Rafael Ibarra: “RedCLARA has the vision and the will to join efforts in the field of R&D in order to move forward towards a greater development of Latin American countries” |
Written by Tania Altamirano |
Monday, 19 August 2013 00:00 |
Check out the voice of the President of the Directing Board of the Salvadorian Advanced Network for Research, Science and Education, RAICES, and his vision about RedCLARA and collaboration. Read this and other interviews in the book “RedCLARA: Name, voice and instrument of collaboration in Latin America”.
What comes to your mind when you hear a researcher talking about collaboration? The cost of implementing and maintaining laboratory, equipment and computers to develop research projects are high if they are covered by one single institution, or even sometimes by one single country. Talents, capacities and experiences are also assets which produce more if they are shared. This collaboration between peers is carried out both inside a country and at an international level, and the most efficient way to accomplish it is through advanced networks, of which RedCLARA and its member national networks are the best representatives in the region. What would you say is the most important aspect of research and education networks? Research and education networks facilitate and promote collaboration between researchers in a country and between them and their peers in other nations. It has become an efficient coupling which takes place when research and education networks themselves as formal organisations manage the advanced networks in a country. Thus, the most relevant contribution of advanced networks in the provision of a communications channel with updated technology and in constant progress, with high speed channels with the lesser rate of shared use and therefore with the greatest efficiency and quality. How would you describe the role of RedCLARA both at a regional and global level? For the rest of the world, RedCLARA is already a model which represents Latin America in international forums which deal with the development of e-Science. To a great extent, RedCLARA knows about and collects concerns, national situations and the state of development of local science and technology in our countries. It is a qualified mouthpiece, since its members are precisely the national research and education networks in Latin American countries, and this allows it to keep the information it manages updated, present the region’s situation to the rest of the world and have an impact on the materialisation of projects for mutual benefit. What has been the key important aspect of the ALICE2 project for your network? The ALICE2 project has also provided many hours and ways of training, and human resources education; creation and development of research communities; provision of speedy, modern and communication tools which are efficient for researchers themselves; initiatives which aims at the inclusion of more countries, more networks, more local members and more scientists; and a sustainable strategy of continental connectivity beyond frontiers. All these accomplishments have made it possible for the members of our RAICES network to be in contact with peers in Latin America and other regions. This is a new way available for local researchers and teachers to have communication and eventually work together with other colleagues. Likewise, it is a way in which our members can learn about opportunities for collaborative projects. How important is for RAICES the collaboration with other national and regional networks and how do you collaborate globally? Unfortunately, El Salvador is not a country which stands out because of its high volume of research activities or great scientific development. The alliance and possible participation of our universities in collaborative projects at a regional level is a significant support in the search for our own development, since it makes it possible to come across other work groups which have made more progress in these issues. If RedCLARA did not exist, what would the science, research and innovation scenario in your country be like? In other words, although there would be some progress made, I think the existence of RedCLARA has enabled us to visualise and, in some cases, experiment other ways to develop projects in the field of science and technology. Could you describe your view of research and education networks in the future? Research and education networks, both national and regional ones, will provide top-quality services as regards communications, data and information transmission, community management, project development and other forms of progress for the region’s science and technology. According to your point of view, what should be the role of RedCLARA over the next five years? The permanent improvement and innovation in the services it offers must have a predominant place in RedCLARA’s tasks, especially those which enable it to better show partners the advantages of taking part in these regional networks. It must also continue making efforts to expand the quantity and quality of network members, reaching countries still not connected and institutions that still do not take part of these benefits. Together with its members, national networks, RedCLARA must continue working to make the importance of having and expanding this important tool for e-Science development visible for political actors, decision-makers and authorities from the NRENs’ member institutions. It must keep and strengthen its alliances with other peer actors across the globe, in order to succeed in transferring these benefits to its Latin American members. All these actions and other additional ones must aim at ensuring the sustainability of RedCLARA and the NRENs, based on the everyday and expanded use of the communications infrastructure, as well as the services and tools provided by RedCLARA, with the common goal of making innovation, science and technology in our region move forward. |
Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 March 2013 16:10 |