The Caribbean Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science will meet in Puerto Rico under the banner of “Cienca y Comunidad: Construyendo Juntos” – or “Science and Community: Building Together.”
The 34th annual Caribbean Division meeting will take place on Sept. 28 on the campus of Universidad Ana G. Méndez – Carolina Campus in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Registration is free and open to the public.
The Caribbean Division, one of three AAAS regional divisions, includes AAAS members in Puerto Rico, Central America, the islands of the Caribbean Basin, Venezuela and southern Mexico. The division has three main objectives: “science and innovation initiatives that impact society, promote education in science and technology and foster international cooperation through scientific efforts,” said Juan S. Ramírez Lugo, president of the division and assistant professor of biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras.
The meeting will focus on scientific efforts in Puerto Rico undertaken in partnership with local communities. Scientists, educators and community leaders will discuss their experiences and share insights from collaborative projects involving scientists, community members and civic and environmental groups. To highlight the essential role of communication in such partnerships, the agenda also will include a storytelling workshop open to all meeting participants.
Two awards will be presented during the meeting. The Lucy Gaspar Award for Excellence in Science Teaching will be given to a K-12 teacher in the region, while the Robert I. Larus Prize will be awarded to a graduate student in the natural, physical or social sciences to recognize the meeting’s best poster.