SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PANAMA

Mahabir P. GuptaPanamanian Association for the Advancement of Science Panamamahabirpgupta@gmail.com

_____Presented at Workshop on “Inventing a Better Future: A strategy for Building Regional Capacities in Science and Technology”, Brasilia, Brasil, July 21 – 24, 2010

An increase of 40% in annual productivity results from R&D (Consenso de Lisboa, Union Europea, 2002)

For decades Panama has invested much less than the countries of the Regional $15 Million (2004) vs $84 Million in Chile Currently 0.26% GNP (Senacyt 2010) During the last 5 years there has been a significant

increase. In 2007 $24 million.

•Panamá has 0.23 researchers per 1000 economically active inhabitant. Costa Rica 3x, Uruguay 5x

•Panama needs to improve its competitiveness currently occupies 59th position out of 134; México 60, Costa Rica 55; Singapore 3

•During the last 10 years there has been a three-fold increase in the number of publications from Panama in internationally indexed journals

• Creation of National System of Investigators (Law 56, 14 December 2007)

Currently 37 members(8 in Category of Distinguished

Scientists 23 Entry level Scientists6 Students for Theses

• $14.1 Million invested in R & D projects, stimulation of S& T activities,

Innovation projects for Enterprises

• Support to M. S. Programs in National Universities.

• Creation of Centers of Excellence -INDICASAT in Biomedical Sciences with Gorgas Memorial Institute-Coiba

STRATEGIES

•Formation of Human Resources at Ph. D. and M. S. levels

•Repatriation of Panamanian scientists of excellence for reinsertion in R & D

•Invitations to Internationally reputed scientists for R&D in Panama

•Financiation of R +D+I projects

•Stimulate national and international cooperation

• Develop innovative applications using new generation internet

• Access to specialized scientific literature

• Strengthening of Infrastructure

• Strategic Plans of S.T.I. (2006 – 2010), (2010 – 2014)