The Alpha-Cen Meeting and Salvadoran School of Astrophysics 2026 is an international scientific event that will take place from July 6 to 10, 2026, in San Salvador, El Salvador. The event brings together researchers, professors, and students from different countries to foster scientific exchange, collaboration, and advanced training in astrophysics and related fields. The scientific program includes three specialized courses—High-Energy Astrophysics, Cosmic Particles and Multimessenger Astrophysics, and Neutrino Astrophysics and Supernovae—designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, the program features research talks, short student presentations, and poster sessions, providing a platform for young researchers to present their work and interact with the international community. Complementing the academic activities, the event also includes a public cultural and scientific outreach activity, aimed at engaging the general audience and promoting the dialogue between science, culture, and society. Through this combination of education, research, and outreach, the Alpha-Cen Meeting and Salvadoran School of Astrophysics 2026 seeks to strengthen the astrophysics community in Central America and the Caribbean, encourage international collaboration, and inspire new generations of scientists.

Invited Lecturers

• Dra. Karen Salomé Caballero Mora

Is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas (UNACH, Mexico). She obtained her PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, Germany), working on the Pierre Auger Observatory, and her BSc in Physics from UNAM. Her research focuses on astroparticle physics, including cosmic rays, neutrinos, gamma rays, detector simulations, and high-performance computing. She is an active member of major international collaborations such as Pierre Auger, IceCube, HAWC, LAGO, SWGO, MATHUSLA, and Hyper-Kamiokande. Dra. Caballero has held leadership roles within the Mexican Physical Society and the Pierre Auger Collaboration and is strongly involved in scientific outreach and education. She is a member of the International Astronomical Union and the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

• Dr. José Rodrigo Sacahuí Reyes

Is a Full Professor at the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC). He received his PhD in Astrophysics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). His research focuses on high-energy astrophysics, including gamma-ray bursts, blazars, cosmic rays, and multimessenger astronomy using data from instruments such as Fermi-LAT and related observatories. He has held postdoctoral positions in Brazil and Mexico and is an active member of the International Astronomical Union and several regional scientific networks. Dr. Sacahuí has played a leading role in the Central American astrophysics community, serving as President of Alpha-Cen and the Guatemalan Physical Society, and is strongly committed to research, education, and scientific outreach in the region.

• Dr. Sherwood Andrew Richers

Is an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (USA). He obtained his PhD in Physics from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he specialized in computational astrophysics and neutrino transport. His research focuses on neutrino flavor transformation, quantum kinetics, and multi-messenger modeling of compact objects such as core-collapse supernovae and neutron star mergers. Dr. Richers is a recipient of the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship and has led several high-performance computing projects supported by NSF and NERSC. His work connects neutrino physics, nuclear astrophysics, and relativistic simulations to understand the role of neutrinos in extreme astrophysical environments.

Organizing Committee

Local Committee

• Brisa Terezón

• Sital Galdámez Silva

• Magaly Arriola Gutiérrez 

• Miriam Ester Alas 

• Américo Mejía López

• Francisco Américo Mejía

• Franklin Moises Mejía

• Raúl Henríquez Ortiz

International Committee

• Diana López

• Edwin Santiago Leandro

• Fabián Quesada Zúñiga

• Miguel Rojas

• Roberto FigueraRegistration Fees

Registration Fees

• Undergraduate Students: $20

• Graduate Students: $50

• Researchers & Professionals: $200

*Note: These fees apply only to participants not requesting or awarded a scholarship.

**All fees are in US Dollars (USD).