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Jose SantanaDominican economist specializing in technology and development
Date of Birth: 25.02.1962
Country:  Dominican r. |
Content:
- José Manuel Santana Silvestre
- Early Life and Education
- International Recognition
- MIT and Presidency
- One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
- Close Collaboration and Legacy
- Foundation of Science & Technology
- Personal Life
José Manuel Santana Silvestre
José Manuel Santana Silvestre is a Dominican economist specializing in technology and development. He serves as the Executive Director of the Presidential Commission of Science and Technology (Commission of Science and Technology and Research Associate) of the Dominican Republic and is a Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Early Life and Education
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Santana moved to Costa Rica at the recommendation of former president and professor Juan Bosch. He graduated from the Social Science school at the University of Costa Rica, majoring in Economics and minoring in Psychology and Philosophy. Among his teachers were Chilean philosopher Helio Gallardo and Oscar Arias Sánchez, current president of Costa Rica and its first Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
At a young age, Santana immersed himself in Central American human rights activism. He volunteered with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist in Nicaragua and participated in a national literacy campaign. Returning to the Dominican Republic, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Social Economics from the Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC).
International Recognition
In 1997, Santana received a certification from the Technical University of Ilmenau in Erfurt, Germany, for his participation in the International Student Week in Ilmenau (ISWI) program titled 'Building Our Future.' In 2001, he completed his graduate studies at Columbia University in New York.
MIT and Presidency
Santana joined the faculty of MIT in late 2003, specifically the MIT Research Lab. In September 2004, Dominican President Leonel Fernández appointed Santana as Executive Director of the Presidential Commission of Science and Technology. Granted the rank of Ambassador and Special Advisor to the President, Santana cemented his position as an activist and visionary for science and technology development in developing countries.
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
In 2005, Santana joined the non-profit organization 'One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)', an initiative founded by Nicholas Negroponte, Seymour Papert, Alan Kay, Walter Bender, Mary Lou Jepsen, and Jim Gettys of the MIT Media Lab. OLPC implemented a constructionist learning approach and made low-cost laptops available to children in developing countries.
Close Collaboration and Legacy
At MIT, Santana forged a close relationship with Professor Noam Chomsky, discussing the social implications of science, particularly world peace, human rights, environmental issues, political history, and the potential of technology for good. Santana has also collaborated with Chomsky on political history in Latin America.
Foundation of Science & Technology
In early 2006, Robert W. Rieber, Ray C. Dougherty, and Santana established the Foundation of Science & Technology (IFST) in Bergen County, New Jersey. IFST aims to empower underserved communities worldwide through science, technology, and educational initiatives.
