College Station, Tx – A delegation from the Yucatan State, Mexico visits Texas A&M University to participate in a strategic meeting with representatives and researchers to discuss the launching of the Yucatan Initiative Phase III on climate change research projects. The objective of this meeting is to discuss the current challenges in climate change, and define guidelines for the structure of the work program.

The first phase of the Yucatan Initiative constitutes engineering research projects, in which nine projects were elaborated and executed by researchers from both states. These projects are focused on coast dynamics, aquifers, logistics, early warning systems, and energy. The second phase launched in February 2016, consists in Agrodiversity/ biodiversity, animal science, horticulture, water quality, and food science research projects. Both of these phases are active on research.

The third phase of the Yucatan Initiatve is focused on research related to the Impact of Climate Change in the Gulf of Mexico, which includes the following areas of collaboration:

  • Coastal sustainability and resilience
  • Sea level rise
  • Air-sea interaction
  • Ecosystem sustainability
  • Climate variation
  • Extreme events
  • Social Processes: Demographics

Due to the positive results obtained from this international collaboration,  representatives from Yucatan and Texas intend to take the Yucatan Initiative to a next phase and continue to do research that generates regional development and well-being for both States.

In this strategic meeting participated from Yucatan State:

  • Mr. Ricardo Bello, Yucatan Under-Secretary of Higher Education, and Director of the Yucatan Initiative Project at SIIES
  • Dr. Gildardo Sánchez, President of the Universidad Politecnica de Yucatan
  • Dr. Alejandro Ramírez, SIIES Under-Secretary of Research and Innovation
  • Ms. Alicia Navarrete, SIIES Manager of International Programs

From TAMU participated:

  • Dr. Zenon Medina-Cetina, Director of the Yucatan Initiative Project at TAMU
  • Dr. Jack Baldauf, Executive Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Research, College of Geosciences
  • Mrs. Maria Alves, Director of Engineering Global Programs

The Yucatan Delegation also met with Dr. Jack Baldauf, Executive Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Research at the College of Geosciences, and visited the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) laboratory directed by Dr. Tony Knap. The GERG team performs research related to science and the environment. Learn more about the GERG lab