Committee of Concerned Scientists
We are scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of colleagues around the world.
The Committee of Concerned Scientists began as an ad hoc committee in Washington, D.C. and New York City in September 1972. A group of American scientists, physicians and engineers recognized the need to translate their deep concern about their colleagues who are denied their fundamental human rights because of their outspoken political views or their expressed desire to emigrate.
Dr. Jack Minker, CCS Vice-Chair for Computer Science and University of Maryland Professor Emeritus, gave a talk about his recently published memoir, Scientific Freedom & Human Rights: Scientists of Conscience During the Cold War, at the University of Maryland on October 3. Minker's book documents his work in human rights with CCS and other human rights organizations from 1972 to the … continue reading >>
It is with great sadness that we report the death on April 6, 2012 of our distinguished colleague and Advisory Committee member Fang Lizhi of the University of Arizona. Dr. Fang was a brilliant astrophysicist and influential proponent of human rights in his native China. His political ideals inspired the pro-democracy student movement in China that eventually resulted in the protests at … continue reading >>
By Jack Minker, Vice-Chair for Computer Science I would like to thank the New York Academy of Sciences Human Rights Committee for honoring me as a co-recipient of the 2011 Heinz R. Pagels Award together with Dr. Binayak Sen of India. I have spoken to several of my colleagues from India at the University of Maryland, who have confirmed that Dr. Sen is an extraordinary humanitarian eminently … continue reading >>
By Dr. Binayak Sen At the outset, I would like to thank the New York Academy of Sciences for conferring on me the prestigious Heinz R. Pagels Award for Human Rights. I wish it were possible for me to be with you in person on this occasion. Besides my gratitude for this great honour, I also have a personal reason to celebrate a connection with the Academy. My father was a pharmacologist whose … continue reading >>
The Committee of Concerned Scientists (CCS) is a human rights organization composed of scientists, engineers, and scholars who promote academic and personal freedom for their colleagues worldwide. The Committee supports the rights of scientists to collaborate on research and share data, travel to conferences and meetings, and emigrate if they choose. More broadly, CCS advocates human treatment of … continue reading >>
Yakov Alpert, a pioneer in serveral fields of radio and space plasma physics, died on October 17, 2010 in Boston at the age of 99. Alpert participated in Sputnik I and many other Soviet satellite projects in the 1960s and 1970s. He became a Russian refusenik when he applied for an exit visa in 1975. Like all dissident scientists in the U.S.S.R., he lost his job and the right to work in his … continue reading >>
Letter on behalf of Liu Xiaobo by Vaclav Havel, Pavel Landovsky, and Vaclav Maly Originally published in the Washington Post To His Excellency Hu Jintao President of the People's Republic of China Prague, Jan. 6, 2010 … continue reading >>
The archives of CCS have been deposited in Columbia University's Rare Book and Manuscript Library. An online finding aid is available at the Library website. … continue reading >>
by Dr Jack Minker, Vice-Chair for Computer Science The CCS was conceived as a human rights organization in 1972. Fred Pollack was Chair of the Executive Board and Ruth Levine was hired to be Executive Director. Jack Minker of the University of Maryland became first Computer Science Vice-Chair of CCS. Minker continues to serve in this capacity. Minker worked cooperatively with many different … continue reading >>
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In July, we protested the arrest of one of Turkey’s most prominent academic reformers, Kemal Gürüz, who was arrested and jailed for the second … continue reading >>
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