Governor delivers State Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation

Please Rate Vote 1 Vote 2 Vote 3 Vote 4 Vote 5

"In our government we strongly believe that the generation of knowledge is essential to achieve development" said the Governor of the State of Jalisco, Jorge Aristóteles Sandoval Díaz, when delivering the State Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation today at Casa Jalisco.

The governor noted that the main objective of his Government in this area, is that Jalisco grows from a model that incorporates the knowledge generated in the state to the productive sector, "for which" he added, "it is necessary to generate a virtuous circle, starting in science and technology learning". This was said in reference to the triple helix model that his administration has promoted, which coordinates the efforts of academia, the private sector and the Government.

In order to achieve this goal the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (SICYT) was created, for which the Governor expressed his willingness to steadily increase its budget in the same rate as it is increased nationally.

He recalled that the President, Enrique Peña Nieto, has pledged to increase, by 2018, the budget for science and technology to one percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), the minimum recommended by international standards.

This increase will directly benefit the states, but he added that Jalisco should make a parallel effort so that the federal push is not diluted and detonates development, from the applied and socialized knowledge.

To achieve this goal, the Governor showed the importance that Jalisco doubles by 2014 the percentage of GDP that today is devoted to science, technology and innovation, as well as that the entity goes up in the national ranking of patent registration - one of the most relevant indicators to measure the development in science and technology - and where Jalisco currently ranks fourth. "Only by making a commitment to science and technology we will be able to face and overcome many of the problems we face as a society", he stressed.

On the other hand, the state governor recognized the winners of the State Prize of Science, Innovation and Technology, who he said, are a testament to how knowledge serves society: "I'm sure the winners, in all editions of this recognition have made a valuable contribution to scientific and technological development of our state, and consequently, the growth of Jalisco".

"In Mexico we can no longer afford to consume second-hand science and technology," said Sandoval Diaz, "we need to generate our own knowledge and become actors because only then we will be in the route of wellbeing".

The Governor was accompanied in the presidium by the Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology, Jaime Reyes Robles; the Secretary of Education, Francisco Ayón López; the director of the Council for Science and Technology of Jalisco (COECYTJAL), Hector Eduardo Gómez Hernández; and the representative of Education Institutions in the Board of Directors of COECYTJAL, Roberto Carrillo López; the president of the Council of Industrial Chambers of Jalisco, Juan Alonso Niño Cota, and the rector of the University of Guadalajara, Izcóatl Tonatiuh Bravo Padilla.

THIS IS HOW HE SAID IT:

"Even though we have great challenges in this field, Jalisco is not in its infancy in the areas of science, technology and innovation. We have a lot of talent to boast about. We have made great progress, this thanks to you. Today we want to leverage that effort and build together a strong state, where growth is the product of knowledge and where each and every one of the citizens recognizes the importance of education, science, technology and innovation".

Jorge Aristóteles Sandoval Díaz
Governor of the State of Jalisco

THE DATA:

Since 2001 the State Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation is awarded through the COECYTJAL. The recognized categories are Science, Innovation, Technology, Thesis, Early Research and Outreach. One hundred and fourteen applications were received, of which six projects were awarded, one for each category.

[readon1 url="http://notivallarta.com/2013/10/14/entrega-gobernador-el-premio-estatal-de-ciencia-tecnologia-e-innovacion/"]Source: NotiVallarta Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]