Wikimedia CH/Micro Grant/Linking Jujuy’s research to Swiss science through Wikimedia

Please provide the following information for your micro-grant request:

Your Username: Luisfff2812 Luis Fernando Flores LAB

Your Country of residence: Argentina

Amount requested: 540 CHF
– Refreshments (local food, reusable utensils) for 12 participants over 3 days: 180 CHF.
– Trainer remuneration for three edit-a-thon sessions (4 hours each, 12 hours total at 30 CHF/hour): 360 CHF.
*While this includes an absorbed 40 USD bank transfer fee and 30 CHF/hour, which aligns with local university-level trainer rates in Argentina (43,287.53 ARS/hour ≈ 30.35 CHF/hour), I am happy to adjust it if needed.
– Venue and promotion: Provided free of charge by the local scientific promotion agency, as in previous events.
This three-meeting project is not receiving funding from any additional sources.

Planned activity: Linking Jujuy’s research to Swiss science through Wikimedia

Jujuy is a province in Argentina with a growing scientific community whose contributions are not yet represented in the global knowledge ecosystem. To support the emerging community of Wikimedians from higher education institutions in Jujuy, three in-person edit-a-thons are planned. These events will focus on editing content related to both Swiss and Argentinian science across Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, and will take place on May 23, May 30 and June 6, 2025 (revised dates). An Outreach Dashboard will be used to track activities, and each edit-a-thon will involve contributions to both Wikimedia projects, structured as follows.

Wikimedia Commons editing (1.5 h): Participants will be introduced to Wikimedia Commons through the release and categorization of their own images, especially those depicting science in Jujuy. In addition, figures, diagrams, and photographs from research articles published by Swiss institutions under CC-BY licenses will be incorporated into Wikimedia Commons using Swiss open access repositories and journals, in order to expand the available visual resources on Swiss scientific outcomes.

Wikipedia editing (2.5 h): This session will focus on translating and improving articles about Swiss scientific institutions, including governmental agencies, universities, and research centers, into Spanish and German. The content will be based on a curated list of thirty priority articles that currently lack versions in these languages or are incomplete, with a goal of working on at least fifteen. Additionally, the first Wikipedia article on Biotechnology in Argentina will be created, as part of an effort to strengthen the presence of national scientific topics on the platform.

List of Swiss science and education-related articles proposed for editing throughout the three Edit-a-thonss:

People involved
(e.g. How many people can benefit from the micro grant you request):

Attendees Participation will be limited to twelve individuals, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and researchers from higher education institutions in the province of Jujuy. Pre-registration will be required, and the activity will be promoted through institutional social media. Funding from Wikimedia CH will be acknowledged. All participants will adhere to the Wikimedia Universal Code of Conduct and the Friendly Space Policy, with special attention to youth safety.

Trainer Luisfff2812 is a Wikimedian with access to The Wikipedia Library and experience organizing edit-a-thons in both high schools and higher education institutions. He is also a biotechnology researcher who actively collaborates on academic reviews and book chapter writing with international authors. He is a former fellow of governmental research and mobility programs in Austria and Germany, with working knowledge of the German language. He received a 2025 scholarship to attend the Wikimedia Youth Conference and has been shortlisted for a Wikimania 2025 scholarship.

Please explain what influence your activity will have on Wikimedia Projects
(e.g. quantitative: number of new pictures uploaded to commons, no of new articles created / qualitative: strengthen the community of german-speaking wikipedia authors etc,):

Wikimedia Commons

– Release of at least thirty original photographs from academic participants related to science in Jujuy.
– Inclusion of at least ten figures from CC-BY licensed research articles published by Swiss institutions using open access sources.
– Inclusion of at least five relevant visual elements from Wikimedia Commons into pertinent Wikipedia articles, either newly uploaded or already available.

Wikipedia

– At least fifteen of the thirty proposed articles about Swiss educational, scientific, and governmental institutions translated into Spanish and improved.
– At least five of those thirty articles translated into German.
– Creation of the article Biotechnology in Argentina.

Future potential collaborations

By translating and improving articles about the Swiss scientific system, participants will not only increase the visibility of Swiss science across Wikipedia in the mentioned languages but also introduce Jujuy’s scientific community to the Swiss research ecosystem and its educational and scientific policies. This will foster collaborations such as joint publications or book chapters, which could become new primary sources for Wikipedia, closing a cycle of global knowledge generation and dissemination.

Please provide links to your contributions after your project or activity ended:
Please provide the links to the categories on Wikimedia Commons, to the articles on Wikipedia or any other contributions on Wikimedia projects:

Discussion

@Luis Fernando Flores LAB : who would assume the training (and be paid by the MCG)? Is it you? Could you provide samples of articles that you or the person in charge of the training created and/or contributed to? Omnilaika02 (talk) 09:38, 2 May 2025 (UTC)reply

Thank you very much for your valuable comments. As stated in the proposal, the project is aimed at an emerging community of Wikimedians. These are my global account profiles where you can explore my contributions:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Especial:Información_de_la_cuenta_global/Luisfff2812

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Especial:Información_de_la_cuenta_global?target=Luis+Fernando+Flores+LAB

The proposal also includes a list of target Wikipedia articles related to Swiss science, as well as a description of how CC-BY materials from Swiss institutions will be incorporated into Wikimedia Commons.

The current rate was based on a previously approved MCG-funded project, applying a 70% reduction to the trainer’s hourly remuneration in recognition of the economic differences between Argentina and Switzerland. I am happy to adjust the budget if needed. Many thanks! Luis Fernando Flores LAB (talk) 09:57, 2 May 2025 (UTC)reply

@Luis Fernando Flores LAB could you provide samples of significant articles you created and/or contributed to? Omnilaika02 (talk) 08:10, 3 May 2025 (UTC)reply

Hello @Omnilaika02, here are recent articles aligned with the project’s science focus https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parque_Botánico_Barón_Carlos_María_Schüel (fully created), https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biología_experimental (significantly expanded), https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiología (expanded). Many thanks for your consideration! Luisfff2812 (talk) 08:42, 3 May 2025 (UTC)reply

Vote

This section needs to be filled out by the Microgrants-Committee
Pro

I support the proposal even if I agree on the vote against. It's a series of editathon on science and we can support as we can monitor the progress, however I think that the best is to get financed by the local chapter in future. --Ilario (talk) 16:31, 12 May 2025 (UTC)reply
I can imagine that the work can represent added value for the Swiss research landscape. I therefore support this proposal. I cannot understand Omnilaika02's concerns. Lantus (talk) 09:45, 13 May 2025 (UTC)reply

Against

Oppose the micro-grant has no connection to Switzerland. Using "swiss science" is barely relevant imo. Besides, the amount requested seems vastly exaggerated. --Omnilaika02 (talk) 09:28, 2 May 2025 (UTC)reply

Abstention

…

Result The micro-grant committee has voted in favor of accepting this micro-grant request. We apologize for the delay, as we could not reach out to all members of the committee. @Luis Fernando Flores LAB, please send us your contact details to info@wikimedia.ch to arrange the rest together. Best wishes --Aldé WMCH (talk) 17:07, 7 June 2025 (UTC)reply

Due to information of a potential non-compliance with WMCH funding guidelines that requires investigation, the approved grant funds will be withheld until further notice. User:Maurus Achermann (WMCH) ( 14:36, 25 June 2025 (UTC)reply

Thank you for the update @Maurus Achermann (WMCH). I kindly request further clarification regarding the potential non-compliance so that I may provide any necessary information to assist with the process. Thank you. Luisfff2812 (talk) 14:26, 25 June 2025 (UTC)reply

Thank you for your enquiry and your openness. As said, we are currently clarifying the situation and will be happy to get back to you if necessary. User:Maurus Achermann (WMCH) ( 17:04, 7 July 2025 (UTC)reply

Wikimedia Argentina has withdrawn its institutional support to this applicant. Therefore, also Wikimedia CH will not proceed to any project support until further notice from the local chapter. User:Maurus Achermann (WMCH) (13:22, 19 August 2025 (UTC)reply

Dear @Maurus Achermann (WMCH)

Based on the public guidelines and policies of Wikimedia CH, I respectfully request a review of the decision concerning my microgrant proposal, given the evident harm caused by the unsolicited interference of Wikimedia Argentina.

The objection raised by Wikimedia Argentina is not grounded in the merits of the project but is part of a broader pattern of systematic obstruction directed toward me personally. Importantly, the proposal never included Wikimedia Argentina as an implementing partner, as it already counts on a legitimate and relevant local governmental institution as its partner, an authority within the local scientific ecosystem where the project will take place.

Imposing Wikimedia Argentina’s participation as a condition effectively grants a chapter a monopoly over all Wikimedia activities within its territory, undermining the autonomy of volunteers. No published guideline of Wikimedia CH that I have been able to identify requires such endorsement.

For these reasons, I believe that Wikimedia Argentina’s actions constitute an' abuse of power. Their objection is not based on the project’s merits but reflects a 'broader pattern of targeted obstruction. I therefore respectfully request that Wikimedia CH, in line with its own Friendly Space Policy, examine the conduct of Wikimedia Argentina in this specific incident, as their actions have created an unsafe and hostile environment for me within a process under WMCH’s jurisdiction (the microgrant call).

In light of the above, I formally request that WMCH reevaluate its decision based solely on the published criteria, which my proposal satisfies and for which it was initially approved. I am willing to provide all necessary evidence regarding the pattern of behavior by Wikimedia Argentina, not only against me but also against other Wikimedians.

Sincerely, Luisfff2812 (talk) 04:05, 22 September 2025 (UTC)reply

Dear @Luisfff2812

The WMCH standard procedure is to consult with local chapters when we receive requests from applicants from abroad. This is the only way to ensure that everything runs smoothly. This case has been discussed in detail internally and our position remains unchanged. For any concerns you may have with Wikimedia Argentina, we suggest you raise these directly with them. User:Maurus Achermann (WMCH) (13:12, 29 September 2025 (UTC)reply

Important: AFTER having submitted your request, please write an eMail to info@wikimedia.ch with your contact details (at least: Name, Surname, Email address)