IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Speaker Tour — Colombia 2026

In late August and early September 2026, Prof. Merino visited Colombia as part of the IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitor Program (DVP), invited by the IEEE Computer Society Colombia Section. The tour covered three cities — Bogotá, Medellín, and Bucaramanga — and included invited talks, campus visits, and meetings with faculty, students, and academic leaders.

The talk, titled "Del Dato al Metaverso: Diseñando experiencias inmersivas seguras y centradas en el usuario" ("From Data to the Metaverse: Designing Secure, User-Centered Immersive Experiences"), explored how data visualization and extended reality can be combined to build safer, more effective immersive tools for developers and analysts.

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The entire visit was expertly coordinated by Fabián Martínez, treasurer of the IEEE Computer Society Colombia Chapter, whose dedication and attention to detail made each stop productive and memorable.

Bogotá — August 28, 2026

The tour opened at the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas (Sede Tecnológica, Auditorio), where Prof. Merino was hosted by Andrés Malagón and the IEEE Computer Society Student Branch. Beyond the talk, the visit included a campus tour and conversations about the university's history — deeply intertwined with Bogotá's communities — and its academic programs in engineering and technology.

Medellín — August 31, 2026

In Medellín, Prof. Merino was hosted by Prof. Duvan Gomez at Universidad EIA (Auditorio del Bloque A). The visit included a tour of the university's departments, followed by lunch with Dean Lina María Agudelo Gutiérrez, Ph.D., Decana de la Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas. Conversations touched on the synergies between the EIA engineering and design programs and those at the UC Chile School of Design and Faculty of Engineering, and opportunities for academic collaboration.

Side Visit — Catedral de Sal, Zipaquirá

Between the Bogotá and Medellín legs of the tour, Fabián Martínez organized a visit to the Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá — a breathtaking underground cathedral carved entirely inside a salt mine, about 50 km north of Bogotá. The majestic space, known as one of Colombia's most iconic landmarks, provided a memorable setting for conversation and reflection over lunch.

Bucaramanga — September 2–4, 2026

The tour concluded at COLCOM 2026, the IEEE Colombian Conference on Communications and Computing, hosted by the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) in Bucaramanga. The UIS campus is a striking blend of mid-century architecture and lush greenery, deeply integrated with its natural surroundings, in a vibrant and active part of the city.

Conference chairs Diana Briceño and Sergio Armando Gutiérrez were warm and welcoming hosts, as were professors Yuli Álvarez and Juan Felipe Botero, with whom Prof. Merino had rich conversations that ranged across science, research directions, academic life, and culture. Their genuine curiosity and openness made the Bucaramanga leg — and indeed the entire Colombian tour — a deeply rewarding experience. Prof. Merino is very grateful for the hospitality and enthusiasm shown at every stop, and for the interest in his research throughout.