Outreach 2011, Puerto Varas
This year The Chilean Society for Cell Biology carried out a pilot outreach program in high schools of Puerto Varas including the Deutsche Schule, Colegio Germania, and Colegio Inmaculada Concepción. The aims of the program were to motivate students with the activities of the society, and promote discussions regarding the relevance and impact of science, and scientific careers. We also wanted to acknowledge the importance of engaging the community during our annual meetings.
Young investigator Alvaro Lladser (Fundación Ciencia para la Vida), and PhD students Noelia Escobedo (P. Universidad Católica de Chile), Pedro Cisternas (Universidad de Concepción) and Andrés Titarelli (Universidad de Chile) visited the schools mentioned above and lectured on the impact scientific research has on our daily life. They also emphasized how their own research projects contribute to our modern society, and which avenues they had chosen to dedicate their professional life to science. The response from schoolchildren to this activity was wonderful. They were enthusiastic and honored to receive scientists no much older than themselves, and eager to know if they were coming back. Perhaps more importantly, they were keen to try a closer scientific experience, and they proposed to establish a practical course, for example in fluorescent microscopy. We hope we can expand this program next year to include activities for high school teachers, with more talks by our PhD students and a practical workshop.
If you have additional ideas or are willing to participate during our next annual meeting please contact the directors of the society. We sincerely thank Alvaro, Noelia, Pedro and Andrés for their participation! See some pictures.
