On 3, 4, and 5 June 2026, Scientific Cooperation and International Relations Group at DSSTTA organized two online workshops aimed at developing and strengthening international scientific collaborations with institutions in Panama and Japan.
The meetings brought together researchers from several Department institutes and representatives from leading international research organizations: INDICASAT-AIP and COIBA-AIP from Panama, and the University of Tsukuba from Japan.
The workshop with the Panamanian partners focused on microbial biodiversity, bioprospecting, marine ecology, and ocean systems. In addition to the Department’s institutes working on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, two institutes from the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies (DSCTM) also participated. The initiative provided an opportunity to present the main research activities, expertise, and infrastructures available within the participating institutions, fostering discussions on topics of mutual interest and identifying potential areas for collaboration.
The workshop with the University of Tsukuba was dedicated to the fields of Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Microbiology, and Geoenvironmental Sciences. On behalf of DSSTTA, researchers from IGAG, IRET, IRSA, and IRPI presented their research activities and proposed joint projects on topics of common interest, paving the way for future collaborative initiatives with the Japanese partners.
Both workshops were characterized by lively scientific discussions that highlighted numerous complementarities among the expertise and research interests of the participating institutions. The exchanges led to the identification of several opportunities for collaboration, ranging from the joint development of research activities and researcher and student mobility programs to the organization of training initiatives and coordinated participation in national and international funding calls. The meetings also strengthened networking among the participating institutions, creating the conditions for the establishment of long-term and structured collaborations.
These initiatives represent an important step toward strengthening DSSTTA’s international scientific cooperation and lay the foundations for future strategic partnerships between the CNR and institutions in Panama and Japan on topics of major relevance for environmental research and Earth system sciences.
