In a remarkable achievement that underscores decades of scientific dedication, Dr. Marcos F. Andrade F., principal investigator of the Chacaltaya GAW station, has been granted admission to the Bolivian Academy of Sciences. On July 5th, in a memorable act, he presented his contributions to the field of atmospheric sciences in Bolivia over the last decade, mostly in relation to the functioning and science derived of the Chacaltaya GAW station.

Professor Andrade is tenured at the Physics Department of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (Bolivia) and associated to the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (AOSC) of the University of Maryland (USA). He is one of the founders of the Laboratory for Atmospheric Physics, established in 1995, and his director since 2013. Since 2018 he is member of the Environmental Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry (EPAC) scientific steering committee of the GAW program. He was co-chair of the Americas Working Group of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) project between 2018 and 2023. In 2020, he received the Palmes Academiques medal of the French Government, and his acceptance to the academy comes after years of diligent effort.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Andrade into the Bolivia Academy of Sciences," remarked Dr. Ronanth Zavaleta Mercado, vice president of the Academy. "His exceptional achievements and dedication to advancing climate and atmospheric sciences in Bolivia make him a valuable addition to our institution."

Upon receiving the customary toga and medal, Dr. Andrade expressed gratitude for the support of their colleagues, the University, and the international consortium of the Chacaltaya station, throughout his academic journey. "I am deeply honored and humbled to be accepted into the Academy of Sciences," Dr. Andrade stated. "This recognition fuels my interest to continue working in science from Bolivia to make meaningful contributions that benefit society."

As Dr. Andrade departs on this new chapter, his acceptance into the Academy of Sciences stands as a testament to outstanding achievements and serves as an inspiration to aspiring young scientists in Bolivia. The future undoubtedly looks bright for Dr. Andrade, as he and his group continue to shape the landscape of the atmospheric sciences not only in Bolivia but in the region.

Please join us in congratulating our dear Dr. Andrade on this remarkable achievement and wishing him continued success in this journey of discovery and excellence.

Every year, the Steering Committee Meeting of the Chacaltaya Global GAW station gathers in order to discuss scientific advances and other topics. This year, the group was also celebrating the upgrade of Chacaltaya GAW station from Regional to Global.
Moreover, this year's meeting was highlighted by the presence of Lorenzo Labrador in representation of the WMO-GAW program, Stéphane Sauvage as the head of the ACTRIS program, Gisella Marincovich on behalf of the Ushuaia global GAW station, Luis Suarez from Huancayo IGP GAW observatory, Johan Rojas of Senamhi-Peru GAW Marcapomacocha station, Julio Warthon from Cusco-Perú, and Carolina Concha from the Univ. del Desarrollo - Chile. The meeting was held in a hybrid manner with colleagues connected from other locations, and this gathering provided the opportunity for fruitful community discussions.

On the 12th October, the international group visited the Chacaltaya station, where, in spite of the altitude, rich discussions took place.

During the last steering committee meeting, the post-graduate studies department of UMSA (DIPGIS) prepared a series of interviews related to the Chacaltaya GAW station.

In order to provide confidence that international standards on aerosol data gathering will be met at Chacaltaya GAW station, it underwent a technical audit performed by Dr. Alfred Wiedensohler on behalf of the ECAC.
The station general setup and MAAP, nephelometer, MPSS and NAIS-5 operations were audited.
This is part of a quality assurance strategy of the Chacaltaya GAW station, as any identified shortfalls will try to be solved to comply with GAW/ACTRIS recommendations.

After two years of virtual meetings, this year the Chacaltaya Steering Committee Meeting took place in La Paz. Sessions were held on the 26 and 27th September at the UMSA campus, but it was also possible to participate on-line.
The main scientific results obtained in the last year were thoroughly discussed in a fruitful meeting, along with other matters related to future projects and the station operation.