Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua-Leon

Renewable energy research isn't exactly what I have in mind for this project, but popular areas such as this often have working and developing systems that are directly translatable in many ways to other forms of scientific research. Such was the case at UNAN-Leon.

With no physics department and a very small and poorly functioning math and statistics department, I turned my attention to the renewable energy department and research division.

There are 22 individuals in the masters program, nine of whom are teachers at the university. Msc.Jorge Isaac Cisne Altamirano is a Geochemist who studied in Iceland, and is one of the coordinators of the masters program. He described the system for completing a masters, which entails intensive year-long classwork followed by research and thesis work within industry, at a geothermal plant for instance. 

A large number of classes are currently taught by visiting professors with PhD's from Spain, but Jorge's attitude towards this aspect of the program was something new. He sees the use of foreign professors as a step but not an overall necessity. 

What he hopes to achieve is a self-sustaining program. The teachers already associated with UNAN-Leon, and some of the independent students as well, will become professors for the following classes of masters students. Over the years, this will progressively decrease the need to spend money on visiting professors, and in turn free up money to invest in better equipment and research. With better equipment and research opportunities, more will join the field, and it will continue to grow.

If this masters program progresses as expected, it represents an interesting and efficient model for getting scientific programs on their feet.