About Ciencia Puerto Rico

 

Who We Are 

Ciencia Puerto Rico is a global community of >15,000 scientists, students, educators and allies who understand that science can empower people with the knowledge, capacity and agency to improve their lives and society. Through our programs, we promote the civic engagement of our rich and diverse community to democratize science, transform science education and professional development, and put science in service of Puerto Rico. 

Interested in finding peers and opportunities to contribute to Puerto Rico through science? Join us! 

Want to support our work? Make a tax-exempt donation

 

What We Do 

K-12 Education

We make science relevant to Puerto Rican context and culture and provide engaging experiences that improve students' attitudes and interests toward science and self-confidence in their scientific abilities. 

  • Semillas de Triunfo: Provides middle school and high school girls with opportunities to build STEM and leadership skills and become STEM ambassadors in their communities through the mentorship of women in STEM. 
  • Científicos al Servicio: Connects scientists-in-training and STEM professionals with K-12 educators and students through virtual or in-person talks and demonstrations. 
  • Kits Ciencia al Servicio: Our kits promote continuity of education following disasters and emergencies. They contain engaging STEM lessons and materials that can be used outside of the traditional classroom, cover approximately 3-5 months of content, and are aligned with local K-12 science and math standards. 
  • Other educational programs and resources: Find various culturally relevant resources and programs for educators, developed in collaboration with scientists’ members of our community.

Science Communication and Community Engagement

We engage Puerto Rican audiences with science in culturally relevant ways to improve their connection and capacity and agency to use it to improve their lives. 

  • Media collaborations: Since 2006, CienciaPR collaborates with media outlets in Puerto Rico and beyond to increase the visibility of Puerto Rican science and scientists. 
  • Aquí Nos Cuidamos: Free, culturally relevant multimedia resources to promote COVID-19 prevention and the well-being of marginalized communities in Puerto Rico through science and solidarity.
  • CienciaColab: A collaborative space to support the use of science by civic leaders and their communities to create and implement sustainable projects, systems, and processes that address their needs and priorities. 
  • Science communication products and platforms: We celebrate and highlight the contributions of members of our community through our blogs and Ciencia Boricua profiles. Our book ¡Ciencia Boricua! features essays and stories written by Puerto Rican science for the Puerto Rican public.
  • Rita Allen Civic Science Fellow: CienciaPR was awarded funds for this fellowship in recognition of our work bridging science and society. Our Civic Science Fellow is capturing our culturally relevant strategies and impact as a model to advance civic science and creating resources to train more scientists in culturally relevant communication and civic participation.

Professional and Leadership Development

We foster networking, mentoring, and skills development for scientists-in-training and STEM professionals. 

  • Yale Ciencia Academy: Professional development program that equips doctoral students from underrepresented backgrounds with knowledge, skills, and networks to complete their PhD and advance towards their career goals.
  • UPR IPERT: Collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico Cayey Campusto provide entry-points into research for undergraduate students across Puerto Rico.
  • Our website allows networking and dissemination of jobs, fellowships, funding opportunities, and events.

Science Policy & Advocacy

We promote evidence-based decision making and foster scientist participation in policy, activism, government fiscalization, and response to social emergencies.

  • Puerto Rico Science Policy Action Network (PR-SPAN): Member-led initiative to involve the Puerto Rican scientific community in informing the development and implementation of science-based policies at the federal, state and local levels.
  • Emergency Responses: CienciaPR supports political and civic action, the continuity of science and education, and the well-being of our participants in the aftermath of natural disasters and emergencies in Puerto Rico. More details on each response can be found below.

 

Ways to Contribute

Not yet a member? Join us! and contribute with your example, commitment and knowledge.

Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR) is an award-winning 501c3 non-profit organization registered in Puerto Rico. We have been recognized as a "Bright Spot in Hispanic Education” by the White House in 2015, through a dedication of the 2016 Annual Conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Caribbean Division, as "Science Defender" in 2018 by the the Union of Concerned Scientists, and in 2021 our community-centered COVID-19 prevention project “Aquí Nos Cuidamos” was named “Breakthrough of the Year in Science Engagement” at Falling Walls in Berlin, Germany.

Support our work though a one-time or recurring donation. Or show your support in other ways.

Want to get in touch? Contact us!