Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences in Latin America: Research, Education, Public Outreach, and Its Potential for Near-Future Investigations.

David Tovar: B.Sc. Geology from Universidad Nacional de Colombia the National University of Colombia, with a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from the University of Minnesota. Currently pursuing doctoral studies in Geosciences at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia National University of Colombia and Space Research and Astrobiology at the Universidad de Alcalá University of Alcalá, Spain. Currently leads the Earth and Planetary sciences line at the Bogotá Planetarium, co-chairs the Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology Group (GCPA), teaches astronomy at the University of La Sabana, and teaches astrobiology at the Francisco José de Caldas District University. Co-author of the book ＂Selected Topics in Astrobiology＂ published in 2015. He is currently involved in several research projects, such as: 1) Evaluation of Gorgona Island and Nevado del Ruiz Volcano as Terrestrial Analogs and Their Relationship with Astrobiology and Habitability on Mars, 2) Antarctica as a Model for the Development of Astrobiology in Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia) and the Return of Its Advances to Antarctic Science. Additionally, he is co-leading the international program Earth Analogs for Research and Testing of Habitats and Exploration - EARTH-X

María Angélica Leal: B.Sc. Biology from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with a master’s degree in biology from the same university, currently pursuing doctoral studies in Biology at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Space Research and Astrobiology at the University of Alcalá. Current director of Laguna Scientific Corporation. Additionally, researcher at the Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology Group (GCPA) of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Laguna Scientific Corporation and of the Colombian Antarctic Program. Full member of the Colombian Network of Women Scientists, and the lead contractor of the education team at the Bogotá Planetarium. Additionally, she has participated as research scientist in several scientific research projects, focused on the study of extreme environments with astrobiological potential. Author of more than 20 science education books, two research books, and book chapters resulting from scientific research. She has participated in three Colombian Antarctic campaigns to Antarctica (2015-2016, 2021-2022, 2022-2023).