U.S. chemists meet colleagues in Cuba

Abstract

After months of planning, negotiations, and a last-minute appeal to U.S. legislators, a group of nine U.S. chemists was able to attend the 3rd International Cuban Chemical Congress held Dec. 1-4 in Havana. Restrictions imposed by the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba—in place for some 38 years—do not generally permit U.S. citizens, scientists included, to spend money in Cuba. The Cuban Chemical Congress, cosponsored by the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry, drew more than 400 attendees from around Latin America. More than 643 papers were presented on a wide range of topics, including education, history of chemistry, environmental chemistry, chemistry in biology, and chemistry as a basic science. An opening ceremony, which included a presentation of Cuban music, was followed by a talk, Present Situation of Science in Cuba: Realities & Perspectives, by Cuban Chemical Society President Alberto Nunez Selles. Nunez Selles is also director of Cuba's Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. For all ...