Dr. Irene del Real: UACh academic is one of the best 15 emerging scientists recognized with an international award

In the case of the academic UACh, she was awarded for her research on economic geology and in particular on the formation of copper in the earth’s crust, a vital metal for the transition towards renewable energies and electromobility.

Dr. Irene del Real -academician at the UACh Faculty of Sciences- was recognized as one of the best 15 emerging scientists who are changing the world with their projects. They were recognized with the L’Óreal-Unesco award in the Rising Talent category for their innovative scientific studies in different disciplines such as environment, astrophysics, biology, chemistry, geology, creation of materials, among others.

The work of the UACh researcher is of particular importance for Chile, which provides more than 30% of the world’s copper, and goes further by exploring the most important questions about the country’s tectonic evolution and the paths towards more sustainable mining.

In personal terms, for the academic “it is a tremendous honor to have received this award. I like to think of it as a way to honor the research I’ve done and developed over the years.

An investigation that at first one does not tend to associate with this type of recognition, since in general we do not see much that geology and more specifically the area of ​​economic geology (quite associated with the world of mining exploration) are lesser-known topics in the science world. But the fact that they are less well known does not make them less important”.

In his opinion, it makes him very happy that this topic is given the importance it deserves. “Especially that we give importance to the understanding of how metallic deposits are formed, since they are essential for our present, but also for our future.

If we want to think of a future that is carbon neutral or where electromobility and renewable energies prevail, we need more metals than we have today. We need metals to build a sustainable future and, therefore, we need more mining, but intelligent mining that is suitable for our future challenges as a society. That implies mining that can coexist with the environment and the surrounding communities.”

She stated that she feels very honored to have had the opportunity to share this award with other scientists working on equally relevant but completely different topics around the globe. “The award rewards 15 women annually, and for this occasion we joined two versions of the contest, which led to bringing together a group of almost 30 scientists. It was incredible to share and get to know everyone and to realize that, despite the fact that we work on different things or come from different cultures, in the end, what we share is more as similarities in happiness and challenges. I am extremely grateful to FWIS for the opportunity to connect with such inspiring women,” she noted.

For the Vice Chancellor of Research, Development and Artistic Creation (VIDCA) UACh, Dr. Mylthon Muñoz, “the recognition received by Dr. Del Real highlights the global nature of her research, due to its impact on the development of science, but also in productive sectors, especially in the new economy.

As Universidad Austral de Chile we celebrate this international award and we hope that the example of our professor will serve as a guide for the new generations of scientists who are trained in our classrooms and laboratories, from Valdivia to Punta Arenas”.

Meanwhile, the Dean of the UACh Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Leyla Cárdenas, stressed that “this is one of the most important awards in the world in terms of relieving women who make an outstanding scientific career. Given the number of candidates, the quality and the thoroughness of the selection process, this recognition is not minor. Of course, as a Faculty we are very happy to have Dr. Irene del Real with us and her merits are just cause for celebration”.

“An important space in science”

How to promote the leadership and recognition of women in science? For her, “one of the main problems that we have recognized that affect the participation of women in science today is the lack of role models. By this I mean that it is difficult to choose a profession or a career where one is not represented. For the same reason, these types of award spaces are very important since they give us visibility so that other women see that we have an important space in science in which we must be a part. My positive view is that as women we will tend to want to participate more in science to the extent that there are more of us immersed and that we actively work to open and clear the field for those future generations”.

His research is primarily focused on understanding how a certain type of copper deposit is formed, which we call “Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold” or IOCG. “This is a type of copper-rich deposit that we found mainly along the coastal mountain range of northern Chile. The way I study these deposits is by looking at the differences in the chemical composition of the minerals that are associated with it. The hypothesis is that the chemical composition of the mineral will vary depending on whether or not it is associated with the formation of minerals rich in copper. And the way I like to see it is that the chemical composition of minerals tells us a story, it’s like a book that we have that if we know how to read it well, it can tell us a whole story about the physicochemical conditions (temperature, depth, Ph) in which the mineral was formed, even though this happened millions of years ago”.

Regarding the way in which all this new knowledge is transferred to the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the UACh, he pointed out that “one way is in the classroom. I take courses that are directly related to my research topics and I like being able to teach this to students. It is also important to provide students with tools to take a critical look at what they learn, and more importantly, to ask themselves questions about the new knowledge they acquire.

On the other hand, “while one advances with his academic and research career, the first thing we realize is that the big questions are not solved one by one, but rather by working and collaborating in a group.” Following this logic, “part of the research work that I am leading is built on the work that students do with me, either through thesis or internships. It is extremely important that there is a transfer of knowledge between different generations and the best way to achieve this is by collaborating and working together where one, as an academic, takes the time to mentor younger students”, she concluded.