Science, Technology and Innovation for Productivity and Prosperity Cortesía: Google Images. Science, Technology and Innovation for Productivity and Prosperity Oscar Harasic Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI) Department of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (DEDTT) September 9, 2010

STEI Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation have an impact on all areas of human activities Competitiveness Biotechnology Market Access Telecommunications Nanotechnology Micro, Small and Medium sized Enteprises (MSMEs) Environment Ecotourism Energy Health Transport Research and Development (R&D) STEI Housing Quality Trade Consumer Protection Manufacturing Food Education Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) Social Responsibility Agricultural industry Value chains

Innovation, Competitiveness and Prosperity (to reach social well-being) Competitiveness (expansion of exports and markets) Productivity (more production per worker) Quality + Innovation (products, services and processes with value-added) Courtesy: Google images

Triple Value Added of OAS Mandates and Political Priorities of governments of the Americas OAS – Office of Science, Technology and Innovation Power to Convene: Strategic Partners EftA TM “Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation as tools for Prosperity” (Plan of Action of the 2nd Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities in Science and Technology, Mexico 2008) Activities and Programs in the Lines of Action STEI and public policies for integral development STEI as tools for sustainable natural resource management STEI as tools for increasing competitiveness STEI = Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation

OSTI Lines of Action Public Policies for Integral Development Initiatives and Projects in applied STEI to the following Lines of Action: Public Policies for Integral Development Program of Science, Technology and Innovation for Society Activities in Gender Equity and Equality Awareness in National Quality Systems Tools for Sustainable Natural Resource Management BIONNA Network Tools for increasing competitiveness Engineering for the Americas (EftA) – 1 program and its pilot project Inter-American Metrology System (SIM): 2 programs Seminars on Innovation Power to Convene : Cooperation and Strategic Alliances

Program of Science, Technology and Innovation for Society Objectives Current Achievements General: to effectively contribute to the dissemination and appropriation of STI knowledge by Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Specific: to strengthen scientific journalism capacities through the exchange of better practices and training through regional horizontal cooperation. Contests for young scientific journalists through the National Organisms of S&T (simultaneously in South and Central America). Sub-regional Seminars in: Argentina (South America –Oct) Mexico (Central America - Nov) English speaking Caribbean (2011-I) Inter-American Scientific Journalism Web Portal (launching at seminars)

Activities in Gender Equality and Equity Cooperation Agreement with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSDW/TWOWS) and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). Virtual Course on Science, Technology and Society: Inputs of a Gender Focus (OEA/UNESCO). With the Latin American and the Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI) and others, a study is being designed on participation of women in engineering studies and teaching.

Bio-Innovation Network for the Americas (BIONNA) Objectives Current Achievements General: to strengthen competitiveness and the capacity for local innovation in bioengineering for LAC. Specific: to promote cooperation between enterprises, innovators, researchers, public and private sector leaders, cooperatives, indigenous groups and civil society through a virtual network for biotechnological innovation with emphasis on agriculture, food security, energy, environment and health. The project design was carried out in the OAS facilities with a researcher of the Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (CIAD-México), sponsored by CIDA (Canadá) and CONACYT. Launching of the regional network will be at Sonora, Mexico (Sept 21-22) Currently the project is in the first stage of execution. Expected Results A sustainable virtual network, within an interactive web portal, that includes a data base of stakeholders and discussion fora.

Innovation Awareness Seminars Collaboration and participation in YABT, LACCEI and others, with presentations for seminars and training workshops (InnovAcción and ICT Americas) to increase awareness in diverse audiences, preferably young entrepreneurs and small businesses, of the importance of innovation in business development, competitiveness and economic development. Current Achievements Panelist in Workshop InnovAcción (Argentina, Nov. 2009) 2 presentations at the Forum: Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness (Peru, Mayo 2010) Source: Based on data of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), World Economic Forum (2010).

Industrial Engineering Module Program of Engineering Education for Competitiveness EftA Industry Academia Professional Associations R&D Government EftA TM Industrial Engineering Module Current Achievement Objectives Initial Coordination for a Pilot Project on Industrial Engineering (PUC-Rio and Virginia Tech) General: to improve competitiveness and the capacity for innovation in LAC through a highly qualified engineering labor force. Specific: to improve the curricula of the five basic engineering (CIMEC) in LAC universities through the update of contents, adoption of global competencies and entrepreneurship capacities, as well as cooperation agreements between universities and the public and private sectors. Expected Results Update of curricular contents (better practices) Implementation in 8 participating universities (including strategic alliances) Inter-American Engineering Education Web Portal

Project of Triangular Cooperation : Metrology in Natural Gas Current Achievements Objectives Diagnosis of metrological capabilities Training of laboratory personnel Identification of laboratory infrastructure requirements Implementation of certification services for natural gas blends (in execution) General: to contribute to the standardization of the natural gas market in Bolivia and Peru, with direct benefits to consumers, through the improvement of its efficiency in production, distribution and marketing. Specific: to improve technical competence to measure natural gas (volume and content) in the respective National Metrology Institutes. Objectives: Bolivia and Peru Germany Mexico and Brazil

Current Achievements Objective Quality Infrastructure for Competitiveness: Regional Plan of Action to Strengthen Basic Capabilities in Metrological Services in Central America and the DR Current Achievements Objective Evaluation of supply and demand of basic metrological services Preparation and approval of a feasible Plan of Action to strengthen basic capabilities of metrological services towards a distributed cooperation network in the region To rely on a roadmap for the establishment of an organized and operative metrological infrastructure to support international trade in the region through a system with internationally recognized measurements. Participating National Metrology Institutes: Guatemala El Salvador Nicaragua Costa Rica Panama Dominican Republic

Current achievements Objective Expected Results Improvement of National Quality Systems for Competitiveness (Central America and the Dominican Republic) Current achievements This project is currently being designed for DR Objective To attain accreditation of laboratories through the improvement of their technical capabilities. To attain, in addition, certification of meat products for meat processors with export potential by strengthening their technical infrastructure. Expected Results Diagnosis of the current situation of enterprises in the meat sector Identification of enterprises with the best practices and export potential Review of the situation of meat sanitation. Training at laboratories in accordance with international procedures to attain accreditation

Strategic Alliances: Agreements and Other Activities of Cooperation Agreement with the International Council for Science (ICSU) for the strengthening of scientific and engineering capacities. Development of initiatives of Internet 2 (Caribbean): Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks (CLARA). Cooperation Agreement with the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) / University of California. Agreement with the Institute of the Americas (IOA) and the Trust of the Americas (Trust) for scientific journalism. Agreement with the CRUSA Foundation of Costa Rica for projects that promote interdisciplinary and international cooperation for advanced technologies.

Recap: OSTI Achievements in the Lines of Action (2009-2010) Program of Science, Technology and Innovation for Society (in execution). Gender: cooperation agreements, virtual course and design for a study on women in engineering. STEI and public policies for integral development STEI as tools for sustainable natural resource management Collaboration in BIONNA network project (1st phase). Awareness seminars in Innovation. Engineering Education for Competitiveness: Module of Industrial Engineering (approved). Pilot Project in Industrial Engineering (PUC-Rio and Virginia Tech) (initiating). Triangular Cooperation Project: Metrology of Natural Gas (in execution). Quality Infrastructure for Competitiveness: Regional Plan of Action in Metrology Services for CAMET and the Dominican Republic (final phase). STEI as tools for increasing competitiveness Power to Convene: Cooperation and Strategic Alliances

OSTI has yet much to do… The challenge: create awareness in government authorities and the private sector on the importance of STI in the development of the region. Our countries need to invest in the strengthening of STI capacities: infrastructure, training, exchanges of best practices, research, and trade facilitation. In order to go forward, OSTI requires sustainable mechanisms to secure financial resources for the preparation and the implementation of capacity building projects, in accordance to the lines of actions that the countries selected as priorities during the Mexico Ministerial.

Thank you, Gracias, Merci, Obrigado Oscar Harasic Chief, Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI) oharasic@oas.org