STeP Fellows explore new science diplomacy strategies with regional experts
From November 8 to 10, 2024, the workshop Science Diplomacy & Innovation for Global Environmental Change in the Americas took place in Washington, D.C., United States. Organized by the Science Diplomacy Center of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), in collaboration with the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the Center for International Negotiation (Caeni-USP), and the Science Diplomacy and Innovation School at the University of São Paulo (InnSciD-USP), the event brought together experts and professionals from across the region to explore the intersections of science, innovation, and diplomacy in the context of global environmental change.
In the photo: Marcella Ohira, Director of the IAI Science Diplomacy Center, with STeP Fellows Gabriela Ferreira, Branislav Pantovic, and Claudia Alarcón.
The workshop was designed to refine the IAI’s Science Diplomacy and Innovation curriculum and aimed to enhance the STeP training program, foster collaboration among current and former STeP fellows, develop participants' skills, and promote the use of science diplomacy.
The curriculum presented during the workshop, developed by the IAI Science Diplomacy Center and USP, combines online materials with in-person workshops. This approach offers a comprehensive learning experience, with modules on science diplomacy, innovation diplomacy, negotiation, and global environmental change. It also incorporates simulations and role-playing exercises to reflect the complexity of science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The event featured an outstanding team of facilitators, including Amancio J. de Oliveira, Janina Onuki, Gabriela Ferreira, Rodrigo Lyra, Romeu Bonk, and André Bafti, who shared real-life case studies and practical strategies.
At the workshop's conclusion, participants highlighted the value of the interactive sessions and the exchange of experiences. The feedback received will be key to refining the course components and ensuring that science diplomacy continues to play a fundamental role in seeking sustainable solutions to environmental challenges in the Americas. This effort reaffirms IAI’s commitment to scientific excellence, international cooperation, and capacity building to address global change.
Participants:
- Alice Grossman: Research Director for Transportation and Industry, Congressional Research Service, United States.
- Alice Ramos: Associate Researcher at the Research Group on Conservation and Commons Management (CCommons), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.
- Aline Villareal: Associate Professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
- Anjuli Figueroa: Head of Analysis at the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Angelo Attanasio: STeP Fellow, IAI; Editor at Latinoamérica21.
- Asif Iqbal: Senior Policy Advisor and Lead, Office of the Chief Scientist, Natural Resources Canada.
- Bernat Navarro-Serer: Program Officer at the National Academy of Sciences.
- Brian Leung: Senior International Specialist, United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).
- Bhuvanesh Awasthi: Lead Behavioral Researcher, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Branislav Pantovic: Leader of the Communications Committee, “Science Diplomacy Network for Latin America and the Caribbean” (DiploCientifica).
- Chante Saunders: Master’s Student at the University of the West Indies, Barbados, Center for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES).
- Claudia Alarcón: STeP Fellow, IAI; Doctoral Candidate in Educational Innovation.
- Daniel Álvarez Jiménez: Analyst at the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico.
- Gabriela Ferreira: STeP Fellow, IAI; Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies (USP).
- Gabriela Duarte: Researcher at the International Institute for Sustainability, Brazil.
- Julian Campisi: Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto-Scarborough.
- Karina Vega-Vila: Scientific Analyst, United States.
- Laila Sandroni: Transdisciplinary Program Leader, IAI.
- Larisse Faroni-Perez: STeP Fellow, IAI and Belmont Forum Secretariat
- Luz Cumba: Sustainability Advisor, Global Health Security and Diplomacy Office, U.S. Department of State.
- Inés Carabajal: Researcher at CONICET and Adjunct Professor at the University of Buenos Aires.
- Rosario Quintero: Independent Consultant; Collaborator with Panama’s National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACYT).
- Sebastián Riera: Water Economist at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), Argentina.