The Center for Scientific Studies (CECs) initiated its educational scientific program "Scientists for a month" in which 19 high school students in Valdivia, Temuco and Osorno will work with CECs researchers in the fields of Physics, Biology and Glaciology. 

In his welcoming words, Dr. Felipe Barros thanked the interest of young people to participate, noting that youngsters in this program will be integrated into scientific working groups, conducting experiments, analyzing data, discussing ideas, and sharing the day-to-day with investigators. He also appreciated that this program provides a unique environment for interaction between young people from public schools and colleges united by their incipient vocation. "In these days of globalization and opportunities, Chile needs to arouse their scientific creative capacity; capacity that is abundant but latent" he said.  

The students were selected from a total of 59 applicants and they come from Colegio Maria Auxiliadora, Instituto Italia, Instituto Salesiano, Colegio Domus Mater, Instituto Alemán Carlos Anwandter, Colegio Nuestra Señora Del Carmen, Liceo Politécnico Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna, Windsor School, George Chaytor English College from Temuco, and Colegio San Mateo from Osorno.

The program “Be a scientist for a fortnight” will last until January 27th, when students present the results of their investigations.

Outstanding scores on the PSU

In the “Be a scientist for a fortnight” program it has been more than 100 students that, besides a remarkable achievement in their secondary school, then they have demonstrated their academic conditions on the PSU. This is the case of Nicole Jara, Nicolás Lemuñir, and Carlos Galea, who excelled in the latest version of the evaluation, and that also participated in the program "Scientists for a month" 2015. 

Meanwhile, Sofia Saavedra (Instituto Inmaculada Concepción) and Pablo Bastias (Windsor School) that also participated in the program “Be a scientist for a fortnight” 2012 in the area of biology, also obtained regional and national scores, respectively. Regarding their participation in “Be a scientist for a fortnight”, Sofia mentioned "It was an enriching experience because it confirmed my love for biology and science in general. When we are in school we cannot see how the work of scientists is, and the program allowed me to open my eyes to the science world. That was that came from my time in Be a scientist for a fortnight”. Pablo Bastías, who obtained 850 points in Science, said “Be a scientist for a fortnight” for a month was very decisive in my motivation for science, it gave me clarity about what I would like to study, because it was much more practical than what we learned in school where everything is theoretical".