Background

How did it start?

The country’s economic and social development is strongly linked to investment applied to scientific and technological advance.  Due to historic, social, and political reasons, Mexico has suffered a chronic investment shortcoming in science and technology, which has now resulted in falling behind in its economic and social markers.

The National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) proposed, among other mechanisms to overcome this backwardness and increase the country's scientific and technological culture through boosting science teaching starting from early education levels. With the purpose of supporting this initiative, we developed the Science Outreach Program (PACE) in Baja California Sur, through linking scientific and teaching communities from teacher education institutions, and schools of basic, middle and higher education.

In April 2001, CIBNOR in La Paz, Baja California Sur, in collaboration with PISCES project of San Diego State University (SDSU), in California, USA, issued a call to convene institutions of basic, middle and higher education in La Paz to a workshop to analyze the need for linking science and education. The institutions that were represented were Miguel Hidalgo, Instituto Montessori, Instituto del Valle and Simon Bolivar elementary schools, and Escuela Benemerita Normal Urbana [Teacher Education School] (BENU), the National Program of Continuous Education (PRONAP), Universidad Pedagogica Nacional [National University of Education] (UPN), and Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS).