaching of genetics and selection at secondary and higher education levels.