The initiative promoted by the universities of Valparaíso, La Serena and Técnico Federico Santa María, seeks to contribute to the country's challenges from the sciences, incorporating elements of innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship.

The Corfo Technological Capabilities Subcommittee approved the application of the project: “Our future, our responsibility: an innovative alliance for the transfer of science and the strengthening of local, national and international development”, presented to the call for the “Science and Innovation” Program by 2030.” This is an associative initiative developed by the Consortium made up of the University of Valparaíso (UV) as mandatory beneficiary, and the University of La Serena (ULS) and the Federico Santa María Technical University (UTFSM) as mandatory beneficiaries.

In an environment of new challenges and demands for technology from productive systems and their disconnection with the national R&D ecosystem, these three regional universities propose working together in a Consortium modality from the different areas of scientific knowledge based in their Faculties or Departments of Sciences, which will allow, in part, to respond to the aforementioned challenge, within the framework of the Science and Innovation project for 2030.

The initiative seeks to contribute to the country's challenges from the sciences, incorporating elements of innovation, technological transfer and entrepreneurship, through processes of curricular transformation, new offerings of undergraduate and graduate programs, with emphasis on multidisciplinary and inter-institutional, the development of national and international strategic alliances and the generation of a relevant management structure, at the same time strengthening the positioning of the Consortium as a reference at the national level and a relevant actor at the international level.

“This is undoubtedly tremendously important news for our Faculty and our University, and one that certainly makes us proud. In effect, it shows the positioning that we have achieved in recent years, with a concrete presence in terms of training and research in basic and applied science. The proposal of this project, which is based on joint work between the three participating universities, is in my opinion one of its main strengths. We always consider, in the formulation process, from the perspective of cooperation, which also responds to the institutional guidelines of our University. In order to materialize the participation of the ULS, both the Faculty of Sciences and the Vice-Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies have committed financial resources, as have the other two universities. I believe, finally, that with this project we have a great opportunity to contribute to the continuous improvement of our undergraduate and graduate training processes, research and transfer, among other relevant aspects,” said the Dean(s) of the Faculty of ULS Sciences, Dr. Héctor Fabián Reyes.

The project considers a series of joint activities, which will complement the different visions of each institution and facilitate the construction of social capital among the actors of the different universities, which will allow the development of joint research initiatives, associative innovation projects and /or the generation of joint study programs.

The development of this joint Science and Innovation initiative for 2030 aims to consolidate itself as a national reference from the Center - North of the country in scientific knowledge applied to the needs of the productive sector and society.

Science and Innovation for 2030

The purpose of this Program is to support Chilean universities in the process of generating strategic plans or roadmaps, to promote a transformation process in their faculties, in which they teach study programs in the areas of basic sciences and thus allow a their greater participation in technological transfer, innovation and scientific-technological-based entrepreneurship in the country.

Among the presentations selected in the thesis modality and as an oral presentation, two investigations from the Kinesiology degree at the ULS were presented.

From August 9 to 11, at the Universidad Austral in the city of Valdivia, the eighth version of the National Scientific Congress of University Students of Kinesiology “Science and movement, an southern vision” was held, in which a group of students from the Kinesiology degree at the University of La Serena.

The meeting had more than 400 attendees from various universities in the country, who participated in presentations in the categories of thesis or research, clinical cases and experiences, in addition to witnessing keynote talks by renowned guest experts, among which Dr. Rodrigo Motefusco stands out. Siegmund, PhD academic biochemist of the Kinesiology subteam of the Institute of Locomotor System and Rehabilitation UACh and Doctor in Biomedical Sciences, who gave the first master class: “From Molecules to Movement.” In his presentation, the professional took a tour of the cycle that led him to go from research in biochemistry to the study of movement in the area of ​​kinesiology. Furthermore, he urged students to practice science.

Within the presentations selected in the thesis modality and as an oral presentation, two investigations from the Kinesiology degree at the University of La Serena were presented: “Immediate variation in the intensity of muscle activation of the gluteus medius and tibialis anterior, in response to the induction of foot pronation during running”, by Camila Rodríguez Paredes, Joaquín Robledo Medalla, Diego Rojas Orostegui and Tracy Bozo Núñez, and “Immediate changes in the three-dimensional kinematics of the head and neck after the induction of foot pronation in static uni- and bipodal support”, by Abraham Díaz Torres and Belén Vega Fredes. Both theses guided by academic Edwin Contreras Acevedo.

Profitable experience

The students who had the opportunity to participate in this eighth version of the congress highlighted the usefulness of the experience and the support received from the Kinesiology major and the Department of Student Affairs. “We are very grateful for the support of our guiding professor Edwin Contreras Acevedo, as well as the Kinesiology major, both in providing knowledge, experiences and motivation to present our thesis research at such an important conference, which will be a great complement to our vocational training. It is worth mentioning that as a group we are interested in continuing with our research, to continue increasing the possibilities of this experience being repeated in another conference in the future,” said students Camila Rodríguez and Joaquín Robledo.

On the other hand, students Belén Vega and Abraham Díaz indicated: “we are very proud and grateful for the opportunity to make our research known in the southern part of the country and represent both the University of La Serena and the northern area in the National Scientific Congress of University Students of Kinesiology, also thank our disciplinary guide professor, Edwin Contreras, since thanks to his support and motivation to continue with the research, we were able to make ourselves known and do kinesiology on this platform. It is important to highlight that the work as a kinesiologist is expanding to all corners of the health area; Furthermore, it was very enriching to know the point of view of the other professionals who participated in the scientific commission and the different perspectives that showed us the empowerment that a kinesiologist can have.”

Rodrigo Olivares and Alejandro Orellana presented their research titled: “Urban growth of the La Serena Coquimbo conurbation, challenges for a future metropolitan area.”

In the city of Mendoza, Argentina, between September 05 and 07, the Director of the School of Construction Engineering, Rodrigo Olivares, and the academic of the Department of Architecture, Alejandro Orellana, participated as speakers at the XII International Congress City and Virtual Territory “Smart Cities and Territories”, organized by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain, in conjunction with the National University of Cuyo, Argentina.

The Virtual City and Territory Congresses have been taking place since 2004, starting in the city of Barcelona. Initially, the meeting was planned to present developments of virtual models and tools for representing the built environment, within the framework of the Forum of Cultures -Barcelona 2004. In the following year, the event was held at the University of Bío Bío, Concepción, Chile , and in subsequent years they alternated between cities in America and Europe, among them, Guadalajara, Mexico; Lisbon Portugal; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Krakow, Poland. Over the years, lines of research regarding the contemporary city have been added.

The current version of the Congress had as its central axis the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the territories and urban systems on a metropolitan scale. In this context, professors Olivares and Orellana, together with Dr. Carlos Aguirre, from the University of Las Américas, presented their research titled: “Urban growth of the La Serena Coquimbo conurbation, challenges for a future metropolitan area”, the which accounts for a first exercise in the integration of spatial cadastres and databases of urban indicators to evaluate the real estate growth patterns of Greater La Serena as a metropolitan system.

This activity constitutes a first link through research between the areas of Construction Engineering and Architecture of the University of La Serena. For Professor Olivares, the research carried out is a first step for a series of initiatives and projects that strengthen interdisciplinarity around urban themes in the university.

The activity presented the repair and reconstruction actions of adobe homes in the Coquimbo Region, carried out after the earthquake of September 15, 2015.

Within the framework of the linkage activities with the environment of the Architecture degree, Abel Espinoza and Solange Miranda, architects of the Housing and Urban Planning Service (SERVIU) Coquimbo Region, gave a talk to the students of the Housing and Quality subject of Life in the School of Architecture.

In the talk, the architects Espinoza and Miranda presented the actions to repair and reconstruct adobe homes in the Coquimbo Region, carried out after the earthquake of September 15, 2015. These actions, which in principle were outside the regulations and public policies, were possible thanks to the management of regional SERVIU professionals, by achieving modifications in the application of subsidies from the Family Heritage Protection Program.

The work carried out benefited more than 500 families and led to the generation of local skills through a highly participatory process, where not only specialized knowledge was transferred, but local construction techniques were also rescued, contributing to local development and sustainability.

Abel Espinoza, an architect who graduated from the University of La Serena and is in charge of the program, highlighted the importance of transmitting to students the possibilities of modification within the framework of state policies. For her part, Solange Miranda, a specialist in earth construction and who led the initiative, highlighted the values ​​of vernacular building in the region, in terms of heritage, quality of life and sustainability.

For his part, the subject's professor, architect Alejandro Orellana, valued the great contribution that this initiative means for the local development of our country, along with the possibilities that open up at the regional level for the professional practice of our graduates.

The event was attended by different university, technical and trade institutions, and the presence of branches of the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement.

The XI version of the Professional Orientation Student Fair was held at the La Serena Municipal Coliseum, which brought together students from all over the Coquimbo Region with the objective of providing them with information about the different higher education institutions and their professional careers and/or techniques.

During the activity, which brought together more than 2 thousand students from different educational establishments in the region, the University of La Serena was present with a stand, publicizing the academic offer, services and benefits of the institution, interacting with visitors and explaining how they can study at the only state university in the Coquimbo Region.

This activity, supported by the different educational centers in the area and organized by the SP-21 Agency, had a high turnout and, according to the developers of the activity, the young people were very cooperative, making it clear that they are attentive to their future. and interested in knowing the different options offered by institutions in the region.

These activities, coordinated by the Department of Corporate Communications of the university, are part of the University's commitment to community ties and the interests shown by the organizers in showing the academic offerings of the only state university in the Coquimbo Region.

This test is aimed at secondary school students of the second, third and fourth levels.

This Saturday, September 08, the activities of the 2018 Chemistry Olympics will begin, with the first regional test to be held from 10:00 a.m. in Room 109 “Claudio Gebauer” of the Department of Chemistry and wings 212 and 213 provided by the Directorate of the School of Journalism of the University of La Serena (Andrés Bello Campus).

This test is aimed at secondary school students of the second, third and fourth levels, participating in private, subsidized private and municipal schools in the Coquimbo Region.

From the Province of Choapa, students from schools in Illapel, Salamanca and Los Vilos participate, who will take the test at the Domingo Ortiz de Rozas High School in Illapel.

While the students from the establishments in Ovalle, Limarí Province, will do so in the premises of the Limarí Campus of the ULS (Room 4 of the Department of Agronomy).

Meanwhile, students from the schools of Coquimbo, La Serena and Andacollo (Province of Elqui) will take this first test in the designated rooms of the Andrés Bello Campus (Avenida Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena).

The second test will be held on Saturday, October 20 at the Department of Chemistry of the U. de La Serena (Andrés Bello Campus), and the 20 best students in each category will participate.