Commissions of the PAIGH

These are the units charged with the elaboration and execution of the scientific and technical programs of the PAIGH approved by the General Assembly and the Directing Council. They also promote and coordinate the scientific and technical development of their respective fields of action in the Member Countries.

There are four Commissions: Cartography, Geography, History, and Geophysics. They are sub-divided into Committees and Working Groups. They normally meet every two years.

Cartography Commission

The Cartography Commission was established under Resolution X adopted at the III General Assembly of the PAIGH, meeting in Lima, Peru, in April 1941.

Activities of the Cartographic Commission:

1. Update and extend the existing cartographic infrastructure.
2. Transfer and interchange educational technology in the disciplines of the field.
3. Make efficient use of technology and the processes and products of cartography, combined with other suitable types of information.
4. Aim for a normalization of the procedures and techniques in all cartographic activities.
5. Foster the automation of cartography to accommodate it to the necessities of Member Countries.
6. Promote the coordination and development of geo-referenced information systems.
7. Promote the formation of high-level specialists in the diverse fields of cartography.
8. Promote cooperation among institutions dedicated to cartographic studies in the Americas, as well as with related international organizations.

Members of the Cartography Commission

Chairperson of the Commission:

M.Sc. Santiago Borrero Mutis (Colombia)

Vice Chairperson of the Commission:

Eng. Fanery Valencia Villegas (Colombia)

The Commission Chairperson's and Committees' addresses can be found at the "Directory" section.

Committees:

Committee on Fundamental Geospace Data

Work Groups

• Reference Systems for the Americas (SIRGAS)
• Fundamental Data
• Geographic Names
• Aeronautic Charts
• Hydrography

Institutional Enhancement and Technical Cooperation Committee

Work Groups

• Institutional Development
• Technical Cooperation
• Geospace Data Infrastruture

Thematic Applications Committee

Work Groups

• Using Geospace Information to Prevent and Mitigate Disasters
• Planning and Decision-Making-Related Information

Standards Committee

Work Groups

• Positioning
• Digital Cartography
• Date Exchange

Revista Cartográfica

Editor:
Eng. Antonio Hernández Navarro (Mexico)

Geography Commission

The Geography Commission was established under Resolution IV adopted at the IV General Assembly of the PAIGH in Caracas, Venezuela, in August 1946.

Activities of the Geography Commission:

1. Establish the spatial impact of urbanization processes in the continent and their effect on economic, social and environmental development.
2. Generate methodologies of geographic analysis that will allow the measurement of the quality of life of urban settlements and recommend directions to facilitate the prioritization of spatial planning action.
3. Undertake studies that lead to an improvement of the quality of life of the inhabitants of the continent on the basis of the rational and harmonic use of the natural resources.
4. Carry out reseach on regional development in its various spatial scales and its relations with the economic, social and cultural integration processes.
5. Improve the teaching of Geography at all levels, with special emphasis on tha formation and training of experts at the higher level.
6. Promote cooperation among the institutions dedicated to geographical studies in the continent and with related international organizations.

Members of the Geography Commission

Chairperson of the Commission:

Dr. Carlos Peñaherrera del Águila (Peru)

Vice Chairperson of the Commission:

Dr. Hildegardo Córdova Aguilar (Peru)

The Commission Chairperson's and Committees' addresses can be found at the "Directory" section.

Committees

The Pan American Center for Geographical Studies and Research (whose Spanish acronym is CEPEIGE)

Eng. Filemón Valencia R. (Ecuador)

Geographic Education Committe

Ms. Prof. Ana Maria Wegmann Saquel (Chile)

Theory and Geographic Methods Committee

Dr. David Robinson (USA)

Geography and Development Committee

M.Sc. Nancy Aguirre Gutiérrez (Colombia)

Territorial Organization and Environmental Management Committee

M. Sc. Mario Luis Chaverri (Costa Rica)
M. Sc. Nelly López Alfaro (Costa Rica)

Revista Geográfica

Editor:
Dr. Hildegardo Córdova Aguilar (Peru)

History Commission

The History Commission was established under Resolution XXVII in the IV General Assembly of the PAIGH in Caracas, Venezuela, August 1946.

Activities of the History Commission:

1. Study the distinctive processes that the American peoples have followed, their present-day realities and their implications for the future.
2. Promote the preservation and study of archaeological remains and historical monuments in the American continent.
3. Contribute to the study and divulgence of objects and documents related to the history of the Americas that are held in other parts of the world.
4. Support research, meetings and publications of scientific value, as well as the re-issue of scarce works of evident interest for Member Countries.
5. Foster the mutual knowledge and collaboration among the peoples of the American Continent.
6. Promote the formation of human resources more and more trained in the different branches of the historical sciences.
7. Contribute to the academic-scientific exchange among the experts of the Member Countries and their connections to international organizations.
8. Promote cooperation among institutions dedicated to historical studies in the Americas and with related international organizations.

Members of the History Commission

Chairperson of the Commission:

Dr. Chester J. Zelaya Goodman (Costa Rica)

Vice Chairperson of the Commission:

Dr. Raymundo Brenes Rosales (Costa Rica)

The Commission Chairperson's and Committees' addresses can be found at the "Directory" section.

Committees

Economic and Social History

Dr. Hernán A. Silva (Argentina)

Work Groups

• Monetary History
  Dr. Ronny Viales (Costa Rica)
• Environmental History
  Dr. Bernardo García M. (Mexico)

Cultural History

Dr. Leopoldo Zea (Mexico)

Archaeology

Dr. Maria Cristina Mineiro Scatamacchia (Brazil)

Work Group

• Standardization of the Archaeological
  Terminology of the Americas
  M. Sc. Oscar Fonseca (Costa Rica)

Anthropology and Ethno-history

Dr. Manuel Danemann (Chile)

Work Group

• Popular Culture
  B.A.. Celso Lara Figueroa (Guatemala)

Specialized Libraries and History Archives

Dr. Myriam Mejía (Colombia)

Historiography

Dr. Juan R. Quesada (Costa Rica)

Work Group

• The History of the Historiography of the Americas (1950-200)
  Dr. Juan R. Quesada (Costa Rica)
  E-mail:
  Dr. Boris Berenzon (Mexico)
  E-mail: berenzon@avantel.net

History Teaching

B.A.. Margarita Vannini (Nicaragua)

Work Group

• The Outlook for Teaching History in the New Millennium
  B.A.. Margarita Vannini (Nicaragua)

Revista de Historia de América

Editor:
M. Sc. Francisco Enríquez (Costa Rica)

Boletín de Antropología Americana

Editor:
Prof. Felipe Bate (Chile)

Folklore Americano

Editor:
B.A. Celso A. Lara (Guatemala)

Revista de Arqueología Americana

Editor:
M. Sc. Oscar M. Fonseca (Costa Rica)
Coeditor:
Dr. Maria Cristina Mineiro Scatamacchia (Brazil)

Geophysics Commission

The Geophysics Commission was established under Resolution 1 adopted at the IX General Assembly of the PAIGH meeting in Washington, DC, USA, in June 1969.

Activities of the Geophysical Commission:

1. Study the physical and dynamic properties of the Earth, especially those that tend to mitigate the damages that natural phenomena can cause the people of Member Countries.
2. Promote the development of knowledge in the field of Geophysics and seek to apply it for the socio-economic benefit of Member Countries.
3. Promote the formation of high-level specialists in the diverse fields of Geophysics.
4. Contribute to academic-scientific exchange among geophysicists of Member Countries and strengthen their links to other international organizations.
5. Stimulate regional research projects that focus on problems common to Member Countries and contribute to the normalization of geophysical observations and works.
6. Promote cooperation among the institutions dedicated to geophysical studies in the Americas and with related international organizations.

Members of the Geophysics Commission

Chairperson of the Commission:

Dr. Carlos Mendoza (USA)

Vice Chairperson of the Commission:

M.Sc. Bruce W. Presgrave (USA)

The Commission Chairperson's and Committees' addresses can be found at the "Directory" section.

Committees

Geomagnetism and Aironomy Committee

Prof. Luiz Muniz Barreto (Brazil)
Dr. Esteban Hernández (Mexico)
Eng. William Arias (Colombia)

Seismology and Vulcanology Committee

Dr. Ana Lillian Martín Del Pozzo (Mexico)
Dr. Edgar Kaussel (Chile)
Dr. Carlos Vargas (Colombia)

Physical Oceanography Committee

Dr. Omar Lizano (Costa Rica)
Dr. Artemio Gallegos (Mexico)

Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics Committee

Dr. Walter Fernández R. (Costa Rica)
Dr. Alfonso Pino (Panama)
Dr. Ovidio Simbaqueva (Colombia)

Gravimetry Committee

Dr. María Inés Pastorino (Argentina)
Dr. Carlos Rey (Colombia)

Work Group

Technical Assistance

Dr. Carlos Mendoza (USA)
Dr. Alberto Caballero (Panama)

Work Group

Applied Geophysics Database

Dr. Jorge Amador (Costa Rica)
Dr. Rogerio Godoy (Brazil)
Dr. Graciela Font (Argentina)

Work Group

Geophysics Training for Human Resources

Dr. Eng. José Luis Tellería (Bolivia)
Dr. Albero Briseño (Colombia)
Dr. Oscar Campos (Mexico)

Revista Geofísica

Editor:
Dr. Ana Lillian Martín Del Pozzo (Mexico)