Astrophysics

The Guillermo Haro Programme

The Guillermo Haro Programme was created in 1995 in honor of the outstanding Mexican astronomer Guillermo Haro and founder of INAOE, where he carried out most of his astronomical research. The main activity of the Programme is an anual workshop at the INAOE campus on an active topic with the participations of National and international researchers.

 

Introduction

Astrophysics is an interdisciplinary science of increasing complexity. Understanding the nature and evolution of astronomical objects and phenomena leads to interrelations between diverse theoretical fields such as high energy physics, nuclear and plasma astrophysics, general relativity, physics of rarefied gases and chaotic dynamic systems, as well as observational techniques spanning the complete electromagnetic spectrum. The study of elementary particles of extremely diverse energies is accomplished by a variety of numerical simulations techniques as a partial substitute to direct experimentation.

Thus, advances in modern astrophysics usually demand interaction amongst researchers of many fields. The collaborations established amongst scientist coming from different fields of astronomy lead to new working procedures enriched by the diversity of ideas from experts with all sorts of astronomical backgrounds. These constitute the basis of any step towards the frontiers of knowledge. Such philosophy can not be alien to the surroundings where it is developed. Experience proves that locations of natural beauty with intense and lively cultural traditions are an incentive towards a wholesome expression in human spirit. The region of Cholula combines its rich cultural tradition with INAOE's presence, outgrowth of the former Tonantzintla-Tacubaya Astrophysical Observatory which was a cornerstone in the modern history of Mexican Astronomy.

Stimulated by these ideas, a research programme in advanced astrophysics was created with the following goals.

 

Objectives

1. To create a working atmosphere that favours research in specific topics of Astrophysics, encouraging collaboration amongst researchers and advanced students.
2. To promote the development of Astrophysical research at INAOE.

 

Structure

1. A Board is responsible for the setting of the Programme.
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2. The Board carries out the Programme objectives through workshops, conferences and postdoctoral fellowships oriented towards high standard current astronomical topics, with the workshop being the principal anual event.
3. The Programme provides the conditions needed for researchers, students and postdoctoral fellows to meet at INAOE to develop advanced research activities. The Programme guarantees computing and library facilities and offices for the efficient work of simultaneous participation of about 20 scientists. The Programme also tries to obtain financial and logistical support to host the event at the INAOE campus.
4. The duration of the Workshop should be at least two weeks, with the participants expected to stay for at least one week.

 

The Board

1. The Board consists of internationally renowned scientists.
2. The function of the Board is to establish the Programme norms, to choose the topics to be developed within the framework of an annual schedule, to nominate the members to a scientific committee responsible for the annual schedule, to evaluate periodically the Programme results, to appoint new members to the Programme and to revise and update the Programme objectives and policies.
3. The Board will appoint one of its members to act as the Board president, who will carry out the Programme policies. His/her functions are detailed below. The Board president will be in office for 2 years and will be alternated by the Panel members.
4. The Board president would seek from INAOE researchers and their collabotarors and the Board members for suggestion of topic for the anual workshop. The board would name a new scientific committee to organize the Workshop each year.

 

The President

The Presidents's duties are the following:

1. To represent the Programme.
2. To solve the logistic and organisative problems related to the workshops and postdoctoral fellowships.
3. To guarantee that the Board agreements are met.
4. To organise the Board meetings.
5. To present an annual report.

 

Programme Development

1. The scientific committee appointed by the Board will design the programme of each event. The scientific committee will be formed by one or more members, and will be responsible for inviting experts in the chosen subject as well as selecting the participants and preparing the scientific and cultural programmes related to the event. The Board will issue partial evaluations about the workshop development suggesting to its president measures neccesary to guarantee the event's success.
2. The programme of each event will include at least one Public Lecture.

Programme History

The Guillermo Haro Programme was envisaged in early neinties by the then Director of INAOE Prof. Alfonso Serrano following discussions with distinguished astrophysicists Jorge Melnick, Roberto Terlevich, Guillermo Tenorio Tagle, Horacio Dattori, Elena Terlevich and Jose Franco --- all founding Board members. The first edition was launched in 1996 that included an International conference followed by a 3-month long Workshop. A postdoctoral fellowship was also advitised in this inaugural edition, which was occupied by Divakara Mayya, the present Board president. The Annual workshop was held at the campus mostly in the INAOE vacation period of July-August without interruptions until the Pandemic year of 2020. In the first decade of the programme several conferences were also organized under the banner of the Guillermo Haro Programme, with the last event being held in 2013 to celebrate the Birth Centenary year of Guillermo Haro. On a few years, advanced Astrophysics schools were organized in addition to the Workshop. The postdoctoral fellowship was however discontinued after 3 appointments (Paolo Padoan associated to the Interstellar Turbulence Conference) and Susane, due to the changing realities of the institute and the finance situation. The programme also hosted 1 Visiting Professorship, Enrique Perez, being the honoured guest. In the last few years, the prevailing financial situation has forced the organizers to charge a registration fee to cover the local expenses. The Board (also referred as Panel or Directory some times) was continuosly updated by the incorporation of new members. A change of guard of the Board took place in 2024, with Roberto Terlevich, the Board president (also referred to as executive secretary or Coordinator some times) at that time, constituting a new board and handing over the responsibilities to Divakara Mayya in a Board meeting.

Current Board members

• Itziar Aretxaga
• Alberto Caramiñana
• Esperanza Carrasco
• Vahram Chavushyan
• Anna Lia Longinotti (IA-UNAM)
• Roberto Maiolino (University of Cambridge)
• Divakara Mayya (President)
• Sally Oey (University of Michigan
• Ary Rodriguez ((ICN-UNAM)
• Elena Terlevich
• Roberto Terlevich
• Olga Vega

Past members

• Alessandro Bressan
• Horacio Dottori
• Jose Franco
• Jorge Melnick
• Enrico Ramirez
• Guillermo Tenorio Tagle

Most recent or future event

2026 Workshop: Chemical Abundances, ISM Properties, and Galaxy Evolution Across Cosmic Time

Past events

Events