LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN CONSORTIUM OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTIONS

CONSORSIO DE ESCUELAS DE INGENIERÍA DE LATINOAMÉRICA Y DEL CARIBE

L A C C E I

April 29, 2007

Re: Invitation to become an Institutional Member of LACCEI and participate in the LACCEI 2007 Conference

Dear Colleague:

10555 West Flagler Street, CE-2620, Miami, Florida USA 33174 http://www.laccei.org

Through this letter, the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions, LACCEI, invites you to invite the administration and faculty of your institution to participate in the Fifth LACCEI Conference: Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and Technology, which will take place at the Club Maeva Hotel in Tampico, Mexico. The following are the events associated with the conference (more detail can be found at http://www.laccei.org and on the conference organization page http://www.cse.fau.edu/~maria/laccei/):

1.  May 28 – OAS-LACCEI Pre-Conference Workshop: Advancing Strategies for Quality Assurance in Engineering Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS), LACCEI, University of West Indies, University of Turabo, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University, Ibero-American Society of Engineering Education (ASIBEI - Asociación Iberoamericana de Enseñanza de las Ingeniería), Mexican Society for Engineering Education (ANFEI - Asociación Nacional de Facultades y Escuelas de Ingeniería), Costa Rican National Accrediting Agency for Higher Education (SINAES - Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior), Engineering for the Americas (EftA). Target audience: Engineering Deans and Directors of Quality Assurance and Accreditation. There will be simultaneous translation Spanish ↔ English. Seating is limited seating and requires pre-registration to the workshop and will be free for designated representatives of LACCEI Institutional Members. Costs for other individuals: US$75. Principal contact: Dr. Maria Larrondo Petrie, , +1 561 297-3400, FAX +1 561 297-1111, for registration confirmation: Melissa Santana, , +1 787 743-7979 ext. 4315 o 4103 o 4101, FAX: +1 787 744-5427. More information and registration can be found at: http://www.cse.fau.edu/laccei/

2.  May 29 –NSF-LACCEI Pre-Conference Workshop: The Global Engineering Education Challenge for the Americas. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), LACCEI, Pennsylvania State University and Florida Atlantic University. Target audience: professors, students and International Relations Directors that which to propose or participate in global engineering education projects involving Latin America and the Caribbean, and to learn best-practices from experts. There will be simultaneous translation Spanish ↔ English. Seating is limited and requires pre-registration to the workshop and will be free for designated representatives of LACCEI Institutional Members. Costs for other individuals: US$75. Principal contact: Dr. Ivan Esparragoza, , +1 610 892-1420, FAX: +1 610 892-1492. More information and registration can be found at: http://www.engr.de.psu.edu/Ivan/NSFWorkshop.htm

3.  May 29 –LACCEI.Extended Governing Board Meeting. Organizad by Universidad de Puerto Rico Mayagüez, Universidad Valle del Bravo, Florida International University, y the LACCEI Board of Directors. Target audience: Apropiado para: rectors/presidents, provosts, deans, chairs and directors of international relations. Each Institutional Member has a seat with voice and vote. Partner Organizations have a seat with voice. In past years 80 rectors, deans, chairs and directors have participated. There will be simultaneous translation Spanish ↔ English. Limited seating, requires RSVP and will be free for designated representative of LACCEI Institutional Members and Partner Organizations. If your institution is not a member of LACCEI and would like to learn more before joining, we invite a representative of your institution to participate free to this Board Meeting, and your rector to participate at the Rectors Round Table, your dean to participate at the Deans Round Table, and your Director of International Program to participate in the Working Group that will take place the first day of the conference. Contacts: Rector Jorge Iván Velez Arocho, Dean Vish Prasad and Dr. Gustavo Roig, , +1 305 348-3700, FAX: +1 305 348-6188.

4.  May 30 –Latin American Grid (LA-Grid) Researchers and Scholars Summit. IBM sponsors this group of investigators and scholars using Grid computing, topics include Hurricane Mitigation, Bioinformatics, and Bird Flu Mitigation. Discussions will include how to collaborate with this group and how to seek collaborative funds for the research.

5.  May 30 to June 1 – Fifth LACCEI Conference: Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and Technology. Sponsored by Tec de Monterrey, Universidad Valle del Bravo, LACCEI, EftA, ISTEC, ASIBEI, ASEE, IFEES y ANFEI. An overview of the program is appended to this letter. Target audience: anyone interested in engineering, pedagogy, entrepreneurship, sustainable development, professional development and government-industry-university collaboration. In past years 200-300 rectors, deans, chairs, directors, professors, students, professionals and representative of industry and government have participated. Extended Abstracts and Full Refereed Papers are published and presented in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French. The Proceedings will be published on CD with ISBN numbers and will be archived in the LACCEI web portal, select submissions will be considered for publication in the LACCEI Journal and for the American Society of Engineering Education ASEE Global Colloquium, which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey 1- 4October 2007. There will be simultaneous Spanish ↔ English translation of the Plenary Sessions and of a pedagogy track. There will be Rectors/Presidents Round Table, Deans Round Tables on May 30. Costs: Institutional Members get two free. Costs for Presenters and Institutional Members from Latino America or the Caribbean (except Puerto Rico) is US$200. Costs para Presenters and Institucional Members Puerto Rico and areas outside of the LAC region is US$350. Costs for those that are neither Presenters nor Institutional Members is US$450. Student Membership is US$50 (does not incluye Gala Dinner). Cost for accompanying guests for the Gala Dinner is US$50. Register online: http://www.laccei.org, pay online using credit card or wire bank transfer. Contacts: Ms. Silvana Rogelis, , +1 305 348-6878, FAX: +1 305 348-6353 for payment or membership status questions; Mrs. Lourdes Barouh, , +1 305 348-3700, FAX: +1 305 348-6188 for registration questions; Lic. Maria Lourdes Garcia Guerrero, , + ¿?8332302500, FAX: + ¿? 8332302500 or Dr. Gustavo Roig, +1 305 348-3700, FAX: +1 305 348-6188 for local arrangement information.

6.  May 30 – June 1 – Focus Groups and Working Groups. There will be various working groups or “Birds of a Feather” groups that will meet. Groups already formed:
Group 1: Global Research or Design Projects, leaders: Prof. Ivan Esparragoza, y Prof. Dhushy Sathianathan, , and Prof. Mauricio Aguilar-Molina, ,
Group 2: LACCEI Accreditation Taskforce, leaders: Vicerrector Roberto Lorán and Dean Clement Sankat, ,
Group 3: International Relations Directors, leaders: Directora Melissa Santana, ,
Group 4: Entrepreneurship, leaderes: Rector Maria Lourdes Garcia Guerrero, , and CEO Luis Zelaya, ,
Group 5: Chairs of Engineering Disciplines: Exchange of Curriculum Revision based on Competencies s, leaders: Dean Peter Backhouse, , and Vicerrector Guillermo Sánchez Hernández, ;
Group 6: Student Leadership: A New Global Movement, Leaders: Dr. María Larrondo Petrie , and Student George Morales
Group 7: Scholarships for Graduate Studies and Faculty Development: Leaders: Dr. María Larrondo Petrie , Dr. Gustavo Roig, , and Vicerrector: Jose Manuel Páez Borrallo,
Group 8: Service Learning Initiatives, leaders: Dr. Zenaida Otero, , and Dr. Thomas Colledge, .
Group 9: Working Group for Organizing the Next Conference, leadersCEO Luis Orlando Zelaya Medrano, , Rector Maria Lourdes Garcia Guerrero, , Prof. Gustavo Roig, and Ing. Ismael Pagán-Trinidad, : Prof. Ivan Esparragoza, , Prof. Manuel Bermúdez, , Dean Peter Backhouse, , Prof. María M. Larrondo Petrie ,
Other Groups will form and will be announced at the conference, contact: Dean Peter Backhouse, , +56-41-731295.

7.  May 30 – Exhibition, University Fair, Poster Session and Recepción. Cost of Table or Exhibit Space: Free to Institutional Members and Partner Associations but must be pre-reserved, US$350 to others. Attending event: Free, y Recepción. Contact: Dean Peter Backhouse, , +56-41-731295 to reserve exhibit space/table, Dr. Gustavo Roig, +1 305 348-3700, Fax: +1 305 348-6188; and to submit Posters, Ing. Ismael Pagán-Trinidad, +1 787 265-3815.

8.  May 31 – Event: Gala Dinner, LACCEI Academia Merit Medal Award and Ceremony of the Change of Presidency. The LACCEI award this year is being bestowed to Dr. Luiz Carlos Scavarda do Carmo, Vice President of the Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. The Gala Dinner is sponsored by LACCEI and the Universidad Valle del Bravo. Cost is included with conference registration (except for student registration). Cost per Ticket for Guests, students or those not registered: US$50.

9.  June 1 –Post Conference Workshops. Sponsored by a variety of organizations. Cost: Free.
Post Workshop 1: Como Aplicar para Estudios Graduados Internaciones y Becas (How to apply to International Graduate Studies and Scholarships), José Alvarez, University Placement Services, ..

We invite your institution to become an Institutional Member of LACCEI. Costs are US$500 a year for institutions located in Latin America or the Caribbean (except Puerto Rico), US$1,000 a year for institutions in Puerto Rico or outside of the LAC region. Membership includes two free registrations to the conference and pre-conference workshops, a seat with voice and vote in the LACCEI Extended Governing Board, y an exhibit table or space (must be reserved prior to the conference). To join, fill the online form that is found under Institutional Membership in the LACCEI webpage: http://www.laccei.org. For membership status confirmation or payment information, contact: Ms. Silvana Rogelis, , +1 305 348-6878, Fax: +1 305 348-6353.

LACCEI has reserved a block of room at a very discounted price at the Hotel Club Maeva (Blvd. Costero S/N, Playa Miramar, Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, Tampico, Mexico, 89540), but the number of rooms available at the special price is limited. The cost of each room night is US$118 for either single or double room and includes breakfast. To obtain the special price, you must reserve the room through the LACCEI webpage: http://www.laccei.org. Contact for hotel reservation matters are Dr. Gustavo Roig, +1 305 348-3700, FAX: +1 305 348-6188, and Lic. Maria Lourdes Garcia Guerrero, . +52 833 230-2500 x 2230 or x2231. Hotel Club Maeva reservations contact for LACCEI group: Joel Yañez, (always copy on all email communications with hotel), +52 833 230-0208, or 833-230-0202 x428.

The Hotel Club Maeva is at 10 miles from the international airport: General F. Javier Mina -Tampico (TAM). Contact for local transportation information or program for companions: Lic. Maria Lourdes García Guerrero, , +52 833 230-2500 x 2230 or x2231.

For institutions that do not have funds for travel or stay and would like to participate, to help find funding LACCEI has written a successful grant to the National Science Foundation (NSF) that we have translated to Spanish and made available in both English and Spanish on a website so the institution can request matching funds from the NSF-equivalent in your country (example: Colciencias, CONACYT, CONACET), together with support letters from Engineering Deans from your country that are Institutional Members of LACCEI. For information of government agencies in your country to which a matching proposal can be submitted please see http://www.cse.fau.edu/~maria/laccei/#Funding, and to get a copy of the NSF proposal go to: in English: http://www.cse.fau.edu/~maria/laccei/NSF-GlobalEEChallengeforLA_English.pdf and in Spanish: http://www.cse.fau.edu/~maria/laccei/NSF04-035_OISE_0715263_TallerGlobal2007.doc. To find out who is your LACCEI Institutional Liaison and the lead LACCEI liaison in your country: Dr. Ivan Esparragoza, , +1 610 892-1420, FAX: +1 610 892-1492. To designate who will receive the two free registration and two free pre-conference workshop registration, your institutional liaison must contact: Ms. Silvana Rogelis, , +1 305 348-6878, Fax: +1 305 348-6353.

If you have any question or need additional information or a setter to request a visa, please feel free to contact me. You can call my office directly at +1 561 297-3899, or send a FAX to my attention to +1 561 297-1111, or email me at .

With best regards,

María M. Larrondo Petrie, PhD

LACCEI Vice Presidenta Ejecutiva

10555 West Flagler Street, CE-2620, Miami, Florida USA 33174 http://www.laccei.org

5th Latin America and Caribbean Conference on Engineering and Technology
TIME / Monday
May 28 / Tuesday
May 29 / Wednesday
May 30 / Thursday
May 31 / Friday
June 1
0800 / OAS co-sponsored Engineering Program Accreditation and Program Recognition Workshop / Extended Governing Board Meeting
and
in parallel:
Global Engineering Education Challenge for the Americas
Workshop sponsored by NSF and NSF-Equivalents (CONACYT/Colciencias/CONACET) / Registration / Registration / Registration
0815
0830 / Welcome - Opening Ceremony / Keynote Speaker:
Engineering Entrepreneurship / Keynote Speaker:
Sustainable Growth
Plenary Panel 5:
Sustainable Growth Initiatives
0845
0900 / Keynote Speaker 1: Global Engineering & Economic Development / Plenary Panel 3:
Small Business & PYME
Profile of Engineer for Small Businesses
Success stories of Latin American and Caribbean Entrepreneurs
0915
0930 / Plenary Panel 1:
Global Initiatives from Latin American and Caribbean Engineering Education Organizations. Engineering for the Americas
0945
1000 / Break
1015 / Break / Parallel Sessions 6:
Technical Papers
1030 / Parallel Sessions 3:
Technical Papers
1045 / Break
1100 / Parallel Sessions 1:
Technical Papers
and
Presidents/Rectors
Round Table
1115
1130 / Closing Ceremony
1145 / Networking Lunch
1200
1215 / Networking Lunch / Lunch on your own
1230
1245
1300
1315 / Parallel Sessions 4:
Technical Papers / Keynote Speaker:
Accreditation and Quality Assurance
1330 / Keynote Speaker 2:
Meeting the Funding and Capacity Challenge for Global Engineering Collaboration
1345- / Keynote Panel 4:
Accreditation Initiatives
1400 / Plenary Panel 2:
Funding Agencies / Post Conference Tutorials and Workshops
and
LACCEI Focus and Working Groups
1415
1430
1445
1500 / Break
1515 / Break / Parallel Sessions 5:
Technical Papers / Plenary Keynote:
Engineering Body of Knowledge
Panel: Curriculum Revision to Competencies / Outcomes
1530 / Parallel Sessions 2:
Technical Papers
and
Engineering Deans
Round Table
1545
1600
1615
1630
1645 / LACCEI Focus and Working Groups / LACCEI Focus and
Working Groups
1700
1745
1800 - 2100 / Reception for Governing Board Members / Exhibit, University Fair, Poster Session and Industry Reception / Gala Dinner:
LACCEI Medal Award, Change of Presidents Ceremony

10555 West Flagler Street, CE-2620, Miami, Florida USA 33174 http://www.laccei.org