UADY Global's Newsletter for January-June 2021

1. J a n u a r y - J u n e 2 0 2 1
INTERNATIONALIZATION
NEWSLETTER
General Coordination of Cooperation and Internationalization
The Autonomous University of Yucatan has among its guiding axes the
internationalization in the development of academic programs and
projects of the university to contribute to the integral formation of
students and to develop in them a high degree of adaptation to the
labor worlds of the global society, to participate in international
networks of professional formation and production of knowledge, and
project the quality and relevance of the institutional work beyond the
borders of the country.

2. General News.................................pag. 3
Our Students...................................pag. 13
Agreements and Partners.............pag. 21
UADY´s Research and Projects....pag. 27
Content

3. General
News

4. STUDENTS RETURN TO CLASSES IN VIRTUAL MODE.
Mérida, Yucatán, January 4, 2021.- Around
27 thousand female and male students
resumed activities at the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY), where classes
will continue in virtual mode with the purpose
of regularizing the school calendar during this
semester.
During the school year, the highest house of
studies in Yucatán will reinforce educational
quality through training courses aimed at the
teaching staff to operate digital platforms
more efficiently and with an emphasis on
pedagogy, anticipated the General Director of
Academic Development, Carlos Estrada Pinto.
Likewise, he indicated that the 2020-2021
school year will conclude on July 15, which
will allow to regularize the school calendar, as
it was organized before the health emergency
caused by Covid-19.
With regards to the high school programs
taught in the Preparatoria Uno and Dos, as
well as in the Baccalaureate Academic Unit
with Community Interaction (UABIC by its
Spanish acronym), the semester for first-year
students will end on January 26, resuming
activities on February 18.
For second- and third-year students, the
semester will end on January 15 and the next
term will begin on February 9.
In the case of the undergraduate level, the
students resumed classes this Monday at their
different schedules, concluding their
semester on February 12, while the next
period will begin on March 1.
Estrada Pinto pointed out that the classes will
continue in the virtual mode, so that students
who do not have a computer or internet will be
supported to develop activities and projects, in
addition to having the support of teachers
through applications of Messaging accessible
by cell phone.
It will be until the health authorities indicate it
when the face-to-face classes are resumed,
meanwhile it will continue virtually, he
stressed.

5. UADY CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE PRESENTS 2020
ACTIVITY REPORT
Mérida, Yucatán, January 15, 2021.- The
permanence of more than 1,300 students who
migrated from a face-to-face class system to a
virtual one to continue learning the Chinese
language, is the result of the effort made by the
teaching team, volunteers, directors and
administrative staff of the Confucius Institute of
the Autonomous University of Yucatán (CI-UADY),
highlighted the Rector José de Jesús Williams.
During the annual meeting of the CI-UADY Board
of Directors, before directors of the Sun Yat-sen
University (SYSU) in China, the Rector emphasized
that this Institute has been a leader in the efforts
and collaboration with the embassy of that country
in Mexico, the Cultural Center and the other four
institutes established in the national territory.
“In addition, we have actively participated at the
regional level with the Latin American institutes in
the organization of various events. We are aware
that 2020 was a year of great challenges, which
have been successfully faced with the
collaboration of our sister university Sun Yat-sen”,
he pointed out.
For his part, the vice president of SYSU, Haipeng
Xiao, indicated that last year was extraordinary
with Covid-19, which affected much of the world.
He recalled that, since the end of 2020, the Sun
Yat-sen University successfully completed the
transition to a new method of cooperation of three
Confucius institutes, that of UADY in Mexico, the
University of Cape Town in South Africa and that
of the University Ateneo de Manila, in the
Philippines.
He thanked all managers for their effort and
dedication, as the Confucius Institute of UADY has
played an irreplaceable role in promoting the
development of its Chinese language teaching
program, meeting the demand for learning this
language, as well as the promotion of cultural
exchanges between the two countries. "I believe that CI-
UADY will develop in a healthier, more orderly and
sustainable way under the new model, and with joint
efforts the cooperation between the two universities
will be closer and more far-reaching," he said.
Finally, before executives of both universities, the
General Coordinator of Cooperation and
Internationalization of UADY, Andrés Aluja
Schunemann, made a count of the actions that were
carried out during 2020, highlighting the registration of
more than 1,300 students to the courses of Chinese. He
also highlighted activities such as the Meet China Expo;
the Professions Fair, with a stand to share its academic
offer; certification exams; and the Chinese film series,
to name a few.
Among the achievements and results, he highlighted
the implementation of the online modality and online
certification; the first level of Chinese and the Beginner
I course were integrated into the Institutional Catalog
of Free Subjects, so that any undergraduate student
could enroll and obtain four credits per subject;
furthermore, the first Mandarin Chinese course for
Tour Operators was organized with 15 registered
students.
Finally, Aluja Schunemann mentioned that some plans
for 2021 foresee continuing the courses in the online
mode, exceeding the number of registered students in
2020; and take face-to-face exams for the certification
of the Chinese language level.
They also consider starting with a new generation of
students in the Chinese for teens program; and with the
Marista University, in June, to graduate the first
generation of the Bachelor of Tourism Administration,
which concludes the Chinese program.

6. Mérida, Yucatán, January 19, 2021.- To guarantee the
permanence of the students and the completion of their
studies, the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY)
implemented various strategies ranging from direct
financial support to scholarships at the upper and
upper secondary levels, informed the General Director
of Academic Development, Carlos Estrada Pinto.
He explained that of the more than 26 thousand
students that the highest house of studies in Yucatan
has, 22.5% are on scholarships, with the purpose of
reducing school dropout and strengthening the
graduation of those who attend higher education
programs. Only in bachelor's degrees, a total of 965
scholarships were granted, and it is expected that for
the following school year they will increase the amount
to make a total of 1,335 scholarships, the General
Director said.
Also active, is the “Francisco Repetto Milan Lawyer” Scholarship Fund that the State Government grants
to UADY through decree No. 182 to financially support students of the Higher Secondary Education
System.
Likewise, Estrada Pinto added that the Student Society launched a package of open calls aimed at
supporting specific needs of the students in their university communities, among them is support for the
registration fee, as well as granting internet lines.
"With these open calls 568 students benefited, with the aim of supporting the students who need it most,"
he explained.
He specified that young people are supported through different sources of financing, among which is the
“Benito Juárez” Welfare Scholarship program, which is granted by the Federal Government and which
includes a bimonthly payment of 1,600 pesos for high school students.
On the other hand, and due to the global situation derived from the Covid-19 pandemic, he indicated that
UADY has advisory programs, tutorials, as well as a Psychological Attention Service, which offered
services to students who required it in this period.
The most demanded service was that of Psychological Attention, which virtually attended 546 students
who were detected with anxiety, depression, emotion management or self-esteem issues.
He stressed that with all these supports, UADY recognizes the efforts of the students because they are
distinguished by their dedication, effort and academic achievement.
Finally, Estrada Pinto announced that efforts will continue in search of resources to support a greater
number of students.
UADY DEPLOYS STUDENT SUPPORT STRATEGIES

7. CERTIFICATION OF NURSING PROFESSIONALS
Mérida, Yucatán, January 30, 2021.- A total of 33 professionals from the Faculty of Nursing of the
Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) and the School of Nursing of the Mexican Institute of Social
Security (IMSS) received virtual certificates of quality due to their level of knowledge, abilities, skills and
values necessary for the exercise of their profession.
In the formal ceremony, the professionals received certifications and recertifications by the Mexican
Council for Nursing Certification (COMCE), with the aim of promoting excellence in nursing care, as well as
promoting and maintaining continuing education, improving practice and promote the advancement of this
profession in the country.
The director of UADY´s School of Nursing, Dallany Tun González, highlighted that talking about
certification means a commitment to the quality of the teaching staff, society, the profession and students.
"In addition, it means contributing to the Institutional Development Plan in the strategic axis of
comprehensive quality education," she pointed out.
She recalled that professional certification and recertification is the evaluation process focused on
identifying and validating the level of competence that the nursing professional has, in relation to the
professional work profile.
For his part, on behalf of the Rector of UADY, José de Jesús Williams, the Director of Academic
Development, Carlos Estrada Pinto, stressed that nursing is an extremely necessary profession in our
society, as it stands out for its humanism and hard work. "All this is developed and formed from the
classrooms, so the nursing faculty is an example inside and outside the University for its work, commitment
and results in different areas and for its capacity for training with future professionals," he emphasized.
Finally, the president of the College of Nursing Professionals of Yucatán, Lourdes Josefina Yam Quijano,
mentioned that this event is to recognize the teaching work, which, in these times is determined by
innovations in teaching due to the use of technology and changing scenarios.
The teacher of the 21st century, she said, must be a facilitator who masters his discipline, and who through
active methodologies offers the necessary tools for students to understand the world from different
languages, learn to live with others and be productive.

8. WOMEN AND MEN COMPLEMENT SCIENTIFIC
VISION: JULIA PACHECO
Mérida, Yucatán, March 8, 2021.- The PhD in Chemical Engineering Julia Guadalupe Pacheco Ávila, recipient of
the “Consuelo Zavala Peniche” recognition granted by the State Congress, warned that there is a great challenge
to achieve parity and a more enriching vision in the national scientific field, without disciplinary biases.
"I believe that men and women have the same ability to do science, however, we have certain differences that
complement each other to promote scientific and technological development," said the also researcher of the
Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY).
Although she recognized that there is an increase in the incursion of women in this scientific field, she considered
that there has been a disciplinary bias, due to the preferences of women researchers for studies related to social
and biological disciplines, while men have a greater preponderance in physical mathematics.
Pacheco Ávila said that we are living a crucial moment, as public policies need to be redefined so that they are not
only preventive, but also represent and make a forceful action felt against all those who harm the female gender.
In this sense, she highlighted that female labor participation in Mexico is one of the most important
socioeconomic changes, but this increase has not meant that women have the same power as men.
"We do not want to continue to be considered inferior people, or to be victims of discrimination, or violence, for
the simple fact of being a woman," she added.
On the other hand, the doctor mentioned that in addition to the activities carried out at UADY, she is currently an
external advisor for a doctoral thesis and has two in progress: the first with a German university and the second
with the University of Quintana Roo.
Julia Guadalupe Pacheco Ávila served as a research professor at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering of UADY for
37 years, throughout her career she carried out more than 20 multidisciplinary projects, as well as publications in
specialized magazines, articles, and book chapters. She was a member of the National System of Researchers for 19
uninterrupted years.
"My convictions are guided by the fact that science, in all its manifestations, must be seen far beyond the
individual, must transcend consciousness and forge the spirit," she said.
The State Congress annually grants the “Consuelo Zavala Peniche” recognition to women who have stood out for
their performance in science, culture, education or in the struggle to promote and defend women's rights, and in
this occasion the distinction went to Pacheco Ávila, for her extensive scientific career.

9. Mérida, Yucatán, March 17, 2021.- A total of 39 national and 10 foreign students will study during the
March-June 2021 semester, student mobility courses through virtual format at the Autonomous University
of Yucatán (UADY).
Young people from the Mexican states of Veracruz, Guerrero, Querétaro and Chihuahua, as well as from
Germany, Spain, Argentina and Colombia met with university authorities in order to learn more about
UADY and resolve their concerns about the subjects they will take.
During the welcome, carried out through the Zoom videoconferencing platform, the rector of UADY, José de
Jesús Williams, thanked the students for having chosen the highest house of studies in Yucatán as an
alternative to continue their academic training.
He stressed that UADY has extensive educational experience with national and foreign students from
different institutions, also, that this is an opportunity for the entire university community to learn more
about them and their culture.
For his part, the Director of Academic Development, Carlos Estrada Pinto, mentioned that, given the
current conditions in the world due to the pandemic, this mobility exchange is carried out virtually, but he
hopes that, in the future, it may be in person that they have the opportunity to enjoy UADY and the city of
Mérida.
“The invitation is open so that they can come later when conditions allow it, meanwhile, we can
communicate through virtual platforms. Rest assured that the University staff is aware of each one of you”,
he pointed out.
At the end of the welcome, the young people watched a video in which they were informed that UADY has
five campuses made up of 15 faculties, two high schools and a Baccalaureate Academic Unit with
Community Interaction, a Research Center and a Multidisciplinary Unit located in Tizimín, Yucatan.
Finally, emblematic places of Mérida were presented to them and doubts related to academic subjects,
schedules and personal procedures were resolved.
MOBILITY COURSES BEGIN IN VIRTUAL FORMAT

10. During the ceremony for the donation of these materials, the rector of UADY, José de Jesús Williams,
thanked all those who have participated in this project, because it is an innovative, self-taught and
asynchronous initiative.
"The pandemic made this project change and adapt to information technologies, in this way we also
managed to reach more people, since before it was done in person," he said.
For her part, the project coordinator, Brenda Gómez Ortegón, reported that the proposal was born from
seeing each year the numbers of applicants and selected from the interior of the state and comparing
them with those from the city of Mérida.
She stressed that the objective is to contribute to the human development of vulnerable populations in
disadvantaged conditions, this through the implementation of strategies for quality education, to
strengthen their thinking skills and academic skills so that they can perform better in the processes
selective for admission to higher education institutions.
Additionally, access to a platform was announced where they will be able to take the same workshop in its
virtual mode and which will be aimed at third-year high school students of the upper secondary
education subsystem of the Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Yucatán (COBAY), which is expected to
benefit 900 more students.
Mérida, Yucatán, March 24, 2021.- More than 900
students from different Telebachillerato Centers will
be benefited with didactic tools that facilitate their
entry into higher education programs.
Funded by the Kellogg Foundation and developed by
the Faculty of Mathematics and the General Direction
of Academic Development of the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY), the project consists of
the delivery of 69 portfolios that include the complete
content of the Strategic Strengthening Workshop for
the Entry to Higher Education, which consists of 29
videos in Spanish and Mayan.
The audiovisual material will contribute to the
preparation in verbal ability, language structure and
reading comprehension; and mathematics, with the
development of mathematical and analytical thinking.
Additionally, a didactic compendium is included in
which the theoretical explanation of each session is
provided and a series of exercises for the exhaustive
practice of the topics.
DIGITAL STRATEGIES DIRECTED AT DISADVANTAGED
STUDENTS

11. THEY CREATE THE FIRST LINGUISTIC CORPUS IN THE
MAYAN LANGUAGE
Mérida, Yucatán, May 13, 2021.- The first Linguistic Corpus in the Mayan Language will be created as part
of an agreement between the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) and the State Secretariat of
Culture and Arts (SEDECULTA).
This valuable tool will make it possible to produce materials for the teaching of this mother tongue, either
to learn to speak or write it; generate digital or interactive dictionaries; text predictors, among many other
academic uses.
Its preparation will be in charge of the Institutional Center of Languages (CIL) of UADY and the
SEDECULTA, in this regard, the coordinator of the CIL, Karina Abreu Cano reported that it is a platform in
the form of a repository that will have a large number of files of audio and video in the Mayan language of
daily communication.
These audio and video files will be divided into four types of annotations: Free transcription, as spoken by
the speakers; orthographic transcription, following a writing norm; morphological segmentation, with
hyphens the prefixes and suffixes of the words and expressions will be marked; and grammar annotation.
She pointed out that to carry out the Corpus it is necessary to train a group of Mayan speaking people who
belong to the different regions, so that they carry out the linguistic documentation consisting of the
recording of the audios and videos. In addition, it is necessary to establish the Corpus platform where the
files and their annotations will be hosted. "Since we have a significant number of annotated files, they will be
uploaded to the Corpus platform," she said.
Abreu Cano stressed that once that platform is established, it will remain open to continue uploading files
indefinitely.
Finally, she stressed that the Corpus can be searched by words and phrases, the search engine will locate
and organize all the phrases in which that word appears, once found, it will give the option to listen to the
pronunciation, view some of the annotations of the same, or display the four annotations.

12. UADY CONTRIBUTES TO PUBLIC FOOD
POLICIES
Mérida, Yucatán, June 18, 2021.- The Faculty of Economics of the Autonomous University of Yucatán
(UADY), in coordination with national and international institutions, is working on the design of a public
policy that values the ecosystem services of corn and the cornfield in Mexico.
Research Professor Javier Becerril García reported that the objective of this project is to contribute to the
development of the country's productive, environmental, and social policy around the corn production
system, both commercial and for self-consumption.
For a year, he explained, a projection of the behavior of this agri-food sector in the medium and long term
has been carried out in the context of climate change, in addition to the execution and analysis of two public
policy scenarios.
He highlighted that this research is an initiative of "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for
Agriculture and Food program" (TEEB AgriFood), which, in Mexico, aims to recognize the values of
biodiversity and ecosystem services in productive systems, as well as demonstrating its economic, social,
and cultural importance.
Likewise, it provides recommendations to the public policy of the agricultural sector in Mexico, on how to
integrate these values in decision-making and in the planning instruments of the agri-food sector.
Becerril García pointed out that the proposal focuses on the analysis and evaluation of two types of
agrosystemic services that make the reproduction of the corn-milpa system in Mexico possible:
conservation services and sociocultural services.
Conservation services, he detailed, are certain agricultural practices of producers who grow and maintain
varieties of corn.
The research will quantify the offer of services of said producers based on the population size of the crop
they sow in a particular cycle.
Regarding the objective of sociocultural assessment, he stated that it seeks to generate evidence on the
contribution of systems in the construction of social fabric and the reproduction of cultural identity,
recognizing the great variety of systems in which corn is grown, processed, sold, and consumed in Mexico,
because of the environmental, biological, and cultural diversity in a megadiverse country, not only in
biological but also in cultural terms.

13. Our
Students

14. UADY´S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL EVENT
RECOGNIZED
Mérida, Yucatán, February 10, 2021.- The international contest for social entrepreneurship Hult Prize
concluded the first internal edition at the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) with the victory of the
Koox Naal team, which entered the regional phase against other universities, explained the Campus Director
of the contest, Émilie Paula Brulé Aldana.
The students participating in this first event joined the committee that will organize the second edition of the
internal contest, with the purpose of achieving greater participation within UADY, and thus creating new
social entrepreneurship projects, she added.
The winning project proposes the design of a tourist route based in Izamal, where national and foreign
visitors will be able to learn about the Mayan culture through the tasting of traditional dishes, as well as visits
to emblematic sites, in such a way that part of the profits will serve to start a community soup kitchen in
Thadziú, considered the poorest municipality in the state, she explained.
On this occasion, the International competition has the theme “Food for good”, with which it is intended to
make a change through food and the production and distribution chains, as well as developing and promoting
business ideas to address this problem.
During the virtual award ceremony, the Director of the Law School, Carlos Albero Macedonio Hernández,
stressed that these international competitions allow young university students to contribute ideas and
constructive criticism that can help society.
In his turn, the Director of the Faculty of Accounting and Administration, Aureliano Martínez Castillo,
stressed that it is a pride to see that groups of talented young university students come together to improve
the world, which is one of the main purposes of the University when it proposes to train agents of change.
The winning team of the international phase will be credited with a million dollars that will serve as seed
capital to boost their business and it will be chosen during Global Goals Week 2021, at the headquarters of the
United Nations (UN).
Also present at the event were the Ambassador for La Paz and Headmaster of the EDUCA Intelligence
Corporation, Eduardo Carreón Muñoz; as well as participants in the first edition of the Hult Prize, among
others.

15. UADY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN AN
INTERNATIONAL MEETING
They share
experiences
with young
people from 15
countries.
Mérida, Yucatán, February 24, 2021.-
Students from the Higher Secondary
Education System of the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY)
participated in the V International
Virtual Meeting 2021 of Pompano
Beach High School (PBHS), Florida,
United States, where more than 170
students, teachers, and administrators
from 15 countries gathered.
During the sessions, which took place
at the beginning of the month, the
students carried out various activities
such as virtual stays with families,
virtual classes on different topics, and
collaborations with Florida Universities
and exchange of cultural practices of
the community and participating
countries.
In this edition, 12 UADY students
participated: four from High School
One, four from High School Two and
four from the Baccalaureate Academic
Unit with Community Interaction
(UABIC), all with the tutoring of
teachers from each of the
dependencies.
Among the countries in attendance
were Germany, Brazil, China, Egypt,
France, India, Ireland, Mexico, Nepal,
Poland, the United Kingdom,
Switzerland, Turkey, Zimbabwe and the
host, the United States.
The inaugural lecture was given by
Ryan Trevisol, an experienced software
developer who invited the participating
students to dream outside the
traditional, just as he did, since he is
now a person recognized for the
technological developments made in
the company where he works and in
other countries where his company
operates.
These meetings were held with the
objective of developing cultural
awareness in the educational area, with
special emphasis on language and
technology, increasing knowledge of
the United States and the participating
countries, and establishing lasting
relationships among the participants.
PBHS is an institution that has an
interest in internationalization, both of
its students and its teachers and
administrators, and carries out
student, academic and administrator
exchanges, international trips with
student groups and other activities,
with the participation of its partner
institutions.

16. UADY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL CHESS
TOURNAMENT
Mérida, Yucatán, June 1, 2021.- Magdalena Matú Carballo, Omar Vargas Segura and Abihú García
García, students of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), represent the state in the Pan-
American tournament “FISU America Chess 2021”, which is held virtually.
During the inauguration of the international event, it was highlighted that Mexico participates with 30
chess players from different universities in the country, affiliated with the National Council for Sports in
Education (CONDDE).
The president of the FISU, Alim Maluf Neto, thanked the support of the higher education institutions
and organizations that make this competition possible, while he wished the young chess players the best
of success.
During the day, the student of the Campus of Architecture, Habitat, Art and Design of UADY, Magdalena
Matú Carballo, accumulated five points out of seven possible to be placed in the 10th place of the female
branch among 112 registered.
Matú Carballo is a multi-medalist of National Universiade, she obtained her place in the national
presentation by concluding as the best female player of the National University Chess League organized
by CONDDE.
On the other hand, in the men's category, where 130 chess players participate, Omar Vargas Segura,
from the Faculty of Mathematics, added five points to be in position 21.
While the student of the Faculty of Accounting and Administration, Abihú García García, accumulated
three points and ranked 76th.
Also present at the event were the members of the organizing committee of this continental
tournament, the CONDDE Executive Secretary, Alan Merodio Reza; and Head of the Institutional
Program of Physical Culture and Sports (PICFIDE) of UADY, Javier Herrera Aussín.

17. STUDENTS EXCEL IN PHYSICS AND
INFORMATICS
Young people
from UADY to
international
competitions.
Mérida, Yucatán, June 3, 2021.- Two young Yucatecans, students of the Escuela
Preparatoria Uno of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), raised the name of
Mexico, thanks to their classification in international competitions in the areas of physics
and informatics.
Jorge Raúl Tzab López competed in the International Informatics Olympiad, where for five
hours he presented the virtual exam that made him worthy of the bronze medal, among
young participants from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Regarding his performance, he commented that this achievement is the result of a
combination of factors such as academic preparation and time management, which were
facilitated by the University itself.
"Returning with a medal is the result of dedication, effort and time that have been worth
it, this is something that fills me, and that I would repeat without hesitation," he said.
He commented that, after having won this medal, he now wants to dedicate himself to
helping other young people who are preparing for this type of competition, since it is not
the first time that he is interested in Olympics in different areas.
On the other hand, his companion Juan Enrique Monsreal Quintal, a second grade
student, will participate in the International Physics Olympiad in August, representing
UADY and Mexico.
In this regard, the student recalled that he was selected from among 132 young Mexicans,
of whom only 30 were chosen to obtain a place and the opportunity to present selective
exams and compete internationally.
"Definitely time is a challenge, since I still have to take my high school courses, but thanks
to the University and the High School that facilitates and supports us with this, everything
has gone as expected," he said.
Finally, the director of Escuela Preparatoria Uno, Liga Herrera Correa, recalled that UADY
has promoted this type of event because it develops the capacities of young people and
acquires a commitment to their academic training.

18. UADY’S CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE STUDENT WINS NATIONAL
COMPETITION
Shows great
command
over Chinese
culture and
language.
Mérida, Yucatán, June 22, 2021.- Abigail de
la Peña Rodríguez, a student at the
Confucius Institute of the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY), obtained
first place in the Twentieth Chinese Bridge
International Contest that was held
virtually, which was organized by the
Confucius Institute of Mexico City, the
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
in our country and the Center for
Education and Linguistic Cooperation.
The winning student participated in three
rounds. The first consisted of giving a
speech on the theme “One world, one
family”; the second was questions and
answers on topics about Chinese language,
society, and culture; and, finally, she made
an artistic presentation.
Regarding the second and third place, the
winners were, respectively, Leonardo
Reséndiz Trejo of the Confucius Institute of
Mexico City, and Eduardo Herrera Pérez of
the National Autonomous University of
Mexico.
On this occasion, the contest, which has
become a challenge for young people
interested in Chinese culture, summoned
five finalists, four men and one woman,
where the competitors were able to resort
to a discipline such as song, dance, or
theater to show their knowledge.
The person in charge of Education Affairs
of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico, Wu
Xiaoyan, pointed out that learning both the
Chinese language and Spanish allows
forming a single family, uniting interests
and tastes, thus motivating students to
continue learning more of China, and thus
build that long-awaited bridge between
both cultures.
"This is a contest that works as a platform
for students to learn about the Chinese
language, culture and current affairs in
that country," she added.
The qualifying jury was made up of various
personalities involved with the cultural
promotion and teaching of Chinese in
Mexico, among them the Director of the
Latin American subsidiary of China Today,
Liu Shuangyan, and the sinologist Liljana
Arsovska, who evaluated the
pronunciation, knowledge of the culture
and Chinese artistic expression of
competitors.
Also present at the event were Chinese
professors living in our country, as well as
the director of the Confucius Institute in
Mexico City, Zhou Lingyan, and the
General Coordinator of Cooperation and
Internationalization of UADY, Andrés Aluja
Schunemann, among others.

19. Mérida, Yucatán, June 23, 2021.- Carlos Edgar Pech Guzmán, a graduate of the Undergraduate Program of English
Language Teaching from the Faculty of Education of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), obtained the
Fulbright-García Robles Scholarship, which it is offered through the United States-Mexico Commission for
Educational and Cultural Exchange (COMEXUS).
Applicants to this educational stimulus go through a rigorous evaluation process, which includes their academic
excellence, perseverance, effort and social commitment to carry out postgraduate studies, research stays and
language assistants, among others.
In this case, Carlos Pech was selected to be a Spanish language assistant for nine months at Amherst College,
Massachusetts, United States, for the 2020-2021 school year.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the program had to be reduced to four months. Fortunately, Fulbright-Comexus
decided to grant their language assistants again,” he pointed out.
Currently, he is preparing to return to the United States and continue teaching the Spanish language.
According to him, it has been an experience that allows him to strengthen his skills in teaching languages, learn
about another culture and educational system, as well as prepare to start his postgraduate studies in Hispanic
Linguistics and Literature.
Pech Guzmán graduated in 2017 from the Bachelor's Degree in English Language Teaching, despite the clear
emphasis of his undergraduate degree, he found great inspiration for teaching his native language through
subjects related to teaching Spanish as foreign language.
His first experiences in the workplace were forged in academies of preparatory courses, teaching subjects of
Spanish linguistics, in addition, on his own, together with other former colleagues, he dedicated himself to
teaching Spanish virtually to English-speaking students.
Through the Fulbright-García Robles scholarships, COMEXUS supports Mexican and American students,
researchers, and teachers, to carry out postgraduate studies, research stays, teaching and professionalization
programs in the United States and Mexico.
These programs are financed by the governments of both countries and, in a small percentage, with resources
from companies and donations from private foundations.
FULBRIGHT-GARCÍA ROBLES SCHOLARSHIP TO UADY
GRADUATE

20. Mérida, Yucatán, June 30, 2021.- Students from the Preparatory Schools One and Two of the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY) and the French institute Lycée International Jules Guesde of Montepellier, France,
carried out a virtual exchange with the purpose of reinforcing the learning of French and Spanish languages
among young people.
For this purpose, activities were carried out such as a synchronous opening session that presented the students
and their tutors, as well as the characteristics of each school and the main data of their cities.
The exchanges were carried out by pairs, combining both languages and having as topics of conversation: culture
of their countries, life at school, literature, music, cinema, sports and the environment.
In the final closing session, the students carried out a coordinated work of the Higher Secondary Education
System, the Institutional Center of Languages (CIL) and the General Coordination of Cooperation and
Internationalization with the French High School Spanish and Linkage Coordinators.
The students from both countries agreed that this experience was enriching, as they had the opportunity to talk
and exchange cultural, gastronomic, and artistic experiences.
These activities were virtual through the use of applications such as Zoom, Instagram, Mail and WhatsApp, to
maintain constant contact and achieve the goal.
At all times, the students were accompanied by academic staff from the University through professors Julien
Crenn, from UADY´s Institutional Center for Languages (CIL), and Pierre Berlan, from the French educational
institution.
Finally, it was agreed to carry out a similar exchange in October of this year, and in 2022 it is planned that a new
edition will be carried out in person, which will provide the opportunity for UADY students to do a four-week stay in
France.
SUPPORT FOR KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES AT A DISTANCE

21. Agreements
and Partners

22. Mérida, Yucatán, February 28, 2021.- Through a co-financing scheme of the European Union, and with the
participation of institutions from four countries, the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) began work
on the design of the Master's Degree in Contemporary Art and Cultural Management, which forsees the
possibility of having a double degree.
This new postgraduate study plan, which will be taught in virtual mode, is part of the Yucatán Cuba Network
(Yucunet) project, informed the UADY professor, Adela Vázquez Veiga.
To achieve this objective, she said, an international network was integrated through which it is possible to
develop a work and communication process between American and European universities, with the support of
independent professionals and experts from the fields of museums, cultural management and civil society.
Vázquez Veiga explained that this project obtained the support and co-financing of the European Community
Action Plan for the Mobility of University Students (Erasmus +) of the European Union.
Institutions such as the Universities Católica Portuguesa, Do Porto and Nova de Lisboa also participate in
planning; and the Fundacao de Serralves, from Portugal.
On the part of Cuba, there are the Universities of the Arts and Havana, as well as the National Museum of Fine
Arts of the Ministry of Culture of that country.
Also, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM); the Macay Cultural Foundation; Fabcity
Yucatan; and the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which is the coordinator of the project.
This postgraduate study plan would be integrated into the offer that the Campus of Architecture, Habitat, Art
and Design (CAHAD) of UADY already has, which includes master's degrees in Architecture; Urban design;
Conservation of the Architectural Heritage; as well as the inter-institutional doctorate in Habitat Sciences.
CAHAD's teaching team is made up of Rubí Elina Ruiz and Sabido; María Teresa Mezquita Méndez; Silvia Chi
Cervera; Iván Gudiño Gutiérrez and Vázquez Veiga.
For UADY, this project is part of its institutional vision towards 2030, in which it is proposed that the maximum
house of studies in Yucatan be an international university, strategically linked to the local, with a wide level of
recognition for its relevance and social transcendence.
INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE DEGREE BASED AT UADY

23. UADY, CO-ORGANIZER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ANGERS
OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FESTIVAL
Mérida, Yucatán, March 29, 2021.- The Autonomous University of Yucatán participated as an
organizing sister University of the fourth International Tourism Festival (FIT), promoted by the
University of Angers, France, which was held in virtual mode from 25 to 28 of March.
In addition to UADY and the University of Angers, the Yucatan State Tourism Secretariat,
SEDECULTA, among other entities, participated.
Both Universities organized a program that included photographic exhibitions, keynote
conferences, video-documentaries and gastronomic workshops. It also had the participation of
outstanding chefs of international recognition and special guests who presented topics such as
tequila, viticulture, and honey in Mexico.
Among the photographic exhibitions, one titled Another Look at Yucatán, from the Pedro Guerra
Photo Library of the UADY and Pooch, was presented by students of the Bachelor of Social
Communication of the Faculty of Anthropological Sciences of UADY. Participants in the FIT also
had access to documentary videos on Yucatecan gastronomy and traditions.
On behalf of the UADY, Rafael Cobos Palma, Lilia Fernández Souza, Rocío L. Cortés Campos, Samuel
Jouault and Vera Tiesler participated as keynote speakers, who addressed topics on traditional
Yucatecan gastronomy, both contemporary and pre-Hispanic, on the cultural heritage of Mexico
community tourism, and death in pre-Hispanic culture.

24. ARGENTINA AND MEXICO STRENGTHEN TIES IN
FILEY
Mérida, Yucatán, April 24, 2021.- The Ambassador of Argentina in Mexico, Carlos Alfonso Tomada, assured that
the relationship of just over 132 years between both nations is going through one of the moments of greatest
deepening, despite the global context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has reduced interaction between people.
During the conference "Argentina-Mexico Relations: present, past and future", which he gave in the framework of
the ninth edition of the Yucatan International Reading Fair (FILEY 2021), the diplomat indicated that precisely in
the health field, with the elaboration of a vaccine against Covid 19, a way was found to continue with that
communion of interests.
“Yes, there is the pandemic, but on what plane can that communion take place? In the health field, being in the
production of a vaccine that is made part in Argentina and part in Mexico”, he pointed out.
Carlos Alfonso Tomada indicated that both countries have maintained a similar position in international forums,
such as the United Nations General Assembly and the G20, to demand greater access to the vaccine and the
possibility of declaring it a universal good.
He also highlighted the role that Mexico plays as a leader in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean
States (Celac), an organization in which the Mexican nation is “doing a lot of good by presenting a 14-point
program that has been accepted by all members despite the differences".
To all this, the diplomat recalled that Mexico granted asylum to thousands of Argentines who emigrated during
the military dictatorship and when, between 2001 and 2002, another group decided to leave their country to seek
better living conditions after a deep economic crisis.
Likewise, he praised the cultural, gastronomic, and literary richness that both countries share, derived from the
fact that artists, writers, producers, and others have traveled to know a little about each other and introduce
Mexican and Argentine products in each nation.
"In Argentina there have been great Mexican actors, film directors who have been dearly loved by the Argentine
public, as well as great Argentine actors and actresses who came to Mexico, lived here and influenced its culture,"
he said.
The ambassador took the opportunity to highlight FILEY as one of the most important showcases in the peninsula
and the coordinated work that was achieved so that Argentina, as guest of honor, could show Mexico a little of its
literary and cinematographic creations.

25. THEY GIVE CONTINUITY TO SOCIAL PROJECTS IN YAXCABÁ
Mérida, Yucatán, April 30, 2021.- Mayan communities in the municipality of Yaxcabá will have the opportunity to
strengthen their economy through community tourism projects, with the support of academics from the
Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), as well as specialized advice on administration and care of the
environment.
During the signing of the agreement between UADY, the Ministry of Economic Development and Labor (SEFOET)
and the civil association Co'ox Mayab, the rector of the University, José de Jesús Williams, affirmed that this
initiative is a great step to work on pro of the community and the region.
He explained that the project called “Nodos de Impulso a la Economía Social y Solidaria” (Nodess Mayab) has
developed actions for eight months articulated in six strategies: research, dissemination, strengthening and
accompaniment of community economy groups, collective entrepreneurship, culture of peace and food education.
Some of them have been the census of groups with economic activities, the intersectoral, interdisciplinary and
intercultural construction of the territorial diagnosis proposal and its application to family units, community
groups and cooperatives.
To respond to training needs, the agreement provides for training spaces to be implemented on topics such as
product development, teamwork, sales techniques, definition of processes and financial management.
Also in problem solving through innovation, effective communication and conflict management, generation of
added value from the client, production costs and basic accounting, among others, adapted to the characteristics of
the towns of the municipality.
To date, health promotion and strengthening activities have been carried out through care for people living with
diabetes, women in pregnancy and the puerperium, and the formation of a community dispensary, as well as
community savings practices. and family ventures by the civil society organization Ko'ox Tanni.
In his speech, the head of the SEFOET, Ernesto Herrera Novelo, emphasized that the secretariat under his charge
will continue to be jointly responsible for the business diagnosis to detect areas of opportunity to subsequently
train the economic entities of the impact zone of the Nodess Mayab.
In addition, the Union of Cooperative Societies Co'ox Mayab, which emerged as a result of the joint work of 10 social
companies dedicated to community tourism in Yucatán, proposes four lines of action: commercialization,
dissemination, strengthening and governance.
The collaboration document was signed by the rector of UADY, José de Jesús Williams; the head of SEFOET, Ernesto
Herrera Novelo; and the president of the Union of Cooperative Societies Co'ox Mayab, Mario Tuz May.

26. THEY TRAIN SPECIALISTS IN BIBLIOGRAPHIC
DISSEMINATION
Mérida, Yucatán, May 13, 2021.- Techniques to achieve the proper publication of a book or research and
thus contribute to the academic impact of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), was the topic
taught to staff of this institution by José Antonio Merlo Vega, professor at the Department of Library and
Information Science at the University of Salamanca, Spain.
More than 35 people who belong to UADY´s Library System were trained in this semi-face-to-face workshop
that had the purpose of training specialists, as well as providing them with greater knowledge to support the
teaching and research tasks of the highest house of studies in Yucatan.
Professor Merlo Vega commented that during the workshop, which was also given in virtual mode to
personnel from the University of San Luis Potosí, topics were addressed on how to investigate, publish and
evaluate the results of the research.
"This knowledge serves to support and measure the impact of UADY´s publications, and also contributes to
their promotion," he pointed out.
For his part, the Coordinator of UADY´s Library System, Alberto Arellano Rodríguez, pointed out that this
activity arises from a collaboration agreement between the University of Salamanca and the University of
Yucatán, in addition to the Autonomous Universities of Mexico (UNAM) and San Luís Potosí.
He stressed that with these actions the use of the resources available to the University can be made more
efficient, in addition to allowing the improvement and creation of new projects supported by technology.
In addition, these four educational institutions are currently jointly developing a diploma course aimed at
library staff and students, to train them on how to train and provide research support services.
UADY´s Library System is made up of 12 libraries: five on campus, two multidisciplinary, three at the upper
secondary level and two departmental. Its documentary collection is made up of 505,886 pieces, of which
275,576 are books, 47,201 degree theses, 12,757 brochures and reports and 14,035 are records, cassettes,
among others; In addition, it has the "Yucatecan Collection", which gathers and preserves the documents
produced in the region that are the product of local authors or that deal with issues related to the state.

27. UADY´s
Research and
Projects

28. UADY DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE METHOD AGAINST AEDES
AEGYPTI MOSQUITO
Mérida, Yucatán, January 12, 2021.- Researchers from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), in
collaboration with Emory University, developed an innovative method for the control of the Aedes aegypti
mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and Zika, which will be studied in 30 thousand Yucatecan
homes.
The research professor at UADY’s Regional Research Center “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Norma Pavía Ruz,
explained that Targeted Indoor Residual Spraying (TIRS) will be applied in selected homes, in order to control
mosquitoes in places where they rest, such as low walls, under furniture, and on dark surfaces.
"The TIRS promotes a paradigm shift in the control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that considers its behavior to
guide more efficiently the applications of residual insecticides and support the preventive control of dengue,
chikungunya and Zika", she pointed out.
She stressed that the product used is recommended by the Ministry of Health, and safe for people, their pets,
and plants. A TIRS application lasts approximately 15 minutes and protects the home for six to seven months,
so with a single application per year before the rainy season, the presence of the mosquito inside the homes is
controlled.
Pavía Ruz indicated that the city of Mérida was selected for this project where more than 30 thousand
households from 51 neighborhoods will sign up to participate in the study. Of these, 50 percent will be chosen
for the application of TIRS, likewise, 10 percent of the participating homes will be selected to capture
mosquitoes inside. In the study, 4,600 children and adolescents between the ages of two and 15 will be chosen
for a diagnosis and follow-up of cases.
Pavía Ruz stressed that the active monitoring of the reduction of mosquitoes and the diseases associated with
them such as Dengue, Chikunguya and Zika, will be carried out by visiting homes and with telephone contact
before and after each transmission season, for four years.
Other researchers are also participating in this study, including Pablo Manrique Saide (UCBE-UADY), Gonzalo
Vázquez-Prokopec (Emory University), Hector Gómez-Dantés (National Institute of Public Health), Ira Longini
(University of Florida) and Elizabeth Halloran (University of Washington).
The results of this study, supported by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), will provide epidemiological
evidence of the efficacy of TIRS in reducing the disease and infection of the aforementioned diseases.

29. DNA REVEALS HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN BEFORE THE
ARRIVAL OF EUROPEANS
Mérida, Yucatán, January 21, 2021.- The pre-Hispanic Caribbean population has left genetic marks on the modern
Caribbean population, confirming that between four and 14 percent of the DNA of the ancient inhabitants has
remained in the region for thousands of years, revealed the research of professor at the Autonomous University of
Yucatán (UADY) Andrea Cucina, through the investigation "The History of the Caribbean before the Europeans
seen from ancient DNA".
In the research, published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, a group of more than 50 specialists in
genetics, anthropology and archeology analyzed the DNA of 174 individuals who lived more than 2,000 years ago in
what is now known as the Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Guadalupe, Saint Lucia,
Curaçao and Venezuela.
This analysis reveals the genetic makeup of the Caribbean people between 400 and 3,100 years before the present
and makes the Caribbean region the first in America where scientists have managed to obtain such a high-
resolution level of ancient DNA, that could only be mined in western Eurasia before.
"With the research we were able to clarify the current genetic inheritance and reached several amazing
conclusions about the size of the indigenous population before the Caribbean cultures were hit by European
colonization from 1492," he said. In addition, it was possible to identify the existence of two large migrations, the
first corresponds to the Preceramic and the second to the Ceramics.
“These ceramic groups, by expanding and settling in the Caribbean islands, replaced in their entirety the ancient
settlers of the Pre-Ceramic Period; the results confirm how extremely rare it was for archaic settlers to mix and
have progeny with the individuals associated with ceramic culture,” he explained.
Andrea Cucina underlined that the ceramic styles of the Caribbean were characterized by profound changes
throughout 2000 years before the arrival of the Europeans; research indicates that these innovations during the
Ceramic Period arose from ideas that were shared by the same inhabitants from island to island, without the need
for new waves of migration from the continent to import new ideas.
Moreover, thanks to the large number of DNA specimens available, the researchers were able to estimate the size
of this ancient Caribbean population before the arrival of European colonizers. "This method takes certain
specimens at random, evaluates their genetic closeness and from this information makes an estimate of the
possible population size," said Cucina.
He clarified that, different from what was thought,
the estimated numbers suggest that between
10,000 and 50,000 individuals lived between the
islands of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and
Puerto Rico in the centuries before contact. "These
numbers show that they are much smaller than
the hundreds of thousands and even millions of
individuals that had been estimated previously,
also based on historical counts," he said.
Finally, he also highlighted that the research
confirms that the current population of the
Caribbean harbors ancestry, in different
proportions depending on the islands, of three
human groups: pre-Hispanic, European and
African indigenous people, the last of which were
introduced to the region as part of the slave trade.

30. WHO RECOGNIZES RESEARCH ON AEDES AEGYPTI
Mérida, Yucatán, January 22, 2021.- The presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of dengue, Zika and
Chikungunya, inside houses is reduced by 85 percent thanks to the use of insecticide mesh, a technique that was
proven and investigated for a decade in different parts of Mexico by a group of researchers from the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY), and which is now recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) within the
new edition of “Dengue: Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control ”.
In the last 10 years, a team of researchers from UADY, in coordination with other groups and with the Ministry of
Health, developed an innovative intervention in Mexico called "Aedes aegypti proof houses", which included
mosquito nets with insecticide to protect doors and windows of houses in urban areas.
The research professor of the Campus of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of UADY, Pablo Manrique Saide
reported that, in 2017, it was recognized that mosquito nets are a promising method for the prevention and control
of diseases transmitted by Aedes. "It is because of the above that the new edition of the WHO guide will include the
recommendation of improvements in the built environment, for example, the use of mesh to protect doors and
windows of houses, to control dengue and other diseases transmitted by vectors and will also include the
recommendation of the use of materials treated with insecticide”, he stated. In particular, he said, the chapter on
"Vector Management and Control" has been enriched with evidence generated from innovations over the last
decade, adding to the existing Aedes control toolbox.
On the other hand, Manrique Saide highlighted that screens were installed in a thousand homes located in
colonies of high entomological and epidemiological risk of Mérida and were evaluated for two years, the post-
intervention results showed reductions in the entomological indicators of the presence of pupae / larvae and
confirmed its effect by reducing the abundance of adult mosquitoes.
Finally, the researcher stressed that, currently, the most recent research work aims to improve community access
to mosquito nets, as an effective, affordable, and accepted tool that reduces the abundance and exposure to Aedes
aegypti.
To carry out this research, institutions such as the National Institute of Public Health, Emory University, the
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Public Health Supply company of Mexico, to name a few, have
collaborated.
It also had the support of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and the Canadian Institutes of
Health Research (CIHR), CONACYT, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States-
Mexico Foundation for Science ( FUMEC), and the Kellogg Foundation.

31. TOURISM STUDIES REVEAL IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION
An offer on
a different
look at
beach
tourism.
Mérida, Yucatán, February 22, 2021.-
Recent research on the evolution of
tourism in Yucatán, indicated that in the
last four decades the Peninsula has
undergone great transformations, in which
Cancun represented the first experiment of
the Mexican State on large projects on
massive beach tourism.
Tourism expert and professor at the
University of California in San Diego,
Matilde Córdoba Azcarate reflected on this
research in the book entitled "Stuck with
tourism", which is based on studies carried
out in Cancun and Celestún, which have
been integrated into the tourist market,
printing new meanings and valuations to its
natural and cultural heritage.
Within the framework of the Tourism,
Space and Common Goods Seminar,
organized by the Faculty of
Anthropological Sciences of UADY, the
National Autonomous University of Mexico
(UNAM), the University of Angers and the
Center for Mexican and Central American
Studies (CEMCA), Córdoba Azcarate gave
the conference "Spatialization of the
commons, moral entanglements and the
logic of tourist extraction in Yucatán",
where she presented the results of her
research.
During the talk, she compared and
contrasted the ways in which the State has
appropriated three commons: public
beaches, a revolutionary past and the
"being Maya" (identity), as well as the ways
in which the inhabitants of the region
describe feeling attached to mass and
alternative mass turism in the region.
"The community has accepted the form of
belonging to tourism as necessary,
inevitable, effective and even positive,
because thanks to tourism they have work,
hope, education and infrastructure," she
added.
Likewise, she stressed that the problem of
the lack of employment opportunities was a
triggering factor, since the work they had
did not guarantee family subsistence,
therefore, the inhabitants of productive age
were forced to leave their places of origin.
All this forms a complex scenario that
imposes a great challenge on researchers
interested in studying, explaining and
interpreting the conditions and dynamics
of the society in which we live.
In that sense, she said, tourism is
undoubtedly an obligatory and
omnipresent issue as an important force of
globalization, which refers to multiple
processes of both economic development
and dependency, as well as social and
cultural change.
Córdoba Azcarate added that the study of
tourist phenomena offers the opportunity
to understand complex processes related to
development policies, the formation of new
territorialities and identity forms.
In the same way, she pointed out that it
allows us to understand the relationship
between the local and the global, that is,
local groups in a context of global
configurations and globalization seen from
localities, and the relationship that these
two levels entail.

32. THEY ANALYZE OPTIONS TO AVOID GLYPHOSATE IN CROPS
Mérida, Yucatán, April 17, 2021.- Producers with successful cases in the use of organic herbicides, technicians
who advise and accompany the processes, as well as scientists who gather information and make proposals to
produce without glyphosate, participated in the Week of Agroecology that took place from April 12 to 16 through
Semarnat's social networks.
The research professor of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of
Yucatán (UADY) José Castillo Caamal reported that, in order to publicize among the citizens, the alternatives and
policies towards a healthy food production, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat)
organized this cycle of virtual conferences.
"For five days, national and international scientists, technicians and producers from the field, who presented
information based on evidence, success stories and experiences on the subject, participated " he stressed.
He added that the Agroecology Week had as its central theme "the gradual elimination of glyphosate", for which he
explained that this is a herbicide used in agriculture, forestry, cleaning of roadsides, control of drugs and
gardening.
"Various scientific studies document the harmful impact on human health and the environment of this
agrochemical," he added.
Against this background, Castillo Caamal reported that the Faculty promotes different actions to encourage
agroecology, as well as to promote respect and conservation of the country's biocultural heritage, to protect the life
of the community.
"From our trenches, we seek that both students, teachers, as well as the community have the tools and knowledge
necessary to make decisions for the benefit of their health, the environment and the quality of life," he said.
Among the activities that stood out in the program were: Management Practices in the Production of Organic
Prickly Pear and Nopal, without the use of herbicides; Glyphosate-free Weed Control Alternatives in Lemon and
Corn; and The Herbicide Glyphosate and its Alternatives.

33. CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES PROJECT
IMPLEMENTED IN YAXUNAH
UADY
students
work in real
learning
scenarios.
Mérida, Yucatán, May 8, 2021.- Academics
and students from the Autonomous
University of Yucatán (UADY) lead the
project “Implementation of clean
technologies and good agroecological
practices for the well-being of families in
Yaxunah”, with the objective that the
inhabitants learn to use the natural and
technological resources in that community
efficiently.
The professor of the Agroecology course of
the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and
Zootechnics of UADY, América Earth Pech
y Aké, explained that this project aims at
social empowerment and technology
transfer, so that the inhabitants together
with the students identify the needs of their
community, develop activities, and learn to
use resources efficiently.
Likewise, she mentioned that what is
sought with these actions is that the young
people who participate have the
opportunity to live a real learning
environment and, based on this training
experience, they can propose solutions.
“We have students from different
specialties, among them: renewable
engineering, agroecology, administration,
physical engineering; what is sought is
interdisciplinarity in order to have
coordination and order and to be able to
reach specific solutions”, she added.
Regarding the project, the academic
reported that during the study carried out
problems such as scarce availability of
water, lack of training and organization, as
well as little community collaboration were
identified.
Pech and Aké announced that students will
participate in training and empowerment
processes with families to incorporate
renewable energy technologies for greater
water availability, as well as biotechnology
in agroecological production to obtain
vegetables free of herbicides and synthetic
fertilizers.
"What is intended is to replicate the model
of this methodology in other communities,"
she pointed out.
The goal is not only to install the
technology, she said, but to work the
organizational processes among them, as a
family, so that they are able to carry out
self-management.
This project is being developed with
funding from the Kellogg Foundation, in
conjunction with the support of the Social
Projects Unit of UADY.

34. INNOVATIVE PROJECT AGAINST AEDES AEGYPTI
ADVANCES
Mérida, Yucatán, June 9, 2021.- More than fifteen thousand homes in the state of Yucatán receive an insecticide
spray with the purpose of controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of dengue, chikungunya and Zika
diseases, reported the research professor from the Campus of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the
Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), Pablo Manrique Saide.
The specialist pointed out that from May to June, brigades of the Entomological Bioassays Unit of UADY (UCBE-
UADY) and personnel of the Yucatan Health Secretariat (SSY), carry out the application of insecticide in the places
where mosquitoes rest as low walls, under furniture, and on dark surfaces.
He explained that this is part of the project they carry out in collaboration with Emory University, in which a
Targeted Indoor Residual Spraying (TIRS) is applied to them, to control mosquitoes.
"This project consists of six stages, we are in stage five, which consists of applying the insecticide for 15 minutes
and the house will be protected for six months, therefore, with a single application per year before the rainy
season, the presence of the mosquito inside the houses is controlled”, he pointed out.
In this sense, the researcher stressed that the product used is recommended by the Ministry of Health, and safe
for people, their pets and plants.
The last stage will consist of the “Intervention evaluation through active epidemiological surveillance”, which will
be carried out through home visits, telephone calls, monthly entomological and annual serological surveys for
three years, to control and quantify the impact of the disease with the TIRS intervention.
Among the colonies that participate in this study are Castilla Cámara, María Luisa, Libertad, El Roble, Melchor
Ocampo, García Ginerés and El Porvenir, among others.
Manrique Saide provided some of the recommendations to prevent mosquito breeding: install mosquito nets,
make sure that the containers in the backyard do not fill with water, wear long sleeves and pants in areas where
flies predominate, as well as to remove objects that can serve as hatcheries.
Other researchers also participate in this study, among which stand out the Research Professor at the Regional
Research Center “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi ”from UADY, Norma Pavía Ruz; the Emory University researcher, Gonzalo
Vázquez-Prokopec; from the National Institute of Public Health, Héctor Gómez-Dantés; from the University of
Florida Ira Longini; and from the University of Washington, Elizabeth Halloran.
The results of this study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will provide epidemiological
evidence of the efficacy of TIRS in reducing the disease and infection of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya
and Zika.

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