Among the novelties of the project in the axis of commercialization of Technology and Technology-based Entrepreneurship, is building a Fablab, creating an open innovation platform and strengthening the network of mentors and investors.

Within the framework of the execution of the FIULS 2030 Project, project professionals met with the Productive Development, Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of the Regional Council. At the event, the challenges and advances of the program that seeks to transform engineering were announced, according to the needs of the regional and national industry.

The mission of FIULS 2030 is to transform the Faculty of Engineering of the University of La Serena into a national and international reference in R&D&i&e, with emphasis on mining, energy and sustainability, involving the different actors of society, to contribute to the formation of global human capital.

In relation to FIULS 2030, the president of the Regional Council of Coquimbo, Adriana Peñafiel, pointed out that “for us as a Regional Council, the completion of this project is very important, with the aim that the Faculty of Engineering can become prestige of a national and internationally and that, through them, they can create important networks in the field of entrepreneurship, innovation and technology. Our congratulations to the University of La Serena.”

The Dean of the ULS Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Ing. Mauricio Godoy, indicated that “this project brings with it important changes in engineering, and we have news, among them, is that we are working to have a FabLab available, which is a physical space with adequate tools to enhance and develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem. I greatly appreciate the Regional Council for its commitment and for the great support they are giving us in the development of the project.”

Among the axes of the FIULS 2030 Project, international alliances and mobility stand out, the objective of which is to strengthen relationships with universities, research centers and other foreign organizations.

Written by María José Barraza, FIULS 2030 Project

In celebration of these 3 decades of the terrestrial experiment, the longest in Chile, the award of a collaborative research fund from the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) was announced, whose objective is to study the patterns of growth, flowering and fruiting of the vegetation of the Fray Jorge scrub.

30 years mark the long-term ecological research carried out in the Fray Jorge Forest National Park, a study that began in 1989 thanks to the collaborative work of Dr. Julio Gutiérrez and Dr. Luis Contreras, from the University of La Serena, and Dr. Fabián Jaksic and Dr. Peter Meserve, and which in these 3 decades has allowed us to understand the climatic and ecological factors of the semi-arid scrubland, a diverse ecosystem characterized by a high endemism of species.

During the commemoration ceremony that took place at the Park's Environmental Interpretation Center and brought together researchers, academics, postgraduate students, residents of the sector and representatives of the ULS, CONAF, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), CEAZA, among other institutions, highlighted the important scientific work that has been carried out in the last green lung in northern Chile.

The researcher at the University of Idaho and principal investigator of the long-term ecological study of Fray Jorge, Dr. Peter Merserve, along with thanking the trust placed in him and in the researchers from the University of La Serena who accompanied him on this adventure, He expressed: “I never thought that they would spend 30 years studying this place. In 1978, together with a work team, we made a proposal to the National Science Foundation and they approved it, and now that we have completed 30 years of study, I never imagined that we could get there, and if I learned anything, it was the value of collaboration.”

For his part, the Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, highlighted the origin of this research that “dates back to the 1980s and the leading role of those who developed it. I am specifically referring to two academics, Dr. Julio Gutiérrez and Dr. Luis Contreras, who took a bet and partnered with other national and world-class academics to execute the project in the long term. Today we can celebrate that this idea has triumphed and that it has more than materialized at the Fray Jorge experimental site.”

Regarding the contributions of the study, the president of the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Dr. Ricardo Rozzi, was emphatic in declaring that there are three dimensions that are of great relevance, since they establish a relationship of different areas, among them: temporal, through the study of natural phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña; the variation of the natural space, with the presence of trees that grow only in the southern part of Chile, as is the case of the cinnamon tree; and the interaction between different actors that this study brings together, since institutions that are aware of the importance of these investigations participate.

In relation to the plant ecology study area, Dr. Julio Gutiérrez (ULS, CEAZA and IEB), pointed out that the main variables that have been studied refer to the "monthly monitoring of the abundance of rodents, herbaceous, shrubby vegetation , seed bank, presence of foxes, raptors, birds and microorganisms, along with climatic variables, such as precipitation and temperature. During these 30 years there has been greater fragmentation of the forest."

future studies 

As indicated by the researchers involved, it is expected to continue developing research around the endless possibilities offered by the Parque Bosque Fray Jorge.

In this sense, the ULS researcher and academic, Dr. Alejandra Troncoso, from the Multidisciplinary Institute of Science and Technology, commented that in June of this year they were awarded a collaboration fund from the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, which is part of a cooperation agreement between Harvard University (Dr. Charles Davis) and Adolfo Ibáñez University (Dr. Karin Maldonado).

“We were invited to participate due to the interest that institutions have about climate change. This collaborative fund seeks to extend our knowledge and document how extreme climates can shape the phenology of plants, that is, from growth to death in a given period of a year,” he explained.

This fund will allow the development of new lines of research, which will undoubtedly strengthen the existing ones, which will address one of the greatest environmental concerns of today, the effect of climate change on biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides, such as pollination. .

ULS and CONAF collaboration agreement

During the ceremony commemorating the 30 years of the long-standing study, a cooperation agreement was signed between the University of La Serena and CONAF, which aims to achieve coordinated management between both entities, implementing actions aimed at developing in joint projects of an academic, scientific and cultural nature for the benefit of both institutions.

 Written by Patricia Castro, DirCom 

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The presentation was part of the VII INACAP Educational Congress organized by the Center for Innovation in Education CIEDU and the School of Humanities and Education of said institution.

“Construction of an innovative culture for the inclusion of technical-professional higher education” was the thematic axis of the congress led by the INACAP institution, in which researchers linked to education participate annually. On this occasion, the event provided space for the presentation of works related to innovations that can be used in the classroom.

In this context, the researcher from the Integrated Management of Pedagogies Unit (UGIP) of the University of La Serena, Dr. Laura Espinoza, presented the presentation titled "Inverted class for the initial training of special education educators on mathematical learning", in which revealed a successful didactic experience focused particularly on the training of special education educators.

“It is of utmost importance that teaching is carried out appropriately, implementing defined and intentional innovations, which allow the learning of professionals in training in higher education institutions to be enhanced. Therefore, the systematization of these experiences gives clear lights to be able to replicate them in other higher education contexts, allowing the real scope of the learning proposed in the study programs to be monitored, and which are part of the progressive achievement of the students' graduation profile. ”, he expressed.

Furthermore, the space gave the opportunity to learn about research and innovative pedagogical experiences in areas such as mechanics, health, robotics, engineering, languages, social sciences and humanities, managing to exchange procedures and tools that have worked effectively in the classroom and that have achieved the scope of learning by the students.

In this way, participation in these instances enabled the academic community to nourish the knowledge and actions carried out by higher education institutions to improve teaching practices.

“In the PMI FIP ULS 1501 we are carrying out the Support Plan for the Implementation of the renewed curriculum in the pedagogies of the ULS, a process that has its complexity, is recursive and that should be reflected within the classrooms in the initial training of teachers . Furthermore, and to contribute to the ongoing training of academics who teach in pedagogy careers, last year we carried out the Diploma in Didactic Innovation in Initial Teacher Training, where different models and methodologies were worked on to enhance active learning of students at FIP. Likewise, we carry out workshops and courses, which are always available for academics in this line. All these processes must be reflected within the classroom and in the various learning environments, since they are the places where our teachers in training make the journey to become professionals that are required in today's XNUMXst century society," the researcher emphasized.

Written by Daniela Ledezma, UGIP

With the participation of academics, professionals and students from different institutions, the meeting “Policies, Practices and Inclusive Culture in Higher Education” was held, organized by the National Network of Inclusive Higher Education.

The ULS 1799 Project team of “Comprehensive Support for Students of the University of La Serena, within a framework of Inclusion and Universal Accessibility” participated in the Second National Meeting 2019 “Policies, Practices and Inclusive Culture in Higher Education”, which included the participation of prominent speakers, who emphasized the inclusion and diversity policy that they are developing in the country's higher education institutions.

During the activity, various panels were developed, which covered topics focused on the inclusion of people with different types of disabilities in higher education spaces, and in which members of the inclusion program of the University of La Serena participated.

Along with the discussion panels, the academic from the Universidad de la Frontera, Mg. Arlett Krause gave the conference “Challenges of the inclusion of ASD students in Higher Education”.

The meeting was organized by the National Network of Inclusive Higher Education and on this occasion it took place at the Universidad Católica del Norte.

Written by Tomás Rodríguez, DirCom

In total, 80 professionals were trained in cardiovascular rehabilitation in primary health care, thanks to the work agreement maintained by both institutions.

Through lecture classes and training workshops in cardiovascular rehabilitation, led by 3 professionals with high specialization in the area, the University of La Serena conducted training for 80 officials (including nurses, doctors and kinesiologists) from the Coquimbo Health Department. , during the week of August 5 to 9, at the Coquimbo Campus of the university.

The activity was developed through the collaboration agreement between the University of La Serena and the Coquimbo Health Department, through which health activities have been generated that aim to enhance the development of both institutions with a view to development and support. to the community of the region.

In this way, the university repays the Department of Health for its commitment to providing places for professional internships to students of the institution's health careers, thus fulfilling its role as a state university and responding to commitments with the community.      

This training was carried out thanks to the coordination carried out by the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, through its Coordinator of Teaching Assistance Relations, together with the Directorate of the Kinesiology program and the Directorate of the School and Department of Nursing.

Written by Tomás Rodríguez, DirCom

More than twenty students participated in this Participatory Project of the program.

The PACE ULS Program, through its line of work of Participatory Projects of the Preparation Component in Secondary Education (PEM), carried out a pedagogical and cultural visit to the Valparaíso Region, which benefited the fourth-grade students of the Pedro Aguirre Cerda School in La Serena.

Participatory Projects are instances in which the educational communities themselves identify a need or create a project that directly benefits their students. Nicolás Guerrero, in charge of PACE ULS Participatory Projects, explained that “the focus of this Participatory Project was to develop vocational expectations and strengthen transversal skills of the fourth-year students of the Pedro Aguirre Cerda School, through the development of a pedagogical/cultural outlet to the city of Valparaíso, to provide relevant information regarding post-secondary life.”

About this visit, Manelyk Cabezas, a student at the Pedro Aguirre Cerda School, indicated that “it has been an excellent pedagogical outing, many times we as students see this as a walk, but then we realize the importance for us of being able to see other realities, the Getting to know other realities, other cities, we are curious to get to know other universities, having contact with students who come from realities similar to ours or completely different, sharing everything with each other is great.”

On the other hand, Gustavo Araya, head teacher of the fourth year of the School, expressed that these instances are crucial for students to learn about other realities. “The vast majority of our students come from families of low socioeconomic status, from environments of high social risk and constant threat to the comprehensive development of boys and girls. Approximately 26% of parents work in the city center and 48% work as construction workers. This greatly hinders the development of our students regarding access to more information, the creation of significant capacities for their training, as well as the low creation of expectations regarding the development of vocational guidance and post-secondary life project," the teacher emphasized. .

Written by Daniel Aguayo, PACE ULS Program