Dr. Chokan Laumulin is a Professor, School of Natural and Social Sciences, The British Kazakh Technical University, Advisor to the President of the National Academy of Sciences, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Research Affiliate, Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Jesus College, University of Cambridge, Member of the Education Committee, British Kazakh Society, UK; Vice Chair, The UNECE Committee on Sustainable Energy, Geneva, Switzerland (https://kbtu.edu.kz/en/latest-news/2435-professor-of-kbtu-has-joined-the-bureau-of-the-unece-committee-on-sustainable-energy). Being originally from Almaty, Kazakhstan, he has had more than 30 years of global professional experience in academia, education, media and some entrepreneurial activities as well as hundreds of articles, interviews and publications in academic journals and mass media accompanied by active participation in academic events worldwide (https://kbtu.edu.kz/en/latest-news/1931-professor-of-kbtu-received-the-appreciation-letter-from-world-energy-council). He holds a PhD from Darvin College and Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge (2019), an MSc degree from the London School of Economics (2001, supervised by Prof. Nicholas Barr) in European Political Economy and a BSc degree (distinction) in Journalism from the Kazakh National University (1996). His research in Development Studies is focussed on science policy and dedicated to the organisation and development of fundamental science in the connection with technology, industry, society and modernisation. His doctoral thesis titled ‘Science and Social Policy: Underpinning of Soviet Industrial Paradigms’ (2019) was supervised by Prof. Peter Nolan, CBE (https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/298764), in the University of Cambridge.
In the KBTU, Prof Laumulin reads his course on Philosophy and history of science and conducts his research on science policy as well as actively contributes to tackling the energy transition and green agenda, eg in organising the UN Almaty energy forums held annually at the KBTU. The 2nd Almaty Energy Forum was attended by high-ranking UN officials and the delegation from the Department of Physics and Cavendish Lab, including its head, Prof. Andy Parker and quantum physicist, Dr Siddharth Saxena (https://kbtu.edu.kz/en/latest-news/2808-guest-lecture-by-professor-andy-parker-was-held-at-kbtu) in November 2022. As well, as a member of the Education Committee of the British Kazakh Society, Prof Laumulin is engaged in developing collaboration in research and education between the UK and KBTU. As well, Prof. Chokan Laumullin develops a Cambridge scientists’ initiative to launch a cutting-edge fundamental research and technology institution in Kazakhstan, ie The Almaty Centre of Advanced Science and Technology (ACAST), to be operated under world-class scientists’ supervision to contribute to the development of certification and breakthrough-explorations for the national, regional and global progress.
