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Sergio Manrique is the Chair of the MCAA Andean-Caribbean Chapter and a Former MSCA PhD Fellow in the RUNIN Project at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain) and the University of Stavanger (Norway). Industrial Engineer, Specialist in Managerial and Organisational Control Systems, and MSc in Management Organisation and Business Economics. He has over 10 years of work experience in both private and academic sectors in Europe and Latin America as a Researcher, Consultant and Project Manager. He currently works as a Delivery Lead in the IT consulting sector.
Sergio Manrique
How does it feel to win the award?
It feels very rewarding and motivating. It represents and recognises the collective effort and collaboration among many colleagues and partners, including members of our MCAA Andean-Caribbean Chapter, Euraxess Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the Colombia MSCA National Contact Point (NCP) and other MCAA Working Groups and Iberoamerican/Latam Chapters, in strengthening MCAA representation in our region, and moreover, in promoting and facilitating the scientific cooperation of researchers and academic institutions between Latam and Europe. Overall, the award mainly represents a source of further commitment to keep working on these goals with greater energy and devotion.
What journey led you to this award?
It has been quite a journey. After a couple of years of trying and coordinating, we were finally able to found the MCAA Andean- Caribbean Chapter by the end of 2022. Right after that, and apart from the remit of gathering and attracting more former and current MSCA fellows to our Chapter and the Association, we embarked on the mission of organising the 3rd MCAA Latam Conference. The conference took place in October 2023 in Cartagena, Colombia, and served as a role model of collaboration among regional partners from different areas seeking to contribute to the discussions on Science Diplomacy and Scientific Cooperation between Latam and Europe. This has been our biggest achievement.
Besides and after such a milestone, we have also been actively collaborating with Euraxess LAC, the Colombia MSCA NCP and other MCAA Chapters and Working Groups in co-organising and taking part in various activities and events aimed at strengthening our MCAA community and promoting MSCA opportunities.
How will this award propel you in your future endeavours?
As mentioned before, this award means more fuel and motivation to keep working towards our goals. We are aware there is still a lot of work to do, both in terms of enlarging and consolidating the MCAA community in Latam, and in contributing to further topics related to MSCA promotion and scientific cooperation between Latam and Europe. The award should serve as a source of motivation for more fellows to join our efforts and recognise the great opportunity that it is to be part of and contribute to the MCAA and our Chapter.
What are your future goals?
One primary goal I would state is ensuring the sustainability of our Chapter in the mid and long term, by attracting and engaging more members to consolidate a larger and stronger group willing to contribute and collaborate towards our goals. Then, such goals might evolve in the future, but as of now, I would summarise them in three main points:
- • Representing the MCAA in the Andean- Caribbean region by keeping the community of former and current MSCA fellows linked to our region engaged and aware of what the MCAA does and how they can contribute and be supported by it. This also implies being a good point of contact for former MSCA fellows returning to the region and for new MSCA fellows moving abroad in coordination with Euraxess LAC and the Colombia MSCA NCP.
• Taking part in and contributing to the promotion of MSCA and Horizon Europe research and funding opportunities for researchers and institutions in our region by providing testimonials and guidance and participating in activities aimed at this goal. - • Taking part in and contributing to discussions on science diplomacy and scientific cooperation within and among Latam and Europe, with a special focus on contributing to the challenges our region faces that such knowledge exchanges and collaborations can help to tackle.
Group photo of the Closing Ceremony of the MCAA Latam Conference 2023.
What advice do you have for the MCAA?
I think I have stated this before publicly and will state it again: the MCAA must keep doing well (excellent, actually), as it has done over these more than 10 years of existence. I would personally not modify the MCAA's strategy and goals, as these represent the correct path to follow, and we must keep sticking to that essence. The MCAA has been going through some transformations to make it stronger and more sustainable, and that is something to recognise. What is left is to keep working towards enlarging and consolidating our community (there are still many MSCA fellows to reach and attract) and towards becoming a key player in relevant discussions related to research and innovation in Europe and beyond. Finally, we need to keep seeking more and more collaboration and synergies among Chapters and Working Groups.
Is there anything else you wish to share with the community?
I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to the MCAA Secretariat and Board for making all this possible and for their great efforts in making the MCAA such a fascinating and prosperous community; their support and help have been crucial to the success of the MCAA Andean-Caribbean Chapter.
In addition, and as I mentioned before, this award actually represents the collective effort and collaboration of many colleagues and partners; therefore, I would also like to show my appreciation to Viktoria Bodnarova from Euraxess LAC, to Catherine Fonseca from the Colombia MSCA NCP, and to all the former and current Chairs and Vice-Chairs of all those Chapters (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Spain-Portugal, India, etc.) and Working Groups (Research Funding, Communication) that have collaborated with the MCAA Andean-Caribbean Chapter and enabled our course of action for receiving this recognition.
Last but not least, I would like to thank all the members of our Chapter for their contributions and efforts, and motivate and invite all former and current MSCA fellows linked to the Andean-Caribbean region and Latam to reach out to us and join our community.
Andean-Caribbean Chapter members who attended the MCAA Latam Conference 2023.
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