Inter-American Science and Technology Association

Inter-American Science and Technology Association

Inter-American Science Fair: An Inter-American science fair consists of projects and exhibits devoted to science and the arts in the Hispanic, African American and other ethnic/racially/ ethic backgrounds. Since Spanish was not a primary language of those involved, science topics were not an area of concentration, nor were there any significant numbers of Hispanic participants. The reason for this was due to the fact that there was no such thing as a Latino Inter-American science fair – yet. However, the increasing number of Latino scientists and inventors is leading to an increasing interest in this field.

As one of the twenty-six member states of UNESCO (the United Nations organization dealing with science and technology for the Asia-Pacific region), Columbia has long been a premier science and technology center. In fact, Columbia is considered the “Home of the Inter-American Science Fair”. Not only does Columbia have a rich history in regard to science and technology, but it also boasts a large number of world class universities, institutions of higher learning and scientific and technological research centers. A notable feature of this large city is its tripartite government structure. President Heira and her Cabinet are appointed by the President of Columbia, with each Cabinet representative taking up a specific responsibility in the administration of science and technology in the country.

The tripartite structure of government is also responsible for the appointment of the scientific and technological experts who supervise the implementation of the plans put in place by the President and his cabinet. On top of these officials, there are the university professors and university head condominiums, each with their own unique line of specialty. The twenty-six Ministry of Education in Columbia comprises the Secretaries of Public Health, Education, Science and Technology and of course the Inter-American Science Fair. The Minister of Education usually chairs the Inter-American Science Fair and has the unenviable job of being the sole chairperson at the fair. Other member states of UNESCO are Mexico, Dominican Republic, Panama and Suriname.

As regards the members of the scientific community at the university

They number more than thirty-five, including researchers from Colombia, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico and Peru. There are eleven departments in the Department of Education with the most senior posts held by university professors. This includes the Department of Mathematics and Science, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of History, Anthropology and Geology, the Institute of Ecology and Hydrology and the Institute of Transportation. The other departments are Business and Legal Affairs, Counseling, Communications, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Social Sciences and Technological Sciences.

The inter-american program has grown in recent years as the governments of many countries have provided financial aid in order to encourage the growth of this discipline and increase knowledge of our planet. Several universities in the United States have joined the International Academy of Sciences and Technology for International Students. This association is an offshoot of the university’s Science and Technology Committee and serves to encourage international students to pursue research in academic settings like that at the Inter-American University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This international program is open to students from all disciplines including mathematics, physics and astronomy.

At the 2021 Summit, Inter-American Science and Technology was represented by the President of Mexico, Mr. Felipe Calderon, and the Secretary of State, Mr. Hilary Clinton. The President and Mrs. Clinton presented a declaration at the opening session of the meeting on the International Science and Technology Monitor. In this document, the Presidents of Mexico and the United States committed themselves to increase cooperation in research and technology, to enhance academic diversity, to expand access to higher education and to support scientific research and development worldwide. They also decided to launch a new millennium economic strategy to increase the prosperity of all people, and to mitigate the environmental impact of the global economy. Following the signing of this declaration, the first meeting of the Inter-American Program was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In this meeting, the members of the Inter-American science and technology associations were presented with a Program for a Common Research Objectives

Which laid out in detail how each of the member states can work closely to benefit the other states, as well as the whole world. In addition, the Program for a Common Research Objective set out detailed information on how each of the states plans to maintain its role as a leading forward-looking scientific hub. Also in this document are plans to increase inter-american cooperation on energy, clean coal technologies, telecommunications, information and technology, and agricultural development. Other topics included information on the economic benefits of such cooperation.

The members of the Inter-American science and technology association are encouraged to keep in mind the relationship that exists between the United States and Mexico, a very important neighbor. The countries have a long history of working together on many projects that contribute to the strength of both economies. These projects range from research and development in the areas of energy, transportation, telecommunications, information and technology, to agriculture. Therefore, it is hoped that the many advances in technology that have been developed in recent years can be transferred and applied equally well to both countries.