Attendees will learn techniques on how to check parts of their mouth, be able to identify and detect if there is something worrying in it and know when to consult.

With the objective of informing and raising awareness in the community of the Coquimbo Region about the importance of self-examination in the oral cavity and its main pathologies, the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena in conjunction with the Dentistry career of the house of higher education, will give this Tuesday, October 28, the conference: “How to prevent oral cancer and know when to consult in time”, which will be directed by Javier Quilodrán Bazán, ULS academic, dental surgeon and Mg. in Pedagogy applied to Higher Education.

Through this talk, the academic seeks to provide attendees with the necessary tools about this type of cancer - still unknown to many - and so that they know what to do when faced with a disease like this. “The topic of oral cancer is an area that is not very developed in the area and there is little knowledge on the part of the population related to what are the most complex pathologies that can occur in the oral cavity. Many people are unaware that cancer can occur on the tongue, lips or part of the oral cavity. The idea is to be able to give the public some tools related to self-examination, so that they can diagnose in time or notice things that may be strange in their mouth and can consult,” Javier Quilodrán clarified.

For the professional, detecting this disease in time and determining a timely diagnosis of the lesions in the oral cavity is essential. However, he adds that many people who suffer from this type of cancer do not know that they have it and that many of their habits influence the spread of this carcinoma in the oral area. "In relation to the habits that can generate malignant lesions in the mouth, there is the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, which are habits that are deeply rooted in the population - especially in fairly young people - and as they are so irritating to the mucous membranes. from our mouth, can cause cancer-producing agents to begin to produce changes at the cell level and those cells can transform into potentially malignant cells. So the idea is for the patient to relate these habits, which although we see them as something super common, there is no knowledge related to the damage they can generate,” determined the academic.

For those who wish to inform themselves and learn about the health of their mouth and prevent future damage in this area, they can attend this conference, which is free of charge and will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the facilities of the University Extension Center. from La Serena, located at 446 Prat Street, in La Serena. For more information, go to this address or contact 2204171 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Source: Press Extension Direction

The inauguration will be in front of the Central House of the University of La Serena.

From October 20 to 24, a new version of “Journey to the Universe 2014” will be held, an activity organized by the Gemini Observatory and which has the collaboration and commitment of the University of La Serena, through its Extension Directorate. and the Department of Physics, with its research astronomers from the Astronomy Group (GAULS). 

The activities that make up the program for this year are varied, where, as in previous versions, schoolchildren in the region will be able to receive astronomers, engineers and professionals related to astronomy in their schools, to participate in entertaining, educational talks. workshops, scientific discussion panels and, as a novelty for this year, they will also have the opportunity to visit the observatories and their facilities and participate in various activities there. 

In this regard, María Antonieta García, in charge of communications and extension of Gemini Sur, indicated that the initiative started 5 years ago, “is an offer to the community in order to bring science closer to everyone, not only astronomical science, But we want people to lose the fear that science is difficult, that we are not going to understand everything that astronomers talk about, and also, if we are the star region and we have this privileged sky, let us take advantage in some way and Let's see what it offers," he emphasized.

The activities are aimed at schools in the region, however, some of them are open to the community for all those interested in participating. More information can be obtained by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 2204333. 

The program of activities 

The university institution will participate in the inauguration of this version of Journey to the Universe, which will take place this Monday, October 20, at 11:30 a.m., in the front of the Central House (Andrés Bello Campus), where various authorities will participate, including the director of Gemini, Dr. Nancy Levenson, the Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, the mayor of La Serena, Roberto Jacob, among other personalities.

Activities begin July 20 and they include a workshop and three talks at the Germán Riesco School, where the ULS astronomer, Amelia Ramírez, will give the conference: How different is our Milky Way from the other galaxies? Subsequently, there will be an activity with kindergartens at the Biblioteca Viva in La Serena, and a Galileoscope assembly workshop. 

El July 21, the activities are transferred to the San Joaquín School, where one of the talks will be given by the ULS astronomer, Dr. Julia Arias, which is entitled: “A star is born”. Continuing with the program, the Technical Scientific Panel will be held: "Importance of the quality of the sky in astronomical science", the same Tuesday at 18:30 p.m. in the ULS Exhibition Hall, with free entry. The panelists are Pedro Sanhueza (OPCC), Nidia Morrell (LCO), Juan Madrid, Rodolfo Angeloni and René Rutten (Gemini), Rodolfo Barba and Sergio Torres (ULS), and Malcolm Smith (CTIO). At the same time, the Alaxpacha Jayri photography exhibition “Our Night Sky” will be on display. 

El miércoles 22 There will be a visit by students from some educational establishments to the Las Campanas Observatory and its facilities, in addition to talks by the observatory's professionals. During the afternoon the activities will be transferred to the Form-Arte school.

El 23 ThursdayIn the morning, the astronomers will visit the Los Carrera School in Coquimbo, and in the afternoon, there will be a visit to Alfa Aldea, in Vicuña, where, in addition to other activities, the painting contest at the Leonardo Da Vinci school in that city will be awarded. commune and a talk by ULS astronomer, Héctor Cuevas, titled “The Universe beyond the galaxies” will be given. 

Finally, the viernes 24 Visits will be carried out to the facilities of the CTIO (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory) and SOAR and Gemini Sur observatories, culminating with this a varied range of activities related to astronomy.

This programming is sponsored by the Municipality of La Serena, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO), Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), Northern Chile Sky Quality Protection Office (OPCC), Sernatur Region of Coquimbo, Alfa Village, Cerro Mayu Observatory and San Joaquín School.

Source: Press Extension Direction

The event is an opportunity to unite generations and show the vitality of the elderly.

Dance, singing, acting and various artistic skills will be exhibited at their next Cultural Embassy by the members of the group of Active Seniors AMAYA, an activity organized jointly by the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena and the aforementioned group. AMAYA holds four similar events a year and this third opportunity will be combined with the month of the elderly and the celebration of its twenty-third anniversary, which makes it a very special meeting. 

The members who present these artistic skills show the product of their annual work in the choir, folklore and AMAYA theater cast workshops, all workshops taught at the group's headquarters and that seek to maintain vitality and demonstrate their joy of living. . 

"The purpose of the embassy, ​​on the one hand, is to improve the quality of life of people (...), the fact of having the activity, of getting together in the circle, is very beneficial to improve the quality of life, to personal relationships. Suddenly, older adults tend to stay a little behind at home and not move, in this case we try to encourage people to participate, even if they don't know or believe that they don't know, that they can't achieve it. (…) let the attempt be made, if deep down we are all trying to have a good time and also make the attempt to do something that we can show to others, that we can invite others and that we can encourage others to join", highlighted María Eugenia Rojas, president of the AMAYA Circle.  

The event, which will also feature the presentation of the guest group "Evocations", will take place this Wednesday, October 22, at 16:00 p.m., in the Ignacio Domeyko Room of the University of La Serena, located at Benavente 980. It is aimed at audiences of all ages, especially other older adults. 

Embassies 2014

In a journey towards what have been the cultural embassies this year, the president of the group recalled that they began in Caleta San Pedro, a meeting marked by the union of generations in the local school.

"At Caleta San Pedro it was very rich to share with parents and students. The director gave us all the necessary facilities to make the presentation at school, so parents and students participated and we really like that, because that is integrate the elderly and the young and show them that ages are not so separating people," María Eugenia recalled.

The second activity of this type was held in the town of Pisco Elqui, a day that not only had the artistic presentation, but also an entertaining picnic lunch. "The Pisco Elqui embassy was different, because it was a walking embassy, ​​we left early, we had lunch there, we enjoyed a beautiful day and we had all the support of the mayor of Paihuano and the people of the municipality," said María Eugenia, who He also emphasizes that the group "Alma Pisqueña" was a guest. 

Around 300 people have participated in these two activities, who, in addition to sharing a pleasant space, are infected with energy and the desire to live. 

The cultural embassies are part of the School for the Elderly, organized by the ULS Extension Directorate.

Source: Press Extension Direction 

The professional cast will perform the winning works of the “Luis Advis” Musical Composition Contest and will be presented within the framework of the “Músicahora” Contemporary Music Meeting.

After two successful presentations of the “Chilean Symphonic Song” concert in La Serena and Salamanca, an “Interpretation Workshop” aimed at children and young members of Illapel orchestras and the presentation of a “Noneto de Cámara” in the same city, the The Symphony Orchestra of the University of La Serena continues with its tireless work, bringing its art to different corners and audiences thanks to the talent of its performers. 

As is traditional, the cast will perform the winning works of the “Luis Advis” Musical Composition Contest, an event organized by the National Council of Culture and the Arts. The awards concert in the Classical Music category will be conducted by Francisco Núñez and will take place on Saturday, October 25 at the Palace Cultural Center in Coquimbo, in an event organized by the regional management of the CNCA. 

Subsequently, the OSULS will be presented within the framework of the “Músicahora” Contemporary Music Meeting, an event that has brought together since 2004 performers specialized in the performance of Contemporary Music around, primarily, the educational community that includes the Department of Music of the University of La Serena and the "Jorge Peña Hen" Experimental School of Music along with the general public. 

This concert will take place on November 7 in the MECESUP room of the ULS Music Department, with a program that includes works by Juan Ángel Ciurleo; Martin Letelier, first prize Luis Advis Competition 2013; Launy Grøndahl; Esteban Correa; and Béla Bartók.

To carry out these and other events, the OSULS receives an important contribution from the National Council of Culture and the Arts, through the National Music Promotion Fund. In addition, it is sponsored by the University of La Serena, Municipality of La Serena, Minera Dominga, Minera Los Pelambres, Fundación Minera Los Pelambres and Sky Airlines. As a Media Partner, they permanently support this organization: Diario El Día, Semanario Tiempo and Bío Bío La Radio, as well as the support of all the media in the Coquimbo Region and its national networks.

The community is invited to follow these activities through the page: ww.sinfonicalaserena.cl and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sinfonicalaserena.

Students from various schools in the region have actively participated in the initiatives.

The first activities that seek to bring astronomy closer to schoolchildren in the region have been developed with great success, through conferences given by professionals from the Astronomy Group of the University of La Serena (GAULS). Two conferences and an astrophotography exhibition have managed to convene more than 300 people in just two weeks of exhibition. 

From October 6 to 30, the exhibition "Alaxpacha Jayri: Our night sky" will be open, a collective exhibition that exhibits different images of the night sky, taken at different astronomical observatories and nearby sites in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions, and that It is open free of charge to the public from Monday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 16:00 p.m. to 18:30 p.m. and Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 16:00 p.m. to 17:30 p.m., in the ULS Exhibition Hall, located at Benavente 950, La Serena.

On the other hand, the first of the conferences had around 120 attendees, students from the Gerónimo Rendic, San Martín de Porres and Liceo Mistraliano de Paihuano schools, who participated in the conference “And once they asked me: how many stars are there in the universe'”, by postdoctoral researcher José Luis Nilo. The second talk was just as well attended, with more than 100 people and was entitled “Massive Stars: Journey to the Rock Stars of the Universe” and was given by postdoctoral researcher Carolina Sabín . Those attending this second activity were students from the Andrés Bello School (Center) and a new group from the San Martín de Porres School. 

In this regard, Carolina Sabín commented that “it is important to bring astronomy closer from a very young age, so that they also know what it is, what research consists of and that they also see that it is a very beautiful part of science (…). Many times it is thought that astronomy is something very distant, for some privileged people, but what we want to do is motivate them to study it and that they like it”. Likewise, José Luis Nilo, highlighted that "we are seeing that people like it and that students are committed, I did not think that more than 100 people were going to be silent paying attention, so we were right it seems, people like the astronomy and likes to know more. It's nice that these things work out and that there's community engagement." 

Finally, among the attendees there was a lot of agreement regarding the contents of the activities, which resolved and generated new doubts. “Personally, I found it a quite interesting exhibition and talk. From my point of view, I find that the universe is something wonderful, interesting, about which little is still known and that has a lot of future in research”, emphasized Fabián Aguirre, a fourth-year student at the Andrés Bello School. 

Source: Press Extension Direction

The second workshop of the course, aimed at the School for the Elderly, was transformed into an entertaining meeting of generations.

“Strategies for the risk of falls” was the title of the practical workshop that prepared 16 older adults in different exercises to strengthen balance and reduce the risk of falls in daily life. The activity began with a theoretical conference and a subsequent evaluation with movement analysis equipment and evolved to work in groups with students from the Kinesiology program at the University of La Serena, as assistants and personalized support for each workshop participant. .

The event generated a pleasant atmosphere of coexistence, valued by both the student assistants, adults and academics of the institution. In this regard, the workshop presenter, Edwin Contreras, referred to the participation of the 16 ULS students in the activity. “Within the activities that we have as a career, the idea is to link students early, but fairly and precisely, with patients and take a reality that allows us to establish relationships with people and hopefully execute certain treatment techniques, whether based on exercise, manual techniques as they were able to see in the workshop, but that our students have a constant and premature connection with the patients and that the patients can also have feedback not only with the professional with whom he is working, but also with the students,” he stated. 

Approval for the workshop and the feeling of satisfaction was widespread among adults, especially because there was a marked difference in generations between students, professionals and older adults, which became an enriching experience for each of the attendees. “It was wonderful because in one way or another they help us live better, to feel alive and forget all the problems one may have, it is a wonderful complement to a better quality of life. For them it is surely a very good experience as well as for us, so it is so nice that two generations come together in a wonderful common goal that serves both them and us,” Olga Casanova emphasized.

New tools to work with older adults

In the activity there were also two kinesiologists and a student from the last years of Nursing, who took the workshop solely to learn tools and reproduce them in their work experience. “I am a kinesiologist and for me it is important to complement my knowledge With this type of workshops, this is how I learn and can also work with my own patients. The workshop was excellent, super dynamic, with a lot of enthusiasm on the part of the members, the older adults, and I think it is super enriching for the older adult and also for us professionals,” commented Marisela Vicencio.

This workshop was part of the School for the Elderly and was organized jointly by the Extension Directorate and the Kinesiology program of the University of La Serena. It is the second workshop in a series of activities that seek to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about kinesiology to the community. 

Source: Press Extension Direction