Promoting the distribution of scientific knowledge within the general public—for example, holding monthly conferences for Costa Rican professors to present their work to anyone who wishes to attend.

Promoting careers in science—for example, sponsoring field trips for young people to visit places like the Ad Astra Rocket Company and the National Laboratory of Materials and Structural Models at the University of Costa Rica.

In part this is carried out through “La red TICOTAL,”[2] an ANC program that maintains a network of Costa Rican researchers working domestically and internationally to promote opportunities for collaboration.

When the government has a specific science-related question, the Academy reaches out to members who are experts on the topic and prepares a formal opinion.

[7] Some distinguished members include Franklin Chang-Diaz, an astronaut who currently is developing plasma rocket propulsion technology for NASA, Sandra Cauffman, Deputy Director of the Earth Sciences Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, Giselle Tamayo, the first female president of CONICIT,[8] and Marino Protti, a seismologist famous for helping predict earthquakes in the Nicoya Peninsula.