A Tour to the Yucatan Peninsula: Climate Change in the Gulf of Mexico

Merida, Yucatan – Dr. Medina-Cetina, Director of the Yucatan Initiative at TAMU and Associate Professor in the Zachary Department of Civil Engineering, arranged a 5-day visit to the Yucatan Peninsula on December 3-7, 2016 to explore possible collaborations on climate projects with government institutions in the Yucatan including the Department of Urban and Environmental Development, Department of Research, Innovation and Higher Education (SIIES), and other research centers. Dr. Jack Baldauf, Executive Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Research in the Department of Oceaneering of the College of Geosciences at TAMU joined Dr. Medina-Cetina on this collaboration trip.

The trip was organized through a series of visits starting at Progreso Deepwater Port where the Mexican Port Authority provided a guided tour, followed by a visit to the Mayan town of Uxmal hosted by the SIIES. The tour was guided by Dr. José Huchín, Head Archeologist for the Uxmal Archeological Site.

The agenda for December 5th, marked a visit to Campeche’s academic and government institutions as well as it’s port’s management to discuss important topics on potential energy and climate projects. These visits included UNAM Sisal Academic Unit located in the State of Campeche, whose academic programs and research is focused on the solution of national problems related to the use and conservation of the country’s coastal resources (http://www.sisal.unam.mx/content.php?id=3). This visit was hosted by Dr. Xavier Chiappa Carrara, General Coordinator of UNAM’s Sisal Academic Unit, and Dr. Torres, researcher at UNAM Sisal.

Dr. Medina-Cetina and Dr. Baldauf also met with Mr. Pepe Berzunza, Secretary of Economic Development of the State of Campeche, Mr. Gilberto Romero, Port Director of Campeche’s Ports Management, Mr. Ricardo Medina, Secretary of Education, and with Dr. Estrada, Faculty of Engineering at the Autonomous University of Campeche (UAC).

During the evening, Dr. Medina-Cetina and Dr. Baldauf  presented their research proposals to SIIES on the impact of climate variability on the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding coastal communities, which would integrate phase three of the Yucatan Initiative. These proposal include:

• Thematic Workshops in Geosciences: Spring 2017 – YI
• Research Coordinating Network (Mexico, US, Cuba): Spring 2017 – NSF
• International Research Center: Summer 2017 – NSF

The objectives of a NFS Research Coordinating Network are:

• Support the sharing of information
• Coordinate research activities
• Create standards for scientific community
• Advance science and education through collaboration

Currently, there are a total of 83 active research-coordinating networks in the US.

A NSF Science and Technology Center is a facility where different organizations, specialties, and countries communicate and utilize data to progress technology. There are currently 14 active centers in the US, its objectives are:

• To support innovative research and education projects that require long term awards
• To advance and empower future generations in scientific technology

The Yucatan delegation who participated in this meeting:

• Dr. Raúl Godoy Montañez, Secretary of Research, Innovation and Higher Education for the State of Yucatan
• Dr. Alejandro Rafael Ramírez Loría, Director of Research and Innovation at SIIES
• Dr. Emilio Martínez de Velasco Aguirre, Regional Director in the Southeast for CONACYT
• Dr. Luis Alberto García Domínguez, Research lead for the General Office of
  Research and Innovation (DGII) at SIIES
• Ms. Alicia Navarrete Alonso, Coordinator of International Affairs at the General Office of Higher Education (DGES)
• Mr. Ricardo Bello Bolio, Yucatan Under-Secretary of Higher Education, SIIES Director of the Yucatan Initiative Project

On December 6th, a working breakfast was organized to present the objectives of the project “Studies of the Gulf of Mexico” with a focus on climate change.  Important government institutions and research centers of Yucatan participated in this meeting including the Department of Urban and Environmental Development, Research Center in Geography and Geomatics (Centro GEO: Public Research Center integrated to the CONACYT system), Research and Advanced Studies Center (CINVESTAV-Merida), Schools of Engineering and Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), Scientific Research Center of Yucatan (CICY), Academic Unit of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Yucatan (UNAM), and the Mathematics Research Center in Merida (CIMAT).  Representatives from each institution gave a presentation to show their research, work, and ideas related to climate change in Yucatan.

Participants from SIIDETEY:

• Dr. Raul Godoy Montañez, Secretary of Research, Innovation and Higher Education for the State of Yucatan
• Dr. Eduardo Batllori Sampedro, Secretary of Urban and Environmental Development
• Dr. Alejandro Rafael Ramírez Loría, Director of Research and Innovation at SIIES
• Dr. Luis Alberto Garcia Dominguez, Research lead for the General Office of Research and Innovation (DGII) at SIIES
• Dr. Gaspar Poot Lopez, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of Yucatan
• Dr. Juan Jimenez Osorio, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of Yucatan
• Dr. Juan Ku Vera, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of Yucatan
• Dr. Xavier Chiappa-Carrara, Academic Unit of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Yucatan
• Dra. Elvia Martínez  Viveros, Research Center in Geography and Geomatics
• Mr. Ricardo Bello, Under-Secretary of Yucatan’s Department of Research, Innovation and Higher Education, and Director of the Yucatan Initiative Project at SIIES
• Dr. Luis Enrique Fernandez Baqueiro, Director of the School of Engineering at UADY
• Dr. Eucario Gazca, Head of the Departament of Ocean Resources of CINVESTA-Merida
• Dr. Ismael Mariño, Researcher at CINVESTAV-Merida
• Dr. Emilio Martinez de Velasco Aguirre, Regional Director in the Southeast for CONACYT

From TAMU:

• Dr. Medina-Cetina, Director of the Yucatan Initiative at TAMU and Associate Professor in the Zachary Department of Civil Engineering
• Dr. Jack Baldauf, Executive Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Research, College of Geosciences

Dr. Rosa Maria Leal Bautista, Director of Cancun’s Scientific Research Center, hosted the final visit of the climate change tour. This visit consisted of a route on the Caribbean to reach different areas where the researchers could identify land characteristics.  They also had the opportunity to visit the Water Science Unit at Cancun’s Scientific Research Center and Puerto Morelos. The main purpose of this working meeting was to set agreements for collaborations on climate change.

[:]