Book "Natural laboratories for Chile" highlights the value of national territory for scientific development
The work poses the challenge take advantage of the unique features of Chile, promoting the use of our territory for research. It was edited by scholars UC José Miguel Aguilera, National Science Award, and Felipe Larraín, current Minister of finance. The launch was attended by the President of the Republic, Sebastián Piñera.
In the Hall of Honor, Central House of UC, during a ceremony headed by the rector Ignacio Sánchez, was presented the book ofClapés UCandUC editions,Natural laboratories for Chileedited by thechemical engineering UC, master of science from MIT and national prize of applied and Technological Sciences José Miguel Aguilera, and thesales engineer UC, Dr. in economics from Harvard and current Finance Minister, Felipe Larraín.
The presentation was organized by the Associate Dean of engineering, Loreto Valenzuela; the director of Clapes UC, Hernán de Solminihac; and the Director of Ediciones UC, María Angélica Zegers. At the ceremony, the play was commented on by Bruno Philippi, President of Sofofa, and Laura Pérez, academic in the Department of Astrophysics of the University of Chile.
The ceremonyattended also by President Sebastián Piñera, Minister of health, Emilio Santelices, Senator Guido Girardi and Deputy Jorge Alessandri, among other government officials. In addition, Ambassadors of different Nations, mayors, Presidents of other houses of study, researchers and entrepreneurs were presented.
The rector Ignacio Sánchez began by thanking the editors andRecognizing the importance of the transdisciplinary approach of the book. Also, you mentioned some contributions from the UC in terms of research, which associated with the concept of "natural laboratories".For example, were arrested in the research work carried out at the experimental station of Alto Patache, located in the Region of Tarapacá, where UC scholars have worked on the progress of solar energy, and weather systems.
Bruno Philippi, meanwhile,It acknowledged the efforts to bring forward this publication and emphasized the challenge which has Chile in the scientific field, something which it considers it has slope. In addition, it spoke about the importance of local scientific training, of the fundamental role played by academics as awakening astonishment capacity of children, and the need to generate more and better opportunities, for example through funds competitive.
Meanwhile, Laura Pérez shared his personal experience as a scientific research and teaching, andHe said that it should - and can - replicate what has been done in the area of astronomy in other areas of science. It also proposed to promote the search for new natural laboratories, beyond of which mentions the book.
The ceremony concluded with some words from the editors. Jdare Miguel Aguilera, for his part, he mentioned some of the unique comparative advantages of Chile and the challenge yet to be country. In addition, he recalled how his interest in writing this book began and how devised the concept of "natural laboratories" for the first time.
Finally,Felipe Larraín highlighted the positive effects that would be the development of natural laboratories in terms of regionalization and decentralization. In addition, mentioned the economic consequences, taking into account the productive diversification and the promotion of tourism specialty.
The book
In general terms, this book poses the challenge of take advantage of the unique features of Chile and get the best experts in the world to use the country as a new and revolutionary natural laboratory to work together in the areas in Chile has comparative advantages to make science with impact nationally and globally.
Chile is an emerging country which is located far from the major centers of science of tip, but has unique features that have been used, for example, in the astronomical field, which can be replicated in many other areas of science and technology.
It has exceptional skies to explore the universe; privileged access to the territory, Antarctic and subantarctic; extreme natural events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods, which, by its repeated occurrence, allow the study and development of new technologies that help anticipate and better resist these phenomena; huge tracts of land exposed to the Sun in unique conditions that enable new studies of solar energy; and many other opportunities.
