Abstract

DELGADO RAMOS, Gian Carlo; ZANELLA, Rodolfo; COTA ARAIZA, Leonel  and  LOPEZ TORRES, Rogelio. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on research and teaching in nanosciences and nanotechnology in Mexico. Mundo nano [online]. 2021, vol.14, n.27, e00035.  Epub July 29, 2021. ISSN 2448-5691.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ceiich.24485691e.2021.27.69685.

Since Mexico began to take measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the social, economic and political impacts and their implications for research, development and teaching in multiple areas of knowledge have diversified and deepened. Nanosciences and nanotechnology (N&N) are certainly no exception. This paper presents the main outcomes of a broad survey carried out among researchers in the country working in some area of N&N, which represents a third of said community. It analyzes the conditions of work and daily life in confinement, the productivity and development of research projects, institutional support, access to funds and financial management, and the impacts on the qualification of highly qualified personnel and on teaching. It is concluded that, in general terms, the delay in the research and qualification of that can be however a good qualified personnel in N&N is located, at least, in the range of 2 to 3 years, a delay that can be a good opportunity to promote better practices of research, teaching, institutional administration and management that allow building a desirable resilience in the scientific-educational activity of the country, both in the N&N field and in other areas.

Keywords : COVID-19; lockdown; nanosciences; nanotechnology; Mexico.