Alpha-Cen is a non-profit and non-governmental scientific group created for the development and strengthening of research in astronomical sciences in Central America and the Caribbean. It is constituted by Central Americans and Caribbeans who have done or are enrolled in postgraduate studies related to astronomical sciences, and scientists who collaborate with the development of astronomy in the region. Alpha-Cen works to contribute, improve and share the scientific understanding of the Universe. It is the desire of Alpha-Cen to work in a safe space promoting ethical behavior among its members as well as with the scientific community and with the general public, therefore unethical behaviors such as racism, harassment and discrimination of any kind are not tolerated.
Alpha-Cen is an international non-profit and non-governmental group whose objective is to promote the science of astronomy in all its aspects within the Central American and Caribbean region.
1) Promote and support scientific research in astronomical sciences in Central America and the Caribbean.
2) Support students of the region in their applications to postgraduate school, internships and conferences.
3) Encourage scientific collaborations among Alpha-Cen members as well as with researchers in other regions.
4) Undergraduate and postgraduate thesis advice to students in Central America and the Caribbean.
5) Cooperate with scientific institutions in Central America and Caribbean countries for the development of astronomical sciences.
6) Contribute to astronomical sciences' outreach in the region.
- The first project was the thesis supervision of an undergraduate physics student in Honduran. Her adviser was based in Guatemala. Through this collaboration student joined a postgraduate program in Astrophysics at UNAM-Mexico in 2017.
- Joint collaboration Honduras-Australia persuing indigenous and Mayan Astronomy research. Dr. Javier Mejuto a Honduran researcher visited Melbourne for a month in 2018 to work with Dr. Duane Hamacher. Dr. Duane is also visiting Honduras in December 2019.
- Various remote seminars hosting international speakers were held for students in Central America.
- Alpha-Cen joined the Costa Rica-US bridge program, to support students to apply to internships in the United States.
- Alpha-Cen sent a representative from Honduras to the NINE Program in 2019 (https://info.nrao.edu/do/odi/broader-impact-programs/Nine) to establish a radio astronomy hub in Central America. Ongoing collaborations with the NRAO are still in place.
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