The idea to create an academy for scientists from the 'Third World' was first discussed among a small group of internationally renowned researchers who met at the general meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Rome, Italy, in October 1981. Two years later, in November 1983, the creation of TWAS was marked by a formal ceremony held at the University of Trieste and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). The event, sponsored by the Trieste International Foundation for Scientific Progress and Freedom, brought together 34 of the Academy's 42 founding members.
- Muhammad Akhtar, Pakistan
- Michael Francis Atiyah, United Kingdom
- Daniel Adzei Bekoe, Ghana
- Baruj Benacerraf, USA • Nobel Prize, Physiology/Medicine, 1980
- Ignacio Bernal, Mexico
- Ricardo Bressani Castignoli, Guatemala
- Carlos Chagas, Brazil
- Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar, India
- Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, USA • Nobel Prize, Physics, 1983
- Shiing-Shen Chern, USA
- Hector Croxatto Rezzio, Chile
- Nil Ratan Dhar, India
- Johanna Döbereiner, Brazil
- Humberto Fernández-Morán, USA
- Loo-Keng Hua, China
- Ali Javan, USA
- Har Gobind Khorana, USA • Nobel Prize, Physiology/Medicine, 1968
- Devendra Lal, India
- Thomas Adeoye Lambo, Nigeria
- Tsung-Dao Lee, USA • Nobel Prize, Physics, 1957
- Luis F. Leloir, Argentina • Nobel Prize, Chemistry, 1970
- Félix Malu Wa Kalenga, Congo, Dem. Rep.
- Mambillikalathil Govind Kumar Menon, India
- Ricardo Miledi, USA
- César Milstein, United Kingdom • Nobel Prize, Physiology/Medicine, 1984
- Thomas Risley Odhiambo, Kenya
- Autar Singh Paintal, India
- Benjamin Peary Pal, India
- Crodowaldo Pavan, Brazil
- Helio Gelli Pereira, United Kingdom
- Gopalasamudram Narayana Ramachandran, India
- Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, India
- Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, India
- Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga, Madagascar
- Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff, Colombia
- Marcel Roche, Venezuela
- Emilio Rosenblueth, Mexico
- Abdus Salam, Pakistan • Nobel Prize, Physics, 1979
- Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Pakistan
- Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, India
- Samuel Chao Chung Ting, USA • Nobel Prize, Physics, 1976
- Chen Ning (Frank) Yang, USA • Nobel Prize, Physics, 1957
Image at top: TWAS Founding Members at the founding ceremony in 1983. From left: M.G.K. Menon; S. Chandrasekhar; D. Lal; C.R. Rao; Hua Loo-Keng; L.F. Leloir; A. Rakoto Ratsimamanga; S.Siddiqui.