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The Texas A&M University Center in Mexico (Mexico

Center) is located in Mexico City and serves as the center of Texas A&M activities in Mexico. The Mexico Center Bulletin provides information about the Center’s programs and support services and explores topics of bilateral interest to the United States and Mexico.

On Monday, June 15, 2009, the Texas A&M University Center in Mexico (Mexico Center) celebrated the dedication of its new location in Bosques de las Lomas, one of the most important corporate zones in Mexico City. The event also marked the 16th year of the Center’s presence in Mexico. Established in 1993 as the first U.S. university center in Mexico, the Mexico Center moved from Reforma Avenue to its present location in October 2008. Both centers were made possible through the generous donation of Mr. Pablo Marvin, a 1966 graduate of Texas A&M, and his wife Barbara.

Texas A&M University´s Vice President for Global Initiatives, Ambassador Eric M. Bost (ret.), was present for the formal reopening and dedication of the new facility along with the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, Ms. Leslie Bassett; Texas A&M deans and administrators, members of the Mexico Center’s External Advisory Board and University Advisory

Committee, distinguished university leaders from partner institutions in Mexico, and former students of Texas A&M University residing in Mexico.

The ceremony´s university address delivered by Ambassador Bost honored donors Pablo and Barbara Marvin. After the ceremonial ribbon cutting, Bost unveiled a prestigious resolution from the university´s Board of Regents that expressed gratitude to the Marvin family. A plaque to be hung in the new Center was also presented to the Marvins in recognition of their dedication to future generations of Aggies.

“The Marvins exemplify people whose passion, compassion, and life´s work extends across borders,” Bost said. “The United States and Mexico have a close economic and cultural relationship, and Texas A&M University commends the generosity and vision of the Marvins in furthering the university´s globalization efforts.”

Thanks to the Marvin family, the Texas A&M Center in Mexico has

Texas a&M CenTer in MexiCo offiCially reopens iTs Doors,Honors Donors pablo anD barbara Marvin

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Inside:Volume 1, Issue 2

Mexico Center Formally Reopens

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Vet Med Engages in Mexico

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Norton Named OLAP Director

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CONACYT Funds 09-10 Projects

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Student Spotlight

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Freshmen, Sophomores Visit Mexico

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Global Manufacturing & Distribution Initiative

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Mexico center Bulletin, SepteMBer 2009Page 2

become a model for instigating and nourishing alliances with Mexican academic and government entities, alliances resulting in research and exchange of knowledge that provide real benefits to the people of both North American nations.

On Tuesday, June 16, 2009, the Mexico Center arranged significant meetings for Texas A&M administrators including the Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dr. Mark Hussey; the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Scienes, Dr. Eleanor Green; the Dean of the College of Architecture, Dr. Jorge Vanegas; and the Interim Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Robert Webb. With the assistance of the chair of the Mexico Center´s External Advisory Board, Mr. Francisco Alcalá, the delegation met with Mexico´s Secretary of Energy, Dr. Georgina Kessel Martínez; Undersecretary of Hydrocarbons, Mr. Mario Gabriel Budebo; and Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mexico, Mr. Guillermo Güemez, to discuss a potential

alliance in energy research. The delegation also met with the General Director of CONACYT (Mexico´s equivalent to the National Science Foundation), Mr. Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, to discuss on-going bi-national research efforts and graduate student exchanges. A final important meeting was held with the Mexican Undersecretary of Agribusiness, Mr. Jeffrey Max Jones, and his General Director of Economic Research and Planning, Dr. René Ochoa. Texas A&M Deans Mark Hussey, Eleanor Green and Jorge Vanegas applauded the success of strong ties between Mexico´s Ministry of Agriculture and Texas A&M and outlined areas for future collaboration.

With doors recently reopened and through the inspiration and guidance of its esteemed donors, advisors, university administrators, and Mexican colleagues, the Mexico Center will continue to create and cultivate opportunities for researchers and students to serve not only their own institutions, but their communities and countries at large.

For more than twenty years, Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has engaged with academic institutions throughout Mexico. Educational and research projects have included animal identification and traceability, student exchange programs, and harmonization of veterinary education.

Most recently, through the leadership of Mr. Jeffrey Max Jones, Mexican Undersecretary of Agribusiness, and Dr. René Ochoa, General Director of Economic Research and Planning of the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA), an Inter-American Development Bank (IADB/BID) loan of $400 million USD was proposed to facilitate SAGARPA´s management of issues including the control of diseases that impede trade such as bovine tuberculosis, the harmonization of training for scientific staff in state and national diagnostic labs, and the development of educational programs that involve livestock producers. The projects funded by this loan will address North American challenges in order to maximize the agricultural potential and competitiveness of Mexico. Dr. Surya Waghela, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology; Dr. Mario Villarino, PhD in Veterinary Microbiology from Texas A&M and private practitioner; and Dr. Gale Wagner, Professor and Coordinator of International Programs for the College of

Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, are working with SAGARPA staff as part of the design team in the preparation of the work plans for the loan agreement.

In addition to projects such as the IADB loan, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is committed to further engagement in Mexico. On March 1, 2009, Dr. Eleanor Green was named the new dean of the College. As demonstration of her commitment to academic interaction with Mexico, she traveled with Dr. Gale Wagner to Mexico City on June 15-16, 2009, for the Mexico Center´s opening ceremonies and meeting with Undersecretary Jeffrey Jones and Dr. René Ochoa of SAGARPA. During this meeting, Dean Green and Undersecretary Jones discussed educational programs that address topics of multilateral interest to veterinarians in both countries. During the trip, Dean Green and Dr. Wagner also met with counterparts in veterinary medicine from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Through the leadership of Dean Green, the College plans to initiate faculty engagement workshops for select faculty to travel to Mexico periodically to discuss mutual interests between Texas and Mexico. These workshops would contribute to the internationalization of the department and the university as a whole.

MexiCo CenTer offiCially reopens, ConTinueD

College of veTerinary MeDiCine engages wiTH MexiCan insTiTuTions

Honduras and El Salvador and has managed projects for the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Dr. Norton has worked extensively with both public and private sectors on projects designed to enhance competitiveness and trade capacity, to increase productivity of small farms and reduce rural poverty, and to manage the sustainability of natural resources. He also has significant academic experience, having served as Professor of Economics at the University of New Mexico, Visiting Adjunct Professor of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University, and Visiting Professor at the Universities of Rome and Naples.

Under the direction of Dr. Norton, the Office for Latin American Programs develops strategic plans for the university´s engagement with the region, supports academic units, faculty, and students in their interactions with Latin America, and serves as a catalyst in developing research, educational, and service programs with institutions in Latin America. To execute this mission, the executive director oversees the operations and activities of two university centers in the region, the Texas A&M University Center in Mexico and the Soltis Center for Research and Education, a new facility located in the Monte Verde region of Costa Rica.

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The International Programs Office at Texas A&M University appointed Dr. Roger Norton as Executive Director of the Office for Latin American Programs. Dr. Norton is a senior economist, policy advisor, and project team leader with experience in 47 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

“We are pleased to have someone of Dr. Norton’s

expertise and experience in the Latin American region to join the International Programs staff,” stated Ambassador Eric M. Bost (Ret.), Vice President for Global Initiatives at Texas A&M. “His international reputation, his knowledge of the educational, scientific, and development issues in the region, and his ability to work with governments, institutions and agencies will help to strengthen Texas

A&M’s ability to be the premier North American institution in engaging with Latin America.”

Dr. Norton earned his bachelor’s degree from Reed College in mathematics and economics, and he holds a Ph.D. in economics from John Hopkins University. He has served as chief of party on multi-faceted USAID (United States Agency for International Development) policy reform projects in

Ashley Ross, a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Texas A&M, recently completed fieldwork for her dissertation in Mexico. Assisting her in this research was Paulina Argudín Violante, a senior undergraduate political science and international relations student at the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE). CIDE is located in Mexico City and is one of the country´s most important centers of teaching and research in the social sciences.

Ross and Argudín traveled to three Mexican municipalities in two states, Hidalgo and Nuevo León, to interview local government officials about basic public service delivery, including services for water, sanitation and drainage, education, and healthcare. The interviews placed particular emphasis on electoral pressures and the role of citizens in the process of public service delivery. Ross and Argudín also collected local archival data, where available, and gathered important records on public service coverage from state offices of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), a national statistics institute. Ross stated, “Working with Paulina was wonderful. She is familiar with the region, and

because of her participation, government officials were more receptive to our study. Paulina also brought extensive knowledge in research gained through the excellent training she has received at CIDE.”

The information gathered will be used by Ross to explore the general thesis of her doctoral dissertation – that democracies with sufficient government capacity more equally distribute basic public services at the local government level. Ross and Argudín plan to continue their collaboration and are currently working on a project that examines Mexican migration at the municipal level.

On June 1, 2009, delegates from Mexico´s Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and Texas A&M utilized the Mexico Center´s videoconferencing capabilities to hold the proposal review session of the Texas A&M-CONACYT Collaborative Research Grant Program. The grant program is an important initiative of the Texas A&M-CONACYT Agreement for Cooperation in Research, originally signed in 2001 and renewed in 2008. The purpose of the competitive, peer-reviewed Collaborative Research Grant Program is to advance inter-institutional

cooperation in science, technology, and scholarly activities through the complementary efforts of principal investigators from Texas A&M and Mexican institutions.

Each year, both Texas A&M and CONACYT dedicate $200,000 USD to projects that contribute to solving problems shared by the U.S. and Mexico. For 2009-2010 funding, seventeen proposals were selected in areas of engineering, wildlife and fisheries sciences, philosophy and humanities, marine science and oceanography, animal science, soil and crop sciences,

horticultural sciences, health and kinesiology, and chemistry.

As a part of the grant program, Texas A&M and CONACYT organize an annual research symposium in which participating principal investigators present their research findings. The next research symposium will take place at the Mexico Center on October 6, 2009. For additional information concerning the Collaborative Research Grant Program, contact Texas A&M University´s Office of the Vice President for Research at (979) 845-8585 or the Texas A&M University Center in Mexico.

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Texas a&M-ConaCyT prograM funDs projeCTs for 2009-2010

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Mexico CenterBosque de Ciruelos #140, int. 302-306Col. Bosques de las LomasDel Miguel HidalgoC.P. 11700 Mexico D.F.

Tel: 011-52-55-55-46-88-99Tel: 979-862-7303 (dialing from the U.S.)Fax: 011-52-55-55-46-91-35Fax: 979-862-7304 (dialing from the U.S.)

Website: http://mexicocenter.tamu.eduDirector, Dr. Jennifer G. Sherwell-Brown

The Texas A&M University Center in Mexico (Mexico Center), created in 1992 and officially opened the following year, is now located in the Bosques de las Lomas area of Mexico City.

The Mexico Center serves as the official institutional representation of Texas A&M in Mexico. It enables Texas A&M to further its research, education and outreach programs and activities in Mexico. The Mexico Center strengthens Texas A&M’s linkages with academic institutions and business organizations.

Mexico center Bulletin, SepteMBer 2009Page 4

In March 2009, the Mexico Center hosted two groups of Texas A&M undergraduate students participating in Freshmen Field Trips sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate Provost for Academic Services at Texas A&M. During Texas A&M´s spring break, Dr. Lynne Walters led a group of 18 freshman and sophomore students from the College of Education and Human Resource Development, and Dr. Danielle Harris led a group of 11 students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Both groups arranged home stays through the

Universidad de La Salle, allowing students to gain a taste of Mexican home life. The students visited local schools and toured the pyramids of Teotihuacan among other cultural heritage sites in and near the city and attended a performance of the Ballet Folklorico of Mexico. The Mexico Center organized lectures for the student groups on the educational system of Mexico, the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA), and semester and year-long

study abroad opportunities in Mexico. Students were encouraged to contact the on-campus Study Abroad Office to explore options for returning to Mexico for a longer period during their junior or senior year.

fresHMan anD sopHoMore sTuDenTs visiT MexiCo CiTy

In May 2007, the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) and the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering provided seed funding for the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution (ETID) to open a Texas A&M research office in Mexico. The Global Manufacturing and Distribution Initiative (GMDI) was formed in June 2007, and began working with government and industry to market the strengths of Texas A&M research south of the border. The initiative is led by Dr. Barry Lawrence and Dr. Jorge Leon from the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution and employs two full-time researchers to generate projects and consortium memberships in Mexico. The researchers base their operations at the Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PIIT) in Monterrey, Nuevo León.

Due to industry needs and the team’s expertise, the GMDI formed the Texas – México Trade Corridor Consortium as its landmark project. This consortium studies the global supply chain throughput issues and has generated significant interest from industry in Mexico and the US. Currently, more than 20 members including manufacturers, distributors, logistics providers, and government and economic development groups have joined the consortium, generating over $300,000 to facilitate research endeavors in the region. The project has also generated another $350,000 from the Economic Development Administration and the US Department of Commerce through a partnership with the

Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). The research team conducts research on regional competitiveness by quantifying the cost of doing business in the region and promoting the ease of doing business to attract new commerce. To disseminate its findings, the consortium also conducts Texas-México Trade Competitiveness Conferences in the US and Mexico. The next conference will be held October 21, 2009, in Monterrey.

Other important activities of the GMDI in Mexico are the Texas-México Trade Guide, to be published in the spring of 2009 in both English and Spanish, and the launching of a public, open-enrollment professional development program concerning Pricing Optimization. Two programs are scheduled for early 2010. Courses will be held January 12-13, in Mexico City at the Texas A&M University Center in Mexico, and February 10-11, in Monterrey.

Significantly, the GMDI team is developing a proposal for two Centers for Manufacturing and Logistics Excellence in the Mexican states of Estado de México and Nuevo León. Economic development entities of both states are willing to provide land, facilities, and start-up funds during the first two years for Texas A&M to establish these research centers. If approved, this initiative would make Texas A&M the leading US research university with multiple operations in Mexico and would create a model for opening research operations in other Latin American countries. For more information, visit http://trade.tamu.edu.

global ManufaCTuring & DisTribuTion iniTiaTive expanDs prograMs in MexiCo