Invemar and Parques Nacionales win awards for Cordillera Beata research

The Alejandro Ángel Escobar Awards 2026 have recognized several Colombian scientific and environmental achievements. In the Environment and Sustainable Development category, Invemar and Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia were honored for their research on the Cordillera Beata.

A team of over 60 people conducted a 55-day exploration of the Cordillera Beata at depths reaching 2,925 meters. This scientific effort provided the necessary evidence to declare the Cordillera Beata Submarine Ridge as a Natural Reserve within the National Natural Parks System, marking Colombia’s first marine natural reserve and protecting 3.3 million hectares in the Caribbean.

In the Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences category, a research group from the Universidad del Bosque, led by Jaime Eduardo Castellanos Parra, received recognition. Their work focused on analyzing the transmission dynamics of diseases spread by mosquitoes and other insects, emphasizing that control requires understanding the complex interaction between viruses, vectors, and environmental, social, and biological factors.