UNESCO to award 4 Iranian scientists

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will award four Iranian scientists for outstanding contribution. The four Iranian scientists have earned their prestigious own spot on the list of Islamic World's top scholars, which is now being recognized by UNESCO as well, ISNA reported on Wednesday. The Islamic World Scientists' Network in conjunction with Iran's national Biophysics and Biochemistry Association will be offering the prizes to the four senior Iranian experimental science researchers. 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 for Tehran University. The award ceremony is slated for Saturday and will be held in the presence of the UNESCO National Commission Director General. Iran's scientific output rose 18-fold between 1996 and 2008, from 736 published papers to 13,238, making it, as argued by the “New Scientist” journal, as exhibiting the fastest rate of scientific publication increase in the world.