The I Island2 Chem Conference was born from a shared academic lineage linking two scientific communities: chemists from Tenerife who completed their training at Columbia University, and the colleagues and mentors who welcomed them in New York.
It is a story of reunion, shared knowledge, and collaboration across the Atlantic.
More than two decades ago, a group of earlycareer researchers from Tenerife traveled to New York to continue their scientific development. Between laboratories and campus cafés, friendships were forged and intellectual partnerships emerged—connections that grew stronger with time and transcended geography.
These experiences laid the foundation for a transatlantic network that, years later, returns to the islands where its roots were first planted.
From September 2-4, 2026, this network comes together again in La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage city in Tenerife (Canary Islands).
The conference will gather chemists from the United States and across Spain, with a special focus on Columbia University alumni and longstanding collaborators.
La Laguna is the natural venue for this meeting, as it hosts the two institutions that historically shaped this scientific bridge: the University of La Laguna (ULL) and the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (IPNACSIC).
The scientific program reflects this spirit of collaboration. The conference will feature:
In total, participants will represent 16 institutions, including universities, research centers, and leading pharmaceutical companies. This diverse and dynamic format echoes the collaborative ethos that originally linked Tenerife and Manhattan, while creating new opportunities for dialogue, discovery, and future partnerships.
The I Island2 Chem Conference celebrates a shared past—and builds the foundations for the next generation of transatlantic scientific collaboration.
