VZCZCXYZ0018
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #2551/01 3462023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 122023Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0533
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 3416
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0004
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1199
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ DEC 4928
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 4838
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 0349
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 0591
RUEABND/DEA LOS ANGELES DIVISION PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 002551 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR STAS ATKINSON 
FOR WHA/BSC - MOSS 
FOR OES/STC 
DEPT PASS TO NSF - HAROLD STOLBERG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC OSCI SCUL TSPL OVIP CI
SUBJECT: STAS ATKINSON VISIT HIGHLIGHTS CHILEAN S&T 
STRENGTHS 
 
REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 2537 
     ¶B. BUENOS AIRES 2580 
 
¶1. Summary.  Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary 
of State (STAS) Dr. George Atkinson led a delegation of 
scientists and engineers to Chile November 4-7, to survey 
Chilean science and technology (S&T) and engineering 
institutions and learn about Chile's future S&T priorities. 
The visit also highlighted Chilean educational capabilities 
and afforded an opportunity to vet a STAS proposal for a new 
modality of collaboration with U.S. universities -- &Global 
Science Partnerships for the 21st Century" (GSP-21).  Before 
arriving in Santiago, the STAS delegation also visited the 
Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon observatories in northern 
Chile.  In Santiago, Atkinson participated in a seminar on 
international S&T collaboration and innovation at the 
American Academy of Science and Technology.  The visit 
confirmed that Chile has solid capabilities in many S&T and 
engineering fields and generated Chilean enthusiasm for the 
GSP-21 concept. End Summary. 
 
¶2. STAS Atkinson's delegation included Deputy S&T Adviser 
Andrew Reynolds, WHA/EPSC Jefferson Science Fellow Dr. Kim 
Boyer, DOS Geographer Dr. Lee Schwartz, former Jefferson 
Science Fellow Dr. Ed Samulski, AAAS Fellow Dr. Christina 
McCain (STAS Office), cancer researcher Nathan Singh 
(University of Pennsylvania), and Dr. Cung Vu from the DOD's 
Defense Warning Office. 
 
¶3. The STAS visit's prime objective was to determine Chile's 
national S&T and engineering priorities.  The STAS visit 
should help Chilean proponents of scientific progress, as 
well as overcome complacency.  President Bachelet believes 
that S&T education and infrastructure, English language 
training, and a culture of innovation must be fostered for 
Chile to compete in the 21st century. 
 
Priorities and Capabilities 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. Meetings with Chilean counterparts identified natural 
resource development and exploitation as current priorities. 
These included energy, value-added services and commodities 
from the mining industry, developing Chile as a world &food 
power,8 sustainable exploitation of forest resources, and 
biotechnology.  Chile has some world-class scientific and 
technical research going on in these fields.  The delegation 
visited public and private research and education 
institutions, which provide quality instruction and perform 
solid research in many S&T, engineering and math disciplines. 
 With limited resources and a new emphasis on innovation, 
Chile has recently begun to pay more attention to fostering 
its science and engineering communities.  It seeks a 
multi-disciplinary framework to focus on advancing the 
national and industrial needs in the energy, mining, 
agriculture, forestry, and health sectors.  Some Chilean 
innovators are also nurturing cutting edge research in areas 
such as bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics with an eye 
towards increasing national competitiveness.  STAS Atkinson 
and his team also noted how Chile's framework for fostering 
further advances could represent a model for regional 
leadership for research and development in the advanced 
sciences. 
 
¶5. The STAS delegation visited two major faculties at the 
University of Chile.  At the Department of Electrical 
Engineering, they observed demonstrations in robotics, visual 
identification systems, and renewable energy.  In the Center 
for Mathematical Modeling (CMM), they heard a presentation on 
the modeling of biological agents for use in more efficient, 
environmentally benign copper extraction from marginal ores. 
The CMM,s focus is on short and medium-term projects, which 
helps maintain a funding stream.  The delegation also made 
stops at the Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology at 
Fundacion Ciencia Para La Vida, a public-private technology 
park, and Pontifica Universidad Catolica's (PUC) Center for 
Genomics and Bioinformatics and the Center for Advanced 
 
Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity. 
 
¶6. Researchers at the Fundacion Cienca presented their work 
in bioinformatics for improved agricultural production, 
including wine grapes, frost- and drought-tolerant 
genetically engineered plants, and the sequencing of several 
plant pathogens supporting the development of controls.  The 
Fundacion,s focus is almost entirely on problems of 
immediate concern to Chile,s agriculture and aquaculture 
sectors, as well as bio-leaching for copper extraction.  At 
PUC, the delegation saw presentations on several topics in 
proteomics, including the modeling of stochastic surface 
charge distribution, protein folding, and docking.  The 
concentration at PUC was on problems of slightly longer term, 
as is reasonable for a university based research activity in 
a developing country.  All three institutions (University of 
Chile, Fundacion, PUC) demonstrated a sophisticated research 
capability. 
 
¶7. Before arriving in Santiago, the STAS delegation visited 
the Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon observatories in northern 
Chile.  The team was enormously impressed with these world 
class facilities and their directors, as well as the 
scientists working there from around the world.  STAS and Dr. 
Samulski were pleased to hear about research being conducted 
in partnership with the Universities of Arizona and North 
Carolina, where they know the departments of astronomy well. 
The team noted, however, that Chileans are serving 
principally as facility technicians with few Chilean 
astronomers doing research on-site. 
 
Global Science Partnerships 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. STAS Atkinson briefed the Ambassador about the GSP-21 
concept to gauge likely Chilean interest.  The Ambassador was 
enthusiastic about the idea and has recommended the 
Department consider Chile as a pilot country should GSP-21 
move forward.  In all meetings with Chilean counterparts )- 
at universities, research institutions, and ministries -- 
there was a great deal of interest in the GSP-21 concept. 
Chilean scientists said they especially wanted support in 
transforming their basic research into creative products and 
services.  Senior EconOff has also been approached 
subsequently by members of the GOC's Council on Competition 
and Innovation seeking further information on the possibility 
of scientific exchanges under GSP-21. 
 
The Policy Side 
--------------- 
 
¶9. The STAS delegation also met with MFA's Ambassador Gabriel 
Rodriguez, Director of Energy, Science and Technology & 
Innovation; Dr. Jorge Allende, Vice Rector for Research & 
Development at the University of Chile; Carlos Alvarez, 
Executive Vice President of the Chilean Economic Development 
Agency (CORFO); David Noe Scheinwald, Advisor at the Ministry 
of Finance; and, Vivian Heyl, President of CONICYT, the 
Chilean analog to our National Science Foundation.  The GOC's 
policymakers were particularly interested in formal 
collaboration and exchanges to facilitate technology 
transfers.  Dr. Allende noted the importance to Chile of a 
University of California-University of Chile alliance from 
the 1960's that had led in no small measure to the 
development of Chile's vibrant agricultural sector. 
 
Science Public Diplomacy 
------------------------ 
 
¶10. On November 6, Atkinson joined the Ambassador in a 
presentation on "Science and Technology in the Modern World" 
at an American Corner in Santiago appropriately named the 
American Academy of Science and Technology.  Post established 
the Academy in September 2005 at the University of Talca's 
Santiago campus, to provide a forum for highlighting 
U.S.-Chilean scientific cooperation.  The program also 
featured CONICYT President Heyl and Dr. Servet Martinez, 
 
President of the Chilean Academy of Sciences.  Atkinson 
stressed the need for scientists worldwide to collaborate to 
face the pressing problems of the 21st century. 
 
¶11. Positive press coverage of Atkinson's presentation 
appeared in Santiago's major dailies and an interview with El 
Mercurio appeared in a feature article in the Sunday, 
November 19 edition.  STAS Atkinson's visit helped highlight 
the extensive U.S.-Chile scientific and technological 
cooperation, an area of the bilateral relationship that often 
escapes even GOC policymakers. 
 
Embassy Comment 
--------------- 
 
¶12. Post was very pleased with the good will generated by the 
STAS visit, and would strongly support Chile as a partner in 
the GSP-21 program.  The U.S. and Chile already enjoy a solid 
Fulbright exchange program and GSP-21 could be a logical 
complement to it.  The GOC is becoming increasingly aware of 
the role S&T and innovation must play for Chile to compete 
economically and foster non-traditional sectors.  The GOC is 
attempting to identify clusters of innovative sectors and 
technologies to promote.  Part of that plan is to send up to 
1,000 graduate students abroad annually for graduate degrees. 
 Here too, a GSP-21 initiative could be a very timely 
vehicle.  Post will continue to report on commission's work 
and other new GOC attempts to develop clear policies on S&T, 
education and research and hopefully intellectual property 
rights as national priorities. 
 
¶13. STAS Atkinson cleared this cable. 
KELLY