Call to Action: Supporting Latin American Early Career Researchers on the Quest for Sustainable Development in the Region

Mitigating losses: how scientific organisations can help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early-career researchers

“…With the new virtuality accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the first online global meeting of NYAs, organised by GYA in September 2020, allowed the largest gathering of young academies so far (70 representatives from over 40 young academies), represented a global platform for establishing further collaborations and exchange of best practices between ECRs and different decision-making capabilities within academic, private, and governmental sectors. This meeting served to gather Latin American and Caribbean fellows involved in the writing of a current assessment on the situation of early- and mid-career scholars in this region that would include the long-term effect of pandemic on different topics like intraregional scientific collaboration and mobility, scientific practices between countries, and lack of resources for scientific research Such report and similar ones are planned to be distributed to various stakeholders in this region with different degrees of decision-making competences (Lopez-Verges et al, 2021 ; McAlpine et al, 2020 ; Miranda-Nieto et al, 2021 ), as it has been previously done for the ASEAN region (Geffers et al, 2017 ).…”

The Latin America Early Career Earth System Scientist Network (LAECESS): addressing present and future challenges of the upcoming generations of scientists in the region

“…Many researchers, especially EC scientists, decide to leave the region, looking for proper venues and adequate support 34 . Researchers find more freedom, stability, resources, and grants to implement their scientific endeavours in many developed countries abroad, especially if they have the chance to perform study or training during master’s or Ph.D. degree 35 .…”

The Potential Contribution of the Scientific Diaspora to Enhance Marine Science in Guatemala

“…Regardless of location, it has been described that the scientific diaspora can actively contribute to (1) Strengthen the higher education system , contributing to the design of national and regional postgraduate programs, and increasing the offer of these university programs, (2) Increase productivity and scientific impact , (3) Generate mobility opportunities (executing projects, cooperation activities, facilitate the exchange, and transfer of knowledge and technology), and (4) Be a bridge between science and decision makers , guiding government policies and regulations (Scientific Diplomacy) (ICMPD, International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2019 ; Bonilla, 2021 ; Lopez-Verges et al, 2021 ). Also, a well-connected diaspora may aid reinsertion strategies (Stehli, 2020 ) and help design national and regional postgraduate programs that could increase intraregional mobility, strengthen regional collaboration, and increase productivity and visibility of research (Lopez-Verges et al, 2021 ).…”

“…It might be the perfect opportunity to connect with academic and scientific actors from the productive sectors and government entities (Echeverría-King and Prieto, 2021 ). Also, they could be a bridge for the execution of cooperation projects and activities, facilitating the exchange and transfer of knowledge and technology (Palacios-Callender and Roberts, 2018 ; Echeverría-King and Prieto, 2021 ; Lopez-Verges et al, 2021 ). In this context, this article aims to describe the potential of the scientific diaspora and how it would contribute to strengthening this area of knowledge.…”