CATIE graduates a new generation of leaders committed to scientific innovation and the sustainable management of ecosystems

• From 16 countries, 71 students received their doctoral and master’s degrees, reaffirming CATIE’s role in training leaders for the sustainable development of Latin America and the Caribbean.

With pride and emotiong, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) celebrated this Friday the Twenty-Second Doctoral Graduation and the Eightieth Master’s Graduation in a solemn ceremony held on its Turrialba campus and streamed in hybrid format for families, friends, and professors across the continent.

In total, 71 students representing 16 nationalities received their academic degrees after successfully completing their doctoral and master’s programs in areas such as Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture; Economics, Development and Climate Change; Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity; Sustainable Tourism; Agribusiness and Sustainable Markets Management; and Watershed Management and Governance.

The new graduates represent the diversity and international scope of CATIE, coming from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador, El Salvador, Argentina, Panama, and the United States. This diversity reflects the Center’s commitment to training professionals who, from different realities and contexts, contribute scientific and sustainable solutions to the challenges of the tropics.

The event was attended by distinguished institutional authorities and special guests, including Ms. Karla Mena Soto, director of the National Directorate of Agricultural Extension of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, representing the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, and Ms. Ana Gisela Sánchez Maroto, executive president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and keynote speaker of the ceremony.

Welcoming remarks were offered by Dr. Luis Ernesto Pocasangre Enamorado, CATIE’s director general, and Dr. Alfredo Zamarripa Colmenero, dean of the Graduate School.

During his address, Dr. Pocasangre emphasized that this graduation represents the fulfillment of the institution’s mission to train professionals capable of transforming science into solutions that promote the well-being of tropical communities and ecosystems.

“You now join an international network of professionals who, beyond borders, share a common vision: to build more just, sustainable, and inclusive societies. From this moment on, you become ambassadors of CATIE and of our institution’s commitment to science, cooperation, and the development of Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Dr. Pocasangre.

The executive president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), for her part, inspired the graduates to embrace their role as leaders at a historic turning point of profound global change. She noted that humanity is going through a decisive period marked by environmental, technological, and social challenges that will demand from them commitment, ethics, and vision to build a fairer and more sustainable future.

“The world is living through a true historical hinge. The decisions made today will define the course of the planet and the well-being of future generations. That is why you are more important than ever: let yourselves be guided by your values and do everything with excellence and purpose,” said Sánchez Maroto.

Academic Celebration

During the ceremony, academic excellence was also recognized among those who achieved the highest grades in their cohort. The award for overall academic excellence was presented to Sergio Esaú Fernández Pérez from Honduras, graduate of the Master’s in Economics, Development and Climate Change program.

In addition, the following students were honored for achieving the highest academic performance in the 2024 and 2023–Virtual cohorts:

• Agostina Ferro Franco Sosa, Master’s in Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture (Argentina)
• Sergio Esaú Fernández Pérez, Master’s in Economics, Development and Climate Change (Honduras)
• Lesly del Rosario Urbina Ramos, Master’s in Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity (Peru)
• Keilyn Gabriela Solano Mora, Master’s in Watershed Management and Governance – Virtual (Costa Rica)
• Lidia Antonia Serrano Gálvez, Maestría en Gestión de Agronegocios y Mercados Sostenibles – Virtual (El Salvador)
  
  

A particularly meaningful moment of the day was the recognition of Joahanna del Rocío Duque Padilla, from Ecuador, who became the 3,000th graduate of CATIE’s Graduate School. A graduate of the Master’s in Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity, her achievement symbolizes nearly five decades of academic excellence, international cooperation, and the training of leaders committed to the sustainability of the tropics.

The ceremony also featured a musical interlude performed by pianist Alberto Luna and saxophonist Leonel Monestel, who played Costa Rican and international pieces that added an emotional touch to the celebration.

Later, Dr. Pocasangre led the traditional academic oath, in which the graduates pledged to uphold CATIE’s institutional mission of promoting green and inclusive development throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

The event concluded with the official presentation of diplomas, applause from families and professors, and the traditional group photograph in front of CATIE’s main building—symbolizing a new generation of leaders committed to sustainability, science, and the well-being of the tropics.

“Thank you for choosing CATIE’s Graduate School. Thank you for believing in the power of knowledge to build a fairer, more equitable, and sustainable world. Today, we celebrate an achievement that goes beyond an academic degree. Remember that the true impact of your education is not measured by diplomas, but by the farmers you support, the lives you transform, the ecosystems you protect, and the communities you empower,” said Dr. Alfredo Zamarripa, dean of the Graduate School, in his heartfelt message to the 2024–2025 class.