The Clearinghouse, in cooperation with the Latin American and Caribbean Program , also promotes existing and future scientific and academic collaboration between the US and Cuba. For more than four decades AAAS has supported the right of scientists, researchers and academicians to exchange ideas and participate in scientific activities on a worldwide basis. Scientists in this context include physical, natural and social scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and the medical community.
Freedom of movement is particularly important to scientists.
The free exchange of ideas is one of the most basic values of the scientific enterprise, and the freedom to travel is one of the most important ways of furthering that exchange. Through the Clearinghouse, AAAS assists US and Cuban scientists and academicians to exercise the right to travel and to maintain or initiate new collaborations between the two countries. It also responds to allegations of the misapplication of travel restrictions made by scientists by questioning relevant officials in both countries. The clearinghouse will create a directory of colleges and universities, as well as scientific institutions that maintain or are interested in initiating projects with Cuban colleagues. We encourage individuals interested in engaging in or maintaining scientific collaboration between the U.S. and Cuba to contribute to the clearinghouse by completing our survey and keeping us updated about ongoing exchanges, visa or license denials, or policy matters to the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program.