Gabriela Quintana, Journalist.- With a participatory public in a context of conversation, the first Scientific Coffee of Puerto Montt 2023 organized by the Universidad Austral de Chile Puerto Montt Headquarters through its Scientific-Academic Liaison Area of the Research Directorate and the PAR Explora Los Lagos Regional Associative Project of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation together with the Chilean Society of Marine Sciences (SChCM), within the framework of the Marine Science Carnival and the 42nd Congress of Marine Sciences that took place last week in Puerto Montt. with the talk «Microbial constellations: small, but connecting in a big way»the three researchers in charge of the exhibition discussed in a relaxed space about microbes and their impact on planet Earth since life emerged hundreds of thousands of years ago until now.
The speakers were Dr. Verónica Molina, researcher at the Integrative Academic Center between Environmental Sciences and Services of the University of Playa Ancha (HUB AMBIENTAL UPLA) and the Center for Oceanographic Research in the South Pacific (COPAS Coastal) of the University of Concepción, together with Drs. Polette Aguilar and Fernanda Rodríguez, both from the UPLA ENVIRONMENTAL HUB, who talked about microbial responses to stressors in coastal environments.
This activity, which was the most relevant point of the Marine Science Carnival, took place on Thursday, May 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the Toco Madera Restaurant in the Pelluco Spa, Puerto Montt, and attracted a wide range of audiences interested in learning more about microbes, as well as conversing in this context with these expert researchers who are developing various lines of research. The guests showed microorganisms through the evolution of the Earth and how they allow multicellular living beings to live together with microbes in a state of symbiosis, where each one benefits from the actions of the other, thus demonstrating that microorganisms Viruses such as COVID and harmful bacteria are the least in relation to all the benefits we receive from many more, allowing us to become aware that we are surrounded by them inside and out, both plants, insects, amphibians and mammals, new learning that was welcomed by the curious public.
In this regard, Paul Gregorio Gómez Canchong, Coordinator of Education and Outreach of COPAS Coastal and Member of the Chilean Society of Marine Sciences, who was present at the conference and in scientific outreach talks in educational establishments in the area, highlighted that “the Marine Science Carnival It carries out a task that is fundamental to me: that science does not remain trapped in the academic bubble, but that it permeates society. Being so many people from the marine sciences in Puerto Montt for the 42nd Congress of Marine Sciences, I think there was no excuse for not including the community in the event. In the adult public, the conversation during the Scientific Café showed that microbes are an unknown subject, but with relevance to broad topics of interest of the participating people. On the other hand, the reception of the schoolchildren in the talks during this week was very happy. Marine issues, especially related to marine biodiversity, caused a lot of curiosity, which leads to wanting to take care of it. Communication skills are not characteristic of people in science, that is why these spaces where we are allowed to interact with the community are valued, since they help us to take a new look at the knowledge that is generated”.
Along with this, Gabriela Navarro, Coordinator of the Scientific-Academic Liaison Area of the UACh Headquarters Research Directorate and Director of the PAR Explora Los Lagos Regional Associative Project of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, valued the opportunity offered to the community in general the Carnival of Marine Sciences. “Schools of basic and secondary education and adults who are not linked daily with scientific actions were able to benefit from new knowledge and dialogue with scientists. We are grateful for the enthusiasm and closeness shown by each one of the young scientific speakers in general, who accompanied us and easily connected with the audience. We hope to receive you in new opportunities with new topics, since the opportunity to know information from the first source of research that is being carried out today in Chile is not a possibility that the community can have on a daily basis. For this reason, we appreciate this valuable time given, which will surely also motivate many boys, girls and young people to think about a scientific profession for their future”.
workshops in schools
This Marine Science Carnivalfocused on the relationship with the environment, allowed scientists from the 42nd Congress of Marine Sciences (May 22-26 in ULagos) share their research through talks with educational establishments in the area.
Four workshops were held in various establishments in the province of Llanquihue, which were enthusiastically received by the school communities.
The talks and researchers were: “The ocean that surrounds us and our friend the Chilean dolphin”by Camila Sola and Nicole Zúñiga, from the Study Center for the Conservation of Marine Ecosystems (Yaqu Pacha Chile); “Sea Monsters”dictated by Paúl Gómez Canchong of the Center for Oceanographic Research in the South Pacific (COPAS Coastal) and the Latin American Education Network for the Ocean (Relato Océano); “Climate change: an oceanic perspective”, by Paúl Gómez Canchong of the Center for Oceanographic Research in the South Pacific (COPAS Coastal) and the Latin American Education Network for the Ocean (Relato Océano); and “What can we do to mitigate the emission of Greenhouse Gases”developed by Macarena Troncoso, student of the Interdisciplinary Doctorate in Environmental Sciences at the University of Playa Ancha (UPLA) and part of the Aquatic Environmental Research Laboratory (LACER) associated with the Integrative Academic Center between Environmental Sciences and Services (HUB ENVIRONMENTAL UPLA).
