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On April 2010, FUMEC released its Biennial Activities Report for the period 2008-2009, a document that highlights the advances and perspectives of the Foundation’s work.
“During the past two years, motivation has increased among different decision makers in Mexico to know more about and collaborate with FUMEC projects. This has occurred, for example, with state governments, where programs are being prepared and under way to support knowledge driven economic development at a state level, using collaboration schemes that take advantage of experiences and capabilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico”, affirms FUMEC’s Executive Director, Guillermo Fernández de la Garza, in the introduction of this document.
Among the most outstanding achievements that the report presents are the following:
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Economic Development Based on Technological Innovation
- Businesses that participate in TechBA, the Technology Business Acceleration Program achieved, as a whole, $106 million U.S. Dollars in commercial transactions and investment attraction. This amount is added to that invoiced nationally of $629 million U.S. Dollars. Additionally, the firms participating in TechBA generated 3,500 new high value jobs.
- Opening of two new TechBA offices in Detroit, Michigan, and in Phoenix, Arizona. The first is focused on the attention to companies of the automotive sector and the second works with firms of the information technologies, alternative energy, medical devices and aerospace sectors.
- The Technological and Business Assistance System (SATE) has expanded its participation towards niches with growth potential, such as software as a service and interactive media. FUMEC developed studies on those two topics in order to understand how businesses can benefit from rapid growth in these fields. In Estado de México, for example, the need to develop capabilities in the design of plastic pieces for automobiles was assessed. Other niches that are being explored include alternative energies, multimedia and mobile computing.
- The FUMEC Automotive Program set the basis of the Technological Consortium for the Automotive Industry (CTIA). This consortium seeks to partner strategic stakeholders, such as education institutions, companies, national and international organizations and governments, with the intent of developing technological and educational platforms that are demanded by the automotive sector.
- Integration of an AERI for MEMS. This Strategic Partnership and Innovation Network (AERI) assisted in developing a lung ventilation system, generated the Report on Technological and Educational Infrastructure for MEMS in Mexico and collaborates with the IEEE international in order to hold the IEEE-MEMS Congress, in Cancún, Mexico in 2011.
- Creation of an AERI for FPGAS technologies. This AERI completed an analysis of four international models of networks that work with FPGA technologies. In addition, it facilitated the integration of two FPGA programs in Puebla and Querétaro, which are dedicated to preparing specialized resources, creation of infrastructure and development of technological projects for the automation and control, as well as the agro-industrial sectors.
Development of Human Resources in Science and Technology
- Strengthening IBSE in Mexico. During the past two years, INNOVEC worked with SEP and state governments to implement IBSE programs in ten Mexican states: Coahuila, Chihuahua, Estado de México, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Jalisco, Tlaxcala, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas and Veracruz, covering a total of 331,500 students. These states have signed collaboration agreements with INNOVEC where they commit to apply IBSE and INNOVEC provides assistance in training professors and teaching advisors, and offers technical assistance to develop a local program.
- Collaboration with Project Lead the Way (PLTW). This is a program that uses learning strategies based on activities, projects and real life problem solving. FUMEC is searching for a collaboration agreement with PLTW to establish in Mexico a pilot program with this methodology and be able to share experiences with similar programs of the United States and Mexico.
- Participation in Frontiers of Engineering. The National Academy of Engineering of the United States organizes each year the symposium Frontiers of Engineering (FOE), an event attended by a select group of leading engineers from industry, academia and government. In 2009, a group of six Mexican engineers participated in FOE. As a result, the Mexican Academy of Engineering and FUMEC will explore the possibility of holding a similar event in Mexico.
- Summer Fellowships and Visits by Distinguished Researchers. In collaboration with the Mexican Academy of Sciences, FUMEC supports an exchange program that facilitates visits and summer research fellowships for distinguished researchers and professors from the United States and Mexico in laboratories and institutes of higher learning. In these two years a total of 32 distinguished professors from the United States visited Mexico and 12 summer fellowships of Mexican scientists in the United States were facilitated.
Environment and Health
- Summer Fellowships and Visits by Distinguished Researchers. In collaboration with the Mexican Academy of Sciences, FUMEC supports an exchange program that facilitates visits and summer research fellowships for distinguished researchers and professors from the United States and Mexico in laboratories and institutes of higher learning. In these two years a total of 32 distinguished professors from the United States visited Mexico and 12 summer fellowships of Mexican scientists in the United States were facilitated.
- Enhancement of GHG measuring capabilities in the Electrical Power Sector. With technical assistance from the EPA and backing from SEMARNAT, the Foundation developed a GHG and criteria pollutant1 emissions estimation methodology for the electrical power generation sector in Mexico. Currently, this tool is used by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), which produces most of the GHG emissions in the country due to the large quantity of fuel that it consumes.
- Strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system. The Foundation contributed to strengthen the epidemiological surviellance at the border and federal level, by equipping six Public Health State Laboratories in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Tamaulipas. These laboratories have a key role in detection and notification of infectious diseases and, currently, they have a Biosafety Level 2.
- Consolidation of a center for packaging honey in Tlaxcala. The Foundation helped obtain government assistance to build, equip and operate a honey packaging center with the strictest food safety conditions —such as the ISO 22000 standard for food production safety and quality—, which has allowed accessing international markets.
Other initiatives
- Visit to Ottawa by a group of Mexican Congress persons. In 2009, a group of Mexican Congress persons, as well as representatives from CONACYT, the Scientific and Technological Advisory Forum traveled to Ottawa with the purpose of exploring collaboration opportunities in STI with several organizations in that country. On this occasion the possibility to create a binational fund for innovation projects was analyzed, taking as basis the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP) that Canada has with China, India, Israel and Brazil.
- Attendance to the International Conference on Innovation Journalism. In 2008 and 2009, journalists and communicators, as well as developers of public policies on scientific and technological issues in Mexico attended editions V and VI of the Conference on Innovation Journalism that takes place annually at the Stanford University.
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