Oxford has strong and varied connections with Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
Mexico and Central America
• The Oxford Programme for the Future of Cities run
by the Institute for Science, Innovation and Society (InSIS) is
studying Cancún in Mexico as one of the field work sites for a project
exploring notions of ‘urban flexibility’ in cities undergoing
reconstruction after major disasters. Cancún managed to expand its
population from 100 to 700,000 between 1970 and 2009 in the face of
recurrent and sometimes devastating natural disasters, particularly
tropical cyclones, making it an ideal site for the study.
• Clinical Trial Service Unit and the Epidemiological Studies Unit
have been analysing the result of blood samples taken from 150,000
people aged 35 and over in Mexico City from 1999 – 2001. Analysing the
blood samples and comparing them to the health records of these citizens
over the past 10 years has allowed them to identify risk factors of
chronic illnesses, particularly coronary heart disease and diabetes.
• Oxford Institute of Ageing
has established and developed a successful research network on ageing
in Latin America, the Latin American Network on Ageing (LARNA). The
network comprises distinguished academics in the field of ageing from
across Latin America working together and with fellow academics from the
Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. The network is co-directed by
the Department of Governance and Development at University of
Guanajuato-Leon, Mexico.
• Oxford’s Mexican Studies
specialist, Laurence Whitehead, is co-authoring a white paper on ‘The
Future of Oil in Mexico’ in collaboration with James A. Baker III from
the Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas
(Baker Institute) as part of an energy forum which includes scholars
from Mexican universities and think tanks. The forum will look at The
Politics of Resource Nationalism, Economic and Oil Revenue Distribution
Issues for Mexico, The Mexican Oil Industry and Oil in the U.S.-Mexico
Relationship before culminating in the white paper co-authored by
Whitehead.
• Researchers at the Oxford Long-term Ecology Laboratory
at the Biodiversity Institute in the Department of Zoology are
undertaking a long-term study of the forest dynamics in the Sierra de
Manantlan Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. They aim to investigate whether the
present composition and structure of the forest is a result of its
intensive use by indigenous human populations in the past, or whether it
is due to natural processes. The researchers are studying the history
of the forest dynamics through using tree rings and fossil pollen among
other techniques. Their findings will help to inform debates about
conservation efforts in the region.
The Caribbean
Across the university, the Caribbean is also a rich focus of research for many academics.
• An Oxford Martin Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine
scholar, Dr Sonia Trigueros, has been working in collaboration with
Cuban scientists to advance nanotechnology in medicine. Dr Trigueros has
been repeatedly hosted by the National Center for Scientific Research
(CNIC) to spend several weeks in Cuba giving lectures, seminars and
workshops in all aspects of nano-science, aimed at scientists,
particularly from Havana University, of many disciplines including
chemistry, medicine, physics and biology. Dr Triqueros’ work aims to
raise awareness in the Cuba scientific community of the ground-breaking
advances being made in this dynamic field and to share knowledge and
skills with a new generation of researchers.
• 
Department of Plant Sciences
botanists are undertaking a biodiversity monitoring project in
collaboration with the University of the West Indies, the Trinidad and
Tobago Forestry Division and the Asa Wright Nature Centre. The project
will greatly expand the specimens of the National Herbarium of Trinidad
and Tobago (TRIN) and will also catalogue all of the specimens in an
online searchable botanical database for public access. In addition,
over 15,000 valuable pre-1900 herbarium collections from the Caribbean
(including Trinidad & Tobago) held by Oxford University, not
previously accessible from Trinidad and Tobago, will be catalogued
on the system.
The
Vere Harmsworth Library housed in the Rothermere American Institute
hosts the finest collection of Americana to be found outside the USA.
The Bodleian Latin American Centre Library is the University's primary
source for those studying Latin American politics, economics, social
sciences and history. It houses some 12,000 volumes, together with
journals, pamphlets and microfilms.