Training Young Specialists In The Field Of Sea Sciences At The Department Of Geosciences Of The National University Of C

1. Training Young Specialists In The Field Of Sea Sciences At The Department Of Geosciences Of The National University Of Colombia Nancy Villegas Ingenier Oceanologist. Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics Proffesor of National University Of Colombia 50 Years of Education and Awareness Raising for Shaping the Future of the Oceans and Coasts: Sharing lessons learned and proposing long-term projections 27 - 30 April, 2010. Saint Petersburg, Russia

2. Colombia: marine country Continental territory: 1.141.748 km² Marine territory: 919.376 km² Caribbean coastline: 1600 km. Pacific coastline: 1300 km Marine limits: Colombian Caribbean Sea (CCS): Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragüa, Honduras, Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic 14º 30´ N 82º 00´ W 14º 30´ N 71º 18´ W 06° 30´ N 84° 30´ W 11º 50´ N 71º 18´ W 06° 30´ N 77° 40´ W Colombian Pacific Ocean (CPO): Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica. 08º 42´ N 77º 19´ W 01° 30´ N 79° 00´ W 01° 30´ N 84° 30´ W

3. National University of Colombia (NUC) Caribe NUC was founded on September 22 of 1867 589.560 km2 103 undergraduateprograms, 107 specializations, 118 masters programs, 40 medical specialties, 33 doctorate programs Medellín Bogotá (54%) Manizales Palmira Arauca 339.100 km2 Student community: 43,341 students of whom 39,382 belong to undergraduate programs 3,959 to postgraduateprograms Tumaco Orinoquia Branches NUC

4. Subjects related to the Sea Sciences in the NUC Only 6 subjects are related to Sea Sciences (oceanography) in undergraduate program and 2 in postgraduate program. 7 of them are in Bogota, and 2 in Medellin. The others are related to marine biology.

5. Research groups in Sea Sciences in the NUC Only 2 related to oceanography and meteorology: 1 in Medellin and other one in Bogota

6. Academic profiles of the university professors who conduct research in Sea Sciences at NUC 20 PhD. 21 Sea Sciences profesional diploma 4 Naturales Resources 1 Biological Sciences 5 Marine Biologists 1 Marine Ecology 1 Geological Sciences 2 Geologists 1 Coastal Oceanography 1 Oceanography 1 Tropical Ecology 1 Environmental and Evolutory Biology 5 Biologists 3 Civil engineers 1 Hydro sciences and engineering 1 Technologies in Marine Sciences 2 Physicists 2 Natural resources 1 Fishing resources 1 Environmental Sciences and Aquatic systems 1 Natural Sciences 1 Administration in Fishing Resources 1 Lawyer 1 International law of the Sea 1 Engineer Oceanographer 1 Physics and Mathematics Sciences According to the academic profiles of the university professors: 15 conduct research in marine biology; 5 in marine geology, 1 in International Law of sea; 1 in technology of ocean monitoring and 1 in oceanology.

7. The research group in oceanography of the Geosciences Department “CENIT” prepares young investigators of the Magisterial academic program of Meteorology, who are studying ocean-atmosphere interaction and ocean dynamics.

8. ITCZ migration Panama jet MJO NAO American Monsoon ENSO The study of these phenomena allows the determination of their influence on the space distribution and on the seasonal, annual and inter-annual variability of the thermohaline and dynamic characteristics of the marine territory of Colombia.

9. Projects developed by CENIT from 2004 to 2010

10. The results of the realised projects by CENIT have been presented in: 6 seminaries and congresses in Colombia and 7 in South-America. 9 papers in Colombian journals and 3 in South American journals. 1 software, 1 chapter book and 1 book about the mathematical modelling of the thermohaline and dynamical characteristics of Colombian Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, because the field of investigation of CENIT is not widely reconnoitred in Colombia, the economic resources that our university provides for international publications are practically null. The economical support for investigations is only for 1 year, very short time, so submitting papers to international journals becomes impossible.

11. Proposal of an interuniversity magisterial academic program in Sea Sciences for Colombia CENIT looked for an integration of 4 Colombian universities looking for joint strategies to structure an academic interuniversity program in Sea Sciences for Colombia using strengths of the 4 universities and with the support of the University of Cadiz, Spain Proposed subjects for the magisterial academic program in Sea Sciences

12. Solving problems … Financing for mobility of foreign professors who will temporarily arrive to Colombia to teach the propose subjects Financing the interchange of our future students between the 4 universities to use the existing laboratories Financing the interchange of our future students towards foreign universities and institutions, where the opportunities for academic practices in oceanographic ships exist. Example: “summer BFU practices programmed by the RSHU on board the Catamaran Centaurs II in the Baltic Sea”

13. Budget of the proposed academic program, Euros

14. Reflections The NUC has potential for the investigation in oceanography and meteorology. Colombia needs the formation of specialists in Meteorology and Oceanography. But without university professors, infrastructure and financing, Colombia cannot reach it. Colombia needs that WMO and COI realise some supporting plans for the development of financing programs and scholarships for the students in meteorology and oceanography areas in our country THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION