Astronomers, scientists and university students in the territory will access the largest and most advanced fiber optic route to share and analyze data recorded from the observation of the universe without restrictions.

Within the framework of Astronomy Day, celebrated on March 23, National University Network, REUNA, together with the AURA Observatory, CONICYT and the University of La Serena, announce the upcoming inauguration of the first section of a high-speed fiber optic route , enabled between Santiago and La Serena, for the use of the entire scientific and academic community of Chile. The milestone will be presented on April 19, at ULS and CONICYT offices, simultaneously, and will connect universities, research centers and observatories located in the national territory.

The observation of the universe produces a true tsunami of information data and images, a challenge that, added to the natural advantages of Chile and its skies, as well as astroinformatics that brings together local and foreign scholars in our territory, will allow the so-called Data Science to be exploited. or Big Data.

This milestone of the national optical highway celebrates the first 800 km of the more than 3.000 that the network will have, with an initial capacity of 10 Terabits per second and unlimited growth potential. In this connectivity challenge, the role of private companies is key and, in the case of this first section, the technological partner of the project has been Telefónica, by creating a new value proposition and having a permanent vision of collaboration with science , education and development of the country.

In the coming months, the Santiago-Concepción-Temuco section will be inaugurated, adding another 700 km and interconnecting a significant number of students and researchers from the more than 30 institutions that are today part of REUNA.

The initiative seeks to promote the development of the scientific fabric in astronomy, computing, physics, mathematics and design of our country, with projections to all areas of knowledge, and the consolidation of Chile as a natural laboratory. Paola Arellano, Executive Director of REUNA, the initiative's leading institution, said: “The new generations of Chilean students and professionals require the development of skills typical of the new century and what better way to do it than to take advantage of the advance of ICT, to strengthen collaboration in the academic-scientific community and empower the different industries that already face the challenge of Big Data.”

REUNA is made up of 36 institutions and more than 300 thousand researchers, academics and students between Arica and Puerto Montt, and is interconnected with its International peers in Latin America (RedCLARA), North America (Internet2 and Canarie), Europe (GÉANT), Asia (APAN) and Oceania (AARNET). In the project, he will be responsible for guaranteeing the stability of this fiber optic route, as well as calling for actors from education, science and astronomical observatories, who can benefit from this innovation. “Free access and use to the data generated by astronomy will be proof of the future capacity of this optical map, which will be expanded by building the LSST in Cerro Pachón and, just as astronomy works with a large volume of data, there are industries such as genetics, imaging, banking, mining, geology and retail, which face the same challenges and could learn and benefit from this experience, generating more innovation and new businesses,” Arellano points out.

Although this first stretch of optical light will be the digital route of the LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) to connect it from Chile to the world, the combination of these tools will allow the data generated by scanning the entire visible sky every four nights, which will be It is estimated that in the order of 30 terabytes of information in each day of observation, it is mobilized without barriers, crossing the borders of continents and oceans. The LSST is expected to begin operation in 2019, while its scientific operations should begin in 2022.

Chris Smith, director and head of the AURA Observatory Mission in Chile, responsible for several observatories, including the LSST under construction in the Coquimbo Region, indicated: “This first section will be like a playground, for astronomy students. , engineering and computer science, among other disciplines, explore, from astroinformatics, a world of possibilities to develop research and solutions with Big Data, as well as its processing from Chile to abroad.”

For his part, José Palacios, director of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Playa Ancha and president of the Board of Directors of REUNA, valued this step and described it as “a significant boost for scientific research based on our astronomy and the construction of foundations to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology, as well as a contribution to strengthening academia and industry.”

This initiative joins other works implemented by the university within this subject, such as the creation of the Disability Support Program in 2007 and the Inclusion and Gender Roundtable in 2016.

With the objective of providing basic training to its officials and also promoting collaborative work, knowledge and appreciation of the care of people with disabilities, the University of La Serena launched its cycle of comprehensive training workshops “Adult Care Seniors and People with Special Abilities” during Wednesday, March 21, and in the context of the celebration of the XXXVII anniversary of the higher education institution.

These workshops are created from an agreement between different units of the University and are promoted by the Human Resources Department of the university together with the Department of Education, who have worked together to design and develop this project. 

The Director of the Department of Education, Dr. Erika Zúñiga, is one of the people who promoted the holding of these workshops within the University and who highlighted the importance of generating these instances to work on inclusion. “For the Department of Education it is an honor to be part of the Inclusion and Gender Roundtable, it is an instance that places us on the frontier of socio-cultural innovations in the country, and this initiative that is inaugurated today allows us to break the limits of social practices, fulfilling a greater role such as forming an inclusive society,” he stated.

The careers that are part of this agreement are Law, Kinesiology, Nursing, Dentistry and Psychology, in addition to the support of the Education and Health departments, and the ULS Inclusive and Academic Higher Education Network.

For the Coordinator of the University's Disability Support Program, Dr. Georgina García, initiatives like these help the development of the community in the vision they have about integration and, in addition, she highlighted the importance that an institution like the University of La Serena implements this type of workshops. “Public universities are going through a very challenging historical moment in our country; these institutions must be linked to the political, economic, social and cultural development of nations and must also take courses, in order to ensure this basic right to the entire population. That is why I am pleased that today we are meeting within the framework of the anniversary week of our University, inaugurating instances like these,” she stated.

Specifically, these workshops seek to provide guidance to relatives of people who are in a situation of dependency and who are currently under the care of mothers, wives, children, who are officials of the University of La Serena. and thus, not only benefit people with disabilities, but also those who provide support in daily life who find themselves in this condition.

Furthermore, on the occasion, the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, highlighted how important it is for the university to work on these issues that promote the vision of being an inclusive University. “These training workshops also add to a series of initiatives that reflect the commitment of the University of La Serena in matters of human rights, gender equality and inclusion, a policy that also considers the execution of various projects to incorporate conditions of universal accessibility,” he said.

For his part, the Director of Human Resources of the University, Dr. Héctor Bugueño Egaña, spoke about the work that has been involved in promoting and leading this initiative together with other departments of the University and the importance of this work. “This initiative arises from the need to provide tools to our caregivers, in order to progressively eliminate the barriers that violate their rights, and at the same time, contribute to the quality of life of people and contribute to cultural change. what is expected for a civilized society,” he indicated.

To conclude this ceremony, the agreement was signed by the races involved in this activity. This is how the academic Álvaro Puelles signed the Kinesiology degree, representing Dr. Alfredo Gary; for Dentistry, academic Cristián Castillo, representing Dr. Cristian Oyanadel; by Law, the Director of the race, Germán Solís; for the Department of Health, the Coordinator, Dr. Sandra Sacre; for Psychology, the academic Camila Velasco; for Nursing, the Director, Mg. Alejandra Jana; for the Department of Education, the Director, Dr. Erika Zúñiga; for the Disability Support Program, the Coordinator, Dr. Georgina García; and for Human Resources, the Director, Dr. Héctor Bugueño.

Authorities, directors, academics and officials of the house of higher education participated in this Thanksgiving.

As part of the activities to celebrate the founding anniversary of the University of La Serena, the University Pastoral organized the Thanksgiving Mass this Thursday for the 37 years of life of the ULS.

The celebration was led by priest Fernando Castro, from the San José de Algarrobito parish.

Authorities, directors, academics and officials of the house of higher education participated in this Thanksgiving.

Authorities, directors, academics, officials and students of the house of higher education were present at the opening ceremony.

With the raising of the national and institutional pavilion, carried out on the front of the Central House, the day of celebration of the 37th anniversary of the University of La Serena began.

Authorities - headed by the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés - directors, academics, officials and students of the house of higher education, were present at the traditional raising of the pavilions, which was in charge of officials Joselyn Bertolla, (General Secretariat) ; Boris Espinoza (Corporate Communications), Silvia Briceño (School of Education in History and Geography) and Mónica Paulet (Department of Physical Education and Sports). Along with them, the former academic Herman Carvajal and the professional graduated from the ULS, Ricardo Orrego, participated.

On the occasion, the Rector gave a greeting to those present, highlighting the achievements achieved by the ULS in the last year and motivating all its members to continue strengthening their role within the regional, national and international context.

The students of the Universidad de La Serena Kindergarten were also present at this ceremony, presenting the Rector Avilés with a birthday card in which they delivered a message and good wishes on this new institutional anniversary. The Transition level preschoolers, Antonia Arancibia and Matías Barbá, were in charge of delivering the greeting to the university authority.
 
The ceremony included the participation of the Youth Symphonic Band of the Jorge Peña Hen Experimental School of Music, directed by Professor Sergio Fuentes, whose members delighted the attendees with their melodies.

This year it was decided to create a welcoming space through sports and recreation to internalize and enhance generic skills of students entering their first year in one of the courses assigned to the Faculty.

March is the month when classes begin, but there are also those who enter the University for the first time and, with this, receive the “welcome mechana.” The “mechoneo” has been characterized as a milestone of initiation into the university world, a rite that is carried out every year, which is why it has become an old tradition for new students.

The Faculty of Engineering of the ULS, which has openly stated that it is against those activities where the limits of respect for people are transgressed in order to subject them to public shame and damage to their physical integrity, decided to generate this year a welcome space through sports and recreation to internalize and enhance generic skills of students entering the first year in one of the courses assigned to the Faculty.

Likewise, FIULS seeks to strengthen the tutoring and orientation program for university life, Mentoring, through sports and recreation activities in welcoming new students; internalize generic skills such as teamwork, leadership, effective communication, proactivity, innovation and creativity in their students; eliminate the traditional “mechoneo” carried out by old students towards first-year students, through a positive activity that contributes to the training of students; strengthen students' interpersonal relationships through group dynamics; and promote Good Treatment and camaraderie through various recreational and recreational activities among its students.

In this sense, the Dean of FIULS, Dr. Ing. Mario Durán Lillo, thanked everyone who contributed and supported this activity carried out on Tuesday, March 20, and especially the students who participated.

The workshops aimed to promote comprehensive training in the participants, with a strong social and professional commitment, developing the themes with certain specifications and with emphasis on their gender and human rights approaches.

Within the framework of the conference called “Gender Violence and Prevention: A Task for Everyone”, an activity that was part of the commemoration of the thirty-seventh anniversary of the University of La Serena, the certification of training on violence prevention was carried out. intimate partner violence with a gender perspective, organized by the ULS, the National Service for Women and Gender Equality (SernamEG), the Liwen Women's Center and the Men's Center for a Life without Violence.

These training workshops, aimed at members of the university community and the general public, aimed to promote comprehensive training in participants, with a strong social and professional commitment, developing the themes with certain specifications and with emphasis on their approaches to gender and human rights.

During this day, which sought to promote a culture that respects gender differences in the institution and in the region, Dr. Georgina García, in charge of the Inclusion and Gender Table of the ULS, pointed out that these actions are part of the commitment of the state universities for “modifying the culture, policies and practices so that there is a more inclusive and respectful community, and also a profound transformation of the country so that no woman suffers from violence due to her condition (…). “Studies like ours are dedicated to being examples of a culture that is more respectful of gender identity.”

In this sense, the Rector of the ULS, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, stated that in recent years the University has been addressing highly relevant issues, such as, for example, gender equality, human rights, disability, indigenous peoples, harassment and discrimination. , which reflects that “the institution collaborates on public policies, always at the forefront of the social changes that our society requires.”

For her part, the Regional Director(s) of the National Service for Women and Gender Equality, Nidia Aspe, highlighted the development of joint activities with the University, pointing out that this alliance “began several years ago, but that concrete in 2016 with the signing of a collaboration agreement, whose objective is precisely to generate spaces of inclusion with gender perspectives within the university. As an institution, we tremendously value the openness of this University.”

Dr. Georgina García recalled that training on intimate partner violence with a gender focus has been carried out since 2011 with the support of SernamEG, the Liwen Women's Center and the Men's Center for a Life without Violence. In addition, he expressed that the first workshops had the support of the DGAE and the Human Resources Directorate, and that they currently receive the collaboration of the Accreditation Office, "that is, there are many instances (of the institution) that are collaborating so that These workshops last over time and continue to grow.”

It is worth remembering that in addition to the agreement signed between the University of La Serena and SernamEG, in 2016 the Inclusion and Gender Roundtable was formed with the purpose of developing joint actions that promote respect for women, such as equality in different areas of institutional, regional and national life.

The activity, held in the Pentagon Room of the ULS, considered the talk “Gender and Violence in the Context of Couples”, given by the regional manager of the Violence against Women Unit, Juan Liempi. University authorities, directors, representatives of the Student Federation, training participants and special guests were present.