Earlier this month, Springer Nature announced that it has founded a Latin American Research Advisory Council (LARAC) to better support and collaborate with researchers in the region. This joins the publisher’s existing research advisory councils in Africa (ARAC), Europe (ERAC), Japan (JRAF), Korea (KRAF), and the United States (USRAC). The publisher says these councils have been established to improve its approach to serving researchers with the goal of advancing the trust, integrity, equity, and efficiency of research and the research ecosystem. LARAC’s inaugural cohort of members represent ten countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and includes 11 women and nine men. The publisher held its first meeting on the 12th of November.
The Latin American Research Advisory Council builds upon Springer Nature’s sustainable development work in the region, added the publisher. Most recently, the publisher says it held its third annual Summit on Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, gathering 369 participants from 54 countries for two days of conferences on enhancing education, reducing inequalities, and the regional progression to a sustainable energy future.
LARAC aims to convene the diverse voices of the scientific community from the region to discuss challenges and prospects, provide opportunities for learning, and to facilitate cooperation and engagement.
João Pildervasser, academic affairs manager for Nature Portfolio and Springer Nature, said: “We are excited about the creation of LARAC. This is a unique opportunity to forge collaborations with the Latin American and Caribbean research community, and to have a better understanding of their challenges and goals so we can work together to create the solutions for a more trusting and equitable future. Through this council we seek not only to amplify the diverse voices of Latin American and Caribbean researchers but also to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and resources between the different stakeholders and Springer Nature.”
Dr. Carolina Santacruz-Perez, science officer, Regional Focal Point for the Latin American and Caribbean Region - International Science Council, said: “As a member of the Latin American Research Advisory Council, I am thrilled to support a collaborative space dedicated to advancing the visibility and impact of scientific research across Latin America and the Caribbean. This council will enable us to address regional challenges by promoting accessible research, strengthening scientific networks, and fostering innovation through interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we aim to amplify the voices of LAC researchers, advocating for equitable representation and ensuring that the region’s scientific advancements are positioned to contribute globally.”
Dr. Ricardo Galvão, president, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), said: “I congratulate Springer Nature for the initiative to establish LARAC, the Latin American Research Advisory Council. In recent times, the world scientific community has been called to help society face overwhelming challenges, such as the calamitous effects of global warming, tropical deforestation, new pathogens and pandemics, racial, social, and regional imbalances, and artificial intelligence and its effect on the knowledge economy, etcetera. These pressing challenges transcend borders and require concerted responses and transnational scientific collaborations. Further, the traditional scheme of publishing scientific results is changing rapidly, with the new movement of Open Science strongly promoted in Europe. Therefore, the possibility of having a forum of Latin American specialists discussing these and other matters is quite appropriate.”
Dr. Guillermo Anlló, senior programme specialist Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Programme, UNESCO, said: “Latin America and the Caribbean has excellent scientific capabilities and generates frontier knowledge, despite the low investment in R&D. The challenge is to increase this investment to generate greater capabilities and have more impact. This must be accompanied by a network of greater linkages that allow a denser network of capabilities to respond more and better to the challenges of sustainable development in the region. That is why initiatives such as LARAC allow us to explore, together with leaders from the different countries in the region, actions to strengthen Latin American and Caribbean science.”
Dr. Luisa Fernanda Echeverría-King, director of diplomacy and international scientific cooperation, Universidad Simón Bolívar, said: “The Springer Nature Latin American Research Advisory Council stands as a crucial platform to amplify the voices of Latin American scientists who, for too long, have been sidelined from global conversations shaping scientific progress. It is time to break the silence around the scientific contributions of Latin America; LARAC seeks to not only champion these voices but to integrate their insights into a truly inclusive global research dialogue. In Latin America, science thrives not only in labs but also in dialogue with communities; this knowledge exchange is essential for research that is both impactful and grounded in the region's unique realities. We need to showcase the treasures of Latin American science, built upon our extraordinary human talent and vast natural resources that define our region.”
Springer Nature says the inaugural membership list includes:
- Dr. Alma Hernández Mondragon, president, Mexican Association for the Advancement of Science
- Dr. Carolina Santacruz-Perez, science officer, Regional Focal Point for the Latin American and Caribbean Region - International Science Council
- Dr. Christian Gonzalez-Billaut, vice president of research and development, Universidad de Chile
- Dr. Denise Pires de Carvalho, president, Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation (CAPES)
- Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora, executive vice-president of Research, Tecnológico de Monterrey
- Dr. Guillermo Anlló, senior programme specialist Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Programme, UNESCO
- Dr. Jaqueline Mesquita, president, Brazilian Mathematical Society
- Dr. José Saniger, secretary of research and development of the Scientific Research Coordination, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Dr. Josefina Takahashi Sato, Director of the Board of Directors of the Peruvian National Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (CONCYTEC)
- Dr. Luisa Fernanda Echeverría-King, director of diplomacy and international scientific cooperation, Universidad Simón Bolívar
- Dr. Marco Méndez-Torres, president, Chilean Biology Society
- Dr. Mariana Viglino, full-time researcher, IPGP-CONICETDr.
- Monica Stein Coronado, vice rector for research, collaboration, and partnership, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
- Dr. Paola Vega-Castillo, vice-president research and outreach, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica
- Dr. Patrícia Muñoz, deputy director of networks, strategy and knowledge, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID)
- Dr. Paulo Alberto Nussenzveig, dean of research and innovation, Universidade de São Paulo
- Dr. Ricardo Galvão, president, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)
- Dr. Rodolfo Barrere, coordinator, Ibero-American and Inter-American Network for Science and Technology Indicators (RICYT)
- Dr. Tiago Braga, director, Brazilian Institute of Science and Technology Information (IBICT)
- Dr. Vanesa Gottifredi, president, Instituto Leloir
