Connecting science to people: The role of National Research and Education Networks (NREN) in science communication

Author: Oscar G. Cardenas Hernandez – Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico

Co-authors:

• Sania Ortega – Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ecuador
• Eduardo Santamaría-Del-Angel – Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico

National Research and Education Networks (NREN) are essential components to meet the national and international connectivity needs of research and education, and for strategic collaboration in e-Learning, e-Science, and e-Research. NREN are vital for modern universities, as they increasingly depend on services based on internet protocols to operate mail, learning management systems, cloud computing, storage in independent data centers, videoconferences, distance education, information repositories and digital libraries. They are also key elements for science popularization and social construction of knowledge. RedCLARA, a Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks made up of thirteen NREN, represents the only Advanced Internet network in Latin America, providing regional interconnection and connection to the world through its international links like GÉANT (Pan-European Advanced Network) and Internet2 (US) and, through them, to advanced networks in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. In 2019 the NREN Summit of the Americas agreed on a common agenda to address and join energies to respond to global urgent issues, and thus increase cooperation and create opportunities to disseminate scientific data and information. Global climate change was identified as one of the most important environmental problems and a group of specialists from different countries started to disseminate data and information of this issue through webinars and virtual meetings directed to both academic and common audiences in several countries in Latin America. The long-term goal of the group is to build a visualization tool that integrates available scientific knowledge on variables and indicators that describe the changes in climate in terms of temperature, atmospheric composition, cryosphere, ocean, and water, as well as the risks and threats associated with hydrometeorological and climate phenomena in various regions of the continent.
The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Visual presentation
Theme: Technology