1. Radio Astronomy in Mexico Background Two major projects SKA? Luis F. Rodríguez Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM

2. Who/Where we are… ~130 astronomers at ~7 research centers ~14 radio astronomers at ~4 research centers UNAMINAOE and others Stan Kurtz Yolanda Gomez David Hughes William Wall Laurent LoinardEugeni Lekth Luis F. RodríguezEduardo Mendoza Salvador CurielVictor Migenes Jose Antonio Garcia-Barreto Luis Zapata Miguel Angel Trinidad Carlos Rodríguez-Rico ~2 PhD students per year in radio astronomy

3. What we spend… GDP of ~ 760 billion US$ Typically 0.4% of GDP = 3 billion US$ for science and technolgy sector in all areas/forms CONACyT total budget of 500 million US$ R & D budget of 260 million US$ (all areas) NSF budget for the same period was 5.5 billion US$ CONACyT is about 9% of NSF

4. Two Major Projects LMT - The Large Millimeter Telescope Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Optica y Electrónica EVLA - Expanded Very Large Array + ALMA – Atacama Large Millimeter Array Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM

5. EVLA and ALMA 2 million US$ mega project CONACyT funding, L.F. Rodríguez the P.I. Despite extensive efforts, no Mexican contractors found; funding won by NRAO Assures competitive Mexican access to ALMA

6. The Large Millimeter Telescope Largest Mexican science/technology project ever attempted INAOE-UMASS collaboration ~ 80 million US$ spent ~ 20 million US$ still needed

7. Large Millimeter Telescope Testing to start in 2007 Many challenges still in the future

8. Implications for SKA participation Mexico has a small but active (and growing) radio community with a definite interest in SKA. Short term prospects for formal participation are complex (rest of science community wants to see results from ELVA+ALMA and from LMT). Medium and long term prospects are good, most possibly through a one-time financial contribution.

9. Previous Experience Indicates That… It is highly desirable that funding is spent within Mexico. Technical innovation and development as a Mexican contribution is quite challenging. A lot of work and organization are needed. Infrastructure is relatively strong. One-time financial contributions are more viable than long-term commitments.