Aysén students create innovative projects focused on the region

Discovering the anti-cancer effects of fungi present in Aysén, generating prototypes of sustainable blocks for modular construction and creating biodegradable masks are some of the projects carried out by students from 7 communes in the region within the framework of the Explora Project School Research and Innovation Program Aysen.

For seven months, 132 elementary and high school students from the Aysén region, together with teachers and scientific advisers, developed innovation and research projects focused on problems in the region within the framework of the School Research and Innovation Program (IIE), an initiative of the Explora Aysén Project that finished its 2022 version during the month of December.

With the aim of promoting the knowledge and development of science and technology dissemination and assessment skills among students, the Explora Aysén Project of the Ministry of Science, executed by the Patagonia Campus of the Austral University of Chile, promoted the IIE initiative that in its 2022 version it reached 20 educational establishments in seven communes of the region.

Route of scientific experiences

Between the months of June and December 2022, the IIE teams -made up of students, a teacher and a scientific advisor- participated in workshops, trainings and meetings where they were able to discover, discuss and create various research projects and innovation that seek to provide solutions to problems and needs that the teams identify in their environments, with a seal of sustainability.

It may interest you: Call 2023: we are looking for scientists who want to be part of the popularization book 100 scientific illustrations

“My experience at IIE at Explora Aysén was very warm because activities were carried out for us to interact with all the teams. It was something very nice how this activity managed to unite different people and I am sure that this experience will mark the lives of many future scientists,” said Javiera Aguilar, a participant at the Altos del Mackay Bicentennial High School.

Sustainable and territorial seal

There were 33 IIE participating teams that stood out for their sustainable nature and territorial focus, of which four teams were selected to travel to the city of Santiago in March 2023 to participate in the National Congress of School Research and Innovation of the Explora del Programa. Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation.

On the development of this initiative, Nicolás López, in charge of IIE in the Aysén Region concluded: “This year we had a very nice experience in IIE, there was a lot of interest from educational establishments, teachers and students in the Aysén region in take part. Most of the projects that the teams have developed address environmental issues, such as pollution, remediation, reuse and recycling of materials, inclusion, among other issues. Of the 33 teams that participated in IIE, 15 finished their project and participated in the Explora Regional Congress, so we are very happy with the result”.