CATIE graduated 72 students from 18 countries from the Master's and Doctorate programs in 2023

• Dr. Philippe Vaast received the institutional award of Dr. Honoris Causa 
• CATIE paid tribute to Mr. Lasel Lonis as a distinguished citizen of Turrialba  

October 27, 2023. CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) celebrated the seventy-eighth graduation of the master’s program and the twenty-first graduation of the doctorate program of the Graduate School.   

The solemn ceremony took place in the Ex-Directors' Hall of the Henry H. Wallace Building, presided over by Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, the General Director of CATIE; Fernando Casanoves, Director of the Education Division; Mariela Leandro, Dean of the Graduate School; Julio Aguilera, President of the Student Council; and Dr. Philippe Vaast, the special guest of the graduation ceremony. 

During the ceremony, held as part of the institution's 50th anniversary, 72 individuals from 18 countries received their degrees for the 2022-2023 promotion. Some attended in person, while others participated virtually from their home countries.  

The event was also attended by the faculty, representatives from the diplomatic corps, the families of the graduates, and special guests.  

Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, the General Director, congratulated the student community and urged them to act considering the significant responsibility they now have and emphasized their crucial role in the future of their respective countries. 

"Consider that investing in education is the most important way to address the world's challenges. I encourage you to strive for excellence.  

You began your studies amidst a pandemic, had to adapt to digital tools, and as you were adjusting to the new post-pandemic normal, new global challenges emerged, including aggravated political conflicts, climate change, and economic and social disparities."  

"To advance sustainable development goals, I call for action and urge you to invest all resources to promote the planet's health," Dr. Ibrahim stated. 

Recognition of Excellence 

The master’s degrees awarded included Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture, Economics, Development, and Climate Change, Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity, and Integrated Watershed Management. 

Degrees were also conferred for students in virtual master’s programs such as Agribusiness and Sustainable Markets Management, Watershed Management and Governance, and Sustainable Tourism.  

Dr. Mariela Leandro, Dean of the Graduate School, expressed to the graduates that CATIE is like a mini world, allowing them to coexist with multiculturalism and providing new social and cultural tools that strengthen their commitment to making the world a better place.   

"It fills us with great pride to see so many women seated in these chairs because, as the fifth Sustainable Development Goal states, 'It is not possible to eradicate poverty without closing gender gaps'," she highlighted.  

Paula Alejandra Paniagua Rodas, a student from Paraguay, achieved the highest academic performance in the 2022-2023 promotion. She shared her experience at CATIE.  

"Today, we are not just graduates... we are ambassadors of sustainability and have the responsibility to carry this message to every corner of the planet," she said in her speech. "I urge my fellow graduates to continue our journey in our areas of interest. The most valuable thing we have acquired is the ability to research and find innovative solutions to global challenges."   

CATIE's Doctorate Program began in 1996 and has been strengthened with the establishment of two joint programs, one with the University of Idaho in the United States and another with the University of Bangor in the United Kingdom. 

In addition to the joint programs, CATIE offers the CATIE Doctorate program in English, with cooperating universities in the United States and Europe, and the CATIE Doctorate program in Spanish, with cooperating universities in Latin America and Spain.  

This year, a student successfully completed the Doctorate program in Spanish. Fabiola De la Cruz Burelo, a Mexican national, with the support of her advisor, Miguel Cifuentes, completed her thesis entitled "Processes of Change in Mangrove Ecosystem Coverage in the Gulf of Mexico Plain."  

Special Honors 

Dr. Ibrahim presented the Dr. Honoris Causa award to Dr. Philippe Vaast for his continuous efforts in transformative actions for Inclusive Green Development in the Americas. 

Dr. Vaast told the graduates, "There is an urgent need to help communities adapt to climate change. It is your responsibility to put into practice everything you have learned at CATIE."  

The ceremony also featured Lasel Lonis, the leader of the Turrialba community, who presented his book "The Route of a Dream," which narrates the establishment of the new William Allen Taylor Hospital.  

Dr. Ibrahim unveiled a photograph of Mr. Lonis as a distinguished citizen of the Turrialba community, which will remain in the Hall of the Henry Wallace Building at CATIE.  

“I want to wish you and your families the best, I wish that the Lord our God gives you much wisdom, much more than you have, and strength to develop the knowledge that you acquired here in each of your countries,” Don Lasel expressed to the graduates.