Leaders of major scientific associations from eleven Latin American countries recently released a report calling for a dramatic course of action to address the problems of scientific development in Latin America and the Caribbean.Noting that the region suffers from a shortage of highly‐trained scientists and a weak infrastructure for research and training, the report of the Western Hemisphere Science Collaboration Initiative, “Science and Technology in the Americas: Perspectives on Pan American Collaboration,” recommends that scientists help science policy makers in Latin America and the Caribbean. The report also urges creation of a scientific grant‐making foundation to support science and technology and encourage regional collaboration.