Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Science council firm on decision to disallow MIT scholarship

The National Council for Science and Technology (Conacyt) has confirmed it will not grant a scholarship to a Oaxaca student due to a mistake he made submitting an application form.

Gisela Morales González of the council’s postgraduate and scholarship department told the newspaper El Universal that Ricardo Pablo Pedro did not fulfill all the requirements of his scholarship application.

“He didn’t really lose the scholarship, because [his application] never appeared as sent on the agency’s platform,” she said.

Morales said Conacyt cannot grant a scholarship on an application that does not fulfill all the requirements.

By standing its ground and being impartial in the case, Conacyt guarantees “equality, transparency, impartiality and legality for the people that applied for the scholarship and met all the requirements; Ricardo, along with all the other applicants that were not [successful], will be able to apply for the next round . . . .” she said.

Pablo graduated with a doctorate in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in May, and enrolled in a post-doctorate course at the same school that would allow him to continue his studies and research in nanomaterials.

He was confident that his post-doctorate course would be covered by the Conacyt scholarship, but his clerical error —forgetting to append his electronic signature to an online form — cost him the US $42,000 grant.

The 28-year-old student has since set up a GoFundMe campaign, where he hopes to raise the necessary funds before September 11, the MIT deadline. As of today he had raised $7,215.

Source: El Universal (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
mural honoring Alicia Matías

A mural at explosion site in CDMX honors Alicia Matías, who died saving her granddaughter

1
The 49-year-old heroine's death has been met with an outpouring of admiration while the nation mourns the 15 victims of last week's gas tanker explosion.
Sheinbaum waving the Mexican flag from the National Palace during the annual Grito de Independencia

In first ‘Grito’ as president, Sheinbaum honors Mexico’s heroines of Independence

10
Josefa Ortiz Téllez Girón, Leona Vicario, Gertrudis Bocanegra and Manuela Molina were all included in Sheinbaum's first presidential Grito, or Cry of Independence.
Culiacan

Threats of violence cancel ‘Grito’ celebrations in Sinaloa and Michoacán 

1
Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough will also forego celebrations out of respect for the deceased and injured in last week's gas explosion.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity