Outreach

Celebration of the 110th birthday of Guillermo Haro Barraza, founder of INAOE

Santa María Tonantzintla, Puebla, March 21, 2023. With a conference, the presentation of a modern atlas of galaxies and a small exhibition of historical documents, this day the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) celebrated the 110 birth of its founder, Dr. Guillermo Haro Barraza.

The ceremony began with a message from Dr. Edmundo Antonio Gutiérrez Domínguez, General Director of INAOE, who highlighted the relevance of Haro for INAOE, the international scientific community, and the country.

Likewise, he quoted part of Dr. Haro's speech when he entered El Colegio Nacional in October 1953: “To use science and technology with a deep humanistic sense, directed, channeled towards well-being and peace, is the fundamental task of our time. It seems to me that we always have to keep in mind and remember these words in the Institute”.

For his part, Dr. Alejandro Cornejo Rodríguez, emeritus researcher at INAOE, gave a talk on three aspects of Guillermo Haro: his scientific research, the promotion and development of institutions and specialized personnel, and his conviction to fight for an integral development of the Mexican society collaborating and solving current and future problems.

Dr. Cornejo noted: “Writing about Haro is an enormous challenge considering his personality and the breadth of activities he carried out throughout his life. Not only did he restrict himself to scientific activity, but he was also the creator and promoter of various public activities that helped our country to have a solid scientific infrastructure linked to cementing prospects for industrial applications in various engineering specialties”.

He stressed that Haro never wanted to separate science and engineering from the social branches, nor did he stop maintaining a close relationship with life in general in our country.

For his part, Dr. Divakara Mayya, a researcher at the INAOE Astrophysics Coordination, presented the modern Haro galaxy atlas, a compilation of the list of 44 blue galaxies that Guillermo Haro published in the Tonantzintla and Tacubaya Observatory Bulletin.

He said that Haro is well known for the Herbig-Haro objects, but he also made many discoveries that are not as well known, such as these 44 galaxies. He added that it is the first time that these objects, which bear his name, are compiled in a single catalogue, the atlas that he released today and that can be consulted at: https://www.inaoep.mx /~ydm/Haro/harogalaxies.html
As part of the activities of this day, an exhibition of some historical documents related to Guillermo Haro Barraza was set up.