The dissemination and call for the study scholarship was carried out in conjunction with the Women in Water Chile Foundation, with the aim of reducing the gender gap in the subject of water resources.
Jean Pierre Molina Medina, Journalist.-“More women in water management” is the name of the scholarship that was awarded this year, which received more than 221 applications and was finally awarded to Katherine Moreno Alfaro, an environmental engineer who currently works as Head of the Water Management Unit. Inspection and Environment of the General Directorate of Water of the Atacama Region.
Katherine Moreno Alfaro found out about the Diploma through social networks, where a teacher shared the announcement with her. Motivated to discover new topics and broaden her knowledge, she decided to apply through the scholarship. “The contents of this Diploma are very attractive, especially for the field where I work, there are interesting subjects and I decided to participate. It is a window for women who are linked to the study and knowledge of water systems, which is why I prepared myself quite a bit when applying,” she commented.
The issue of water security was another topic that caught his attention due to the uncertainties faced by the different climate change scenarios. In addition, participating in this instance gives you more tools to carry out your current job. “It is a very good opportunity to broaden the vision of what is happening and about the long-term projections in water matters. The contents of the diploma are tools to strengthen the understanding of the dynamics of water, and they fit particularly with the tasks of evaluating projects in the Environmental Evaluation System, as well as in the inspection activities mandated by the Water Code”, he pointed out.
According to the information offered by the Diploma in Strategic Planning of Water Resources UCSC, its objective is: “to train professionals with capacities to carry out a multidimensional diagnosis of water resources in a territory or management unit, define sustainability objectives, evaluate strategies , formulate a strategic plan in a participatory manner, and contribute to its implementation over time”.
Regarding her expectations, Katherine Moreno Alfaro appreciates the opportunity of the scholarship, and that the Diploma is in an online format, since professionals from different areas can choose to participate, in addition to the importance of updating knowledge and contact networks. “The opportunity to meet different academics and have a bond with them, makes it possible to raise and expose queries or particular situations that impact water systems, such as the case of subsidence in Tierra Amarilla, which is a punctual phenomenon, with long-lasting effects. term on the aquifer. In addition to the contact network with academics and professionals from different disciplines, and being able to count on their support, guidance, and transversal vision to develop follow-up on different activities is very important, without a doubt it is essential to make decisions for the future”, highlighted Katherine.
Regarding the gender scholarship, he also highlighted the fundamentals of the initiative. “It is a tremendous opportunity, a space that is given to women who have generally been left behind in so many subjects. And the satisfaction is greater, having awarded this scholarship to a woman from the region, from the Atacama, where the challenge in terms of water is permanent, without a doubt for me this will be an enriching experience that will strengthen knowledge and allow us to deliver our point of view, it is a tool with a lot of potential”, he concluded.
