Iranian women are leading a cultural renaissance with massive support from the university students with the rallying cry "Woman, Life, Freedom". University campuses have been at the center of the waves of protest sweeping through Iran, and the academic community of Iran has suffered enormous damage. An increasing number of Iranian students and faculty, who are among the brightest minds of Iran, have been dismissed or suspended and their academic careers damaged. University campuses have a universal standing as places for fostering the free exchange of ideas, including peaceful protests. As scientists, there is a tie that binds us to these students and requires us to protect their right to free speech on campus. 

To support these scientists, and help reduce the damage to the scientific community of Iran, please consider encouraging leaders at your place of work (academic institution, scientific institute or other organization) to help, for example, by

• Establishing Fellowship Programs to provide scholarships for time-limited research stays.
• Facilitating enrolment of academically-qualified students to resume their studies in your institution.
• Waiving their application fee and providing means to support their education abroad, for example, through work-study programs,
• Accepting their fulfilled compatible university credits towards earning a degree in your institution

Once such support programs have been established or are in the final planning stages, please encourage your colleagues to make Iranian scientists they know aware of them.

And please, if you have other ideas to support these students and scientists, let us know what AIRAPT can do to help. 

Shanti Deemyad, Treasurer  AIRAPT
James S. Schilling, President  AIRAPT