Professor Antonio Delgado
Antonio Delgado, associate professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame, has a passion for particle physics and for international collaboration. He was able to combine these interests through a trip to the University of Colima in early January.
The trip is part of a program created to increase collaboration between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Colima, which is located in the central west region of Mexico. The program, called CMS Outreach and Science Masterclass Institutes Collaborating in the Americas (COSMICA), is completely funded by Notre Dame International. One key facet of the program is providing support for Notre Dame professors to visit Mexico and introduce particle physics to high schools. Delgado said, “If we want good students to be interested in physics and attend Notre Dame for a physics PhD, they need to know the basics before college.”
Delgado eventually envisions a pipeline of Colima students coming to Notre Dame. Notre Dame is already home to one former Colima undergraduate. Carlos Alvarado is a graduate physics student at Notre Dame working on theoretical particle physics.
Delgado pictured with Colima President José Eduardo Hernández Nava
Colima President José Eduardo Hernández Nava, who visited Notre Dame in 2017, was pleased that Delgado made the trip to Colima to continue to build the relationship between the two institutions. During the trip, Delgado continued collaboration with Colima Professor Alfredo Aranda, whom he has worked with for many years. He also helped organize a workshop on particle physics where he answered questions and interacted with Colima students.
Delgado hopes his visit builds momentum for a program that he considers valuable for the University of Notre Dame. “It fits with the mission of Notre Dame to help developing countries. It also helps build the relationship between Notre Dame and Mexico,” he said.
To learn more about Delgado’s trip, please visit the University of Colima Television Facebook page or AFmedios (both in Spanish).