The Government of the neighboring country intends to build these devices in its territory, so it ordered its scientists to carry out this task. The Argentinian experts already have Dr. Juan Luis Gautier’s academic collaboration. He is an academic at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and one of the few researchers in this field in the continent. He expressed surprise at Senator Carlos Cantero’s statement about the absence of research on this subject in Chile,   even though we have large reserves of this mineral.

Dr. Juan Luis Gautier, the researcher and current dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of the University, was surprised at the statement made recently by Senator Carlos Cantero, member of the newly created Commission on the Future of the Senate, at Radio Universidad de Santiago.

According to the legislator, and based on information provided by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (Conycit), there is no research in Chile, at the graduate level or carried out by academics about issues associated with lithium. "We don’t have experts on lithium and no research on this matter in our country; this is really a cult to stupidity," said the senator, emphasizing that Chile is one of the largest producers of this mineral in the world.

“Clearly, the senator received incorrect information”, says dean Gautier, because the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, and he, in particular, have been working for a few years in improving lithium batteries, useful devices for electric cars and other electronics, such as  portable phones and computers. In fact, the Faculty has Conicyt funded projects; one of them is still officially in progress.

He has also created a particular scientific cooperation, focused on the development and manufacture of lithium batteries, with the National University of La Plata, Argentina.
The neighboring country is developing a government policy to manufacture these energy devices, and it comprises, in a first stage, batteries for computers and then for less polluting cars. In this context, Argentinian investigators came to the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, in order to keep in touch with the academic Gautier, who currently heads the Fondecyt project "Lithium batteries: new nanostructured electrodes based on nickel" (Project No. 1110755 Fondecyt Regular). "Our job is to prepare new materials (electrodes) for lithium batteries. We deal with the synthesis of these elements, their characterization and use by loading and unloading tests, “Dr. Gautier.explains.

Greater autonomy
The focus of the research led by the dean Gautier is making these batteries have a maximum capacity of autonomy for an extended period, allowing electric cars go for medium and long distances. "Today, they can only be used in the cities," the scholar warns.
At the National University of La Plata they believe that the mineral potential in both countries requires the need to establish a closer collaboration. "South America represents 75% of global reservoir of lithium and that's something we need to start taking advantage. If we have the knowledge, experience and raw material, the process is only a matter of time and collaboration, "said Dr. Arnaldo Visintin, a researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de la Plata, in his recent visit to the University.

"Society is giving the possibility to develop technology while we give away the gold we have in our countries," Dr. Visintin criticized, in the context of a lectured delivered to academics and students from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and other units.
For Gautier there is a whole future presented by the lithium batteries. In this context, he announced the development of a joint project between the two countries. In his view, the Chilean government should devote a significant amount of resources to this project.
Dr. Gautier preferred not to delve into Senator Cantero’s words. However, he expressed his intention to present personally his scientific work on lithium batteries to the Legislative Power and all government agencies that require it.

What are we? Are we just our cells or microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account, according to the philosopher Dr. Davide Vecchi professor at the University, who studies the subject in a Fondecyt Initiation Project.

"The philosophical importance of microbial research: the emergence of a new general overview of life" is what Dr. Davide Vecchi, Professor of the Philosophy Department at the University pretends to unveil, in a Fondecyt Project Initiation.

The Italian academic, motivated by the split between science and humanities in the Chilean context, attempts to explore this issue. "I cannot understand why this breakdown occurs. For me, it is natural that science and the humanities should go hand in hand. I consider this a problem of crucial importance, because if Chile needs to develop, it is necessary to question this separation.  An interdisciplinary view is required”, he says.

Specifically, Dr. Vecchi will focus his study considering microbiology, a developing science that deals with the study of microorganisms, because he thinks it has important philosophical implications.

This idea may seem original, but Dr. Vecchi argues that there is diverse research being developed in this framework, "especially in the United States and Australia, where there are many philosophers and scientists working together and doing interdisciplinary work and research in various aspects.”

What are we?
For example, when the Genome Project was completed in 2003, U.S. President Bill Clinton informed the world that the necessary information to understand even the nature of human diseases was already available. However, Dr. Vecchi argues that these promises have not materialized, "because the human body is not just formed by cells with the same genome, but it contains innumerable microbes that directly affect its development and physiology.”

This human exposure to bacteria, viruses and microbes leads to philosophical questions, because "we may ask ourselves: what are we? Are we just our cells? Or are we microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account", this University’s expert says. He is working on this project together with with Isaac Hernandez, a thesis student of the Master’s Degree in Philosophy of Science in the same institution.

His research began in October and he expects to finish it on September 2013, after a series of presentations of his work in Argentina, Santiago and Concepcion. Besides, he is keeping in touch with two research centers, one in Australia and another in Austria, in order to interact with other philosophers, biologists and microbiologists, with similar interests. The results will be published in, at least, one international ISI journal, Dr. Vecchi tells in advance.

The Government of the neighboring country intends to build these devices in its territory, so it ordered its scientists to carry out this task. The Argentinian experts already have Dr. Juan Luis Gautier’s academic collaboration. He is an academic at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and one of the few researchers in this field in the continent. He expressed surprise at Senator Carlos Cantero’s statement about the absence of research on this subject in Chile,   even though we have large reserves of this mineral.

Dr. Juan Luis Gautier, the researcher and current dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of the University, was surprised at the statement made recently by Senator Carlos Cantero, member of the newly created Commission on the Future of the Senate, at Radio Universidad de Santiago.

According to the legislator, and based on information provided by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (Conycit), there is no research in Chile, at the graduate level or carried out by academics about issues associated with lithium. "We don’t have experts on lithium and no research on this matter in our country; this is really a cult to stupidity," said the senator, emphasizing that Chile is one of the largest producers of this mineral in the world.

“Clearly, the senator received incorrect information”, says dean Gautier, because the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, and he, in particular, have been working for a few years in improving lithium batteries, useful devices for electric cars and other electronics, such as  portable phones and computers. In fact, the Faculty has Conicyt funded projects; one of them is still officially in progress.

He has also created a particular scientific cooperation, focused on the development and manufacture of lithium batteries, with the National University of La Plata, Argentina.
The neighboring country is developing a government policy to manufacture these energy devices, and it comprises, in a first stage, batteries for computers and then for less polluting cars. In this context, Argentinian investigators came to the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, in order to keep in touch with the academic Gautier, who currently heads the Fondecyt project "Lithium batteries: new nanostructured electrodes based on nickel" (Project No. 1110755 Fondecyt Regular). "Our job is to prepare new materials (electrodes) for lithium batteries. We deal with the synthesis of these elements, their characterization and use by loading and unloading tests, “Dr. Gautier.explains.

Greater autonomy
The focus of the research led by the dean Gautier is making these batteries have a maximum capacity of autonomy for an extended period, allowing electric cars go for medium and long distances. "Today, they can only be used in the cities," the scholar warns.
At the National University of La Plata they believe that the mineral potential in both countries requires the need to establish a closer collaboration. "South America represents 75% of global reservoir of lithium and that's something we need to start taking advantage. If we have the knowledge, experience and raw material, the process is only a matter of time and collaboration, "said Dr. Arnaldo Visintin, a researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de la Plata, in his recent visit to the University.

"Society is giving the possibility to develop technology while we give away the gold we have in our countries," Dr. Visintin criticized, in the context of a lectured delivered to academics and students from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and other units.
For Gautier there is a whole future presented by the lithium batteries. In this context, he announced the development of a joint project between the two countries. In his view, the Chilean government should devote a significant amount of resources to this project.
Dr. Gautier preferred not to delve into Senator Cantero’s words. However, he expressed his intention to present personally his scientific work on lithium batteries to the Legislative Power and all government agencies that require it.

What are we? Are we just our cells or microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account, according to the philosopher Dr. Davide Vecchi professor at the University, who studies the subject in a Fondecyt Initiation Project.

"The philosophical importance of microbial research: the emergence of a new general overview of life" is what Dr. Davide Vecchi, Professor of the Philosophy Department at the University pretends to unveil, in a Fondecyt Project Initiation.

The Italian academic, motivated by the split between science and humanities in the Chilean context, attempts to explore this issue. "I cannot understand why this breakdown occurs. For me, it is natural that science and the humanities should go hand in hand. I consider this a problem of crucial importance, because if Chile needs to develop, it is necessary to question this separation.  An interdisciplinary view is required”, he says.

Specifically, Dr. Vecchi will focus his study considering microbiology, a developing science that deals with the study of microorganisms, because he thinks it has important philosophical implications.

This idea may seem original, but Dr. Vecchi argues that there is diverse research being developed in this framework, "especially in the United States and Australia, where there are many philosophers and scientists working together and doing interdisciplinary work and research in various aspects.”

What are we?
For example, when the Genome Project was completed in 2003, U.S. President Bill Clinton informed the world that the necessary information to understand even the nature of human diseases was already available. However, Dr. Vecchi argues that these promises have not materialized, "because the human body is not just formed by cells with the same genome, but it contains innumerable microbes that directly affect its development and physiology.”

This human exposure to bacteria, viruses and microbes leads to philosophical questions, because "we may ask ourselves: what are we? Are we just our cells? Or are we microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account", this University’s expert says. He is working on this project together with with Isaac Hernandez, a thesis student of the Master’s Degree in Philosophy of Science in the same institution.

His research began in October and he expects to finish it on September 2013, after a series of presentations of his work in Argentina, Santiago and Concepcion. Besides, he is keeping in touch with two research centers, one in Australia and another in Austria, in order to interact with other philosophers, biologists and microbiologists, with similar interests. The results will be published in, at least, one international ISI journal, Dr. Vecchi tells in advance.

The Government of the neighboring country intends to build these devices in its territory, so it ordered its scientists to carry out this task. The Argentinian experts already have Dr. Juan Luis Gautier’s academic collaboration. He is an academic at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and one of the few researchers in this field in the continent. He expressed surprise at Senator Carlos Cantero’s statement about the absence of research on this subject in Chile,   even though we have large reserves of this mineral.

Dr. Juan Luis Gautier, the researcher and current dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of the University, was surprised at the statement made recently by Senator Carlos Cantero, member of the newly created Commission on the Future of the Senate, at Radio Universidad de Santiago.

According to the legislator, and based on information provided by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (Conycit), there is no research in Chile, at the graduate level or carried out by academics about issues associated with lithium. "We don’t have experts on lithium and no research on this matter in our country; this is really a cult to stupidity," said the senator, emphasizing that Chile is one of the largest producers of this mineral in the world.

“Clearly, the senator received incorrect information”, says dean Gautier, because the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, and he, in particular, have been working for a few years in improving lithium batteries, useful devices for electric cars and other electronics, such as  portable phones and computers. In fact, the Faculty has Conicyt funded projects; one of them is still officially in progress.

He has also created a particular scientific cooperation, focused on the development and manufacture of lithium batteries, with the National University of La Plata, Argentina.
The neighboring country is developing a government policy to manufacture these energy devices, and it comprises, in a first stage, batteries for computers and then for less polluting cars. In this context, Argentinian investigators came to the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, in order to keep in touch with the academic Gautier, who currently heads the Fondecyt project "Lithium batteries: new nanostructured electrodes based on nickel" (Project No. 1110755 Fondecyt Regular). "Our job is to prepare new materials (electrodes) for lithium batteries. We deal with the synthesis of these elements, their characterization and use by loading and unloading tests, “Dr. Gautier.explains.

Greater autonomy
The focus of the research led by the dean Gautier is making these batteries have a maximum capacity of autonomy for an extended period, allowing electric cars go for medium and long distances. "Today, they can only be used in the cities," the scholar warns.
At the National University of La Plata they believe that the mineral potential in both countries requires the need to establish a closer collaboration. "South America represents 75% of global reservoir of lithium and that's something we need to start taking advantage. If we have the knowledge, experience and raw material, the process is only a matter of time and collaboration, "said Dr. Arnaldo Visintin, a researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de la Plata, in his recent visit to the University.

"Society is giving the possibility to develop technology while we give away the gold we have in our countries," Dr. Visintin criticized, in the context of a lectured delivered to academics and students from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and other units.
For Gautier there is a whole future presented by the lithium batteries. In this context, he announced the development of a joint project between the two countries. In his view, the Chilean government should devote a significant amount of resources to this project.
Dr. Gautier preferred not to delve into Senator Cantero’s words. However, he expressed his intention to present personally his scientific work on lithium batteries to the Legislative Power and all government agencies that require it.

What are we? Are we just our cells or microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account, according to the philosopher Dr. Davide Vecchi professor at the University, who studies the subject in a Fondecyt Initiation Project.

"The philosophical importance of microbial research: the emergence of a new general overview of life" is what Dr. Davide Vecchi, Professor of the Philosophy Department at the University pretends to unveil, in a Fondecyt Project Initiation.

The Italian academic, motivated by the split between science and humanities in the Chilean context, attempts to explore this issue. "I cannot understand why this breakdown occurs. For me, it is natural that science and the humanities should go hand in hand. I consider this a problem of crucial importance, because if Chile needs to develop, it is necessary to question this separation.  An interdisciplinary view is required”, he says.

Specifically, Dr. Vecchi will focus his study considering microbiology, a developing science that deals with the study of microorganisms, because he thinks it has important philosophical implications.

This idea may seem original, but Dr. Vecchi argues that there is diverse research being developed in this framework, "especially in the United States and Australia, where there are many philosophers and scientists working together and doing interdisciplinary work and research in various aspects.”

What are we?
For example, when the Genome Project was completed in 2003, U.S. President Bill Clinton informed the world that the necessary information to understand even the nature of human diseases was already available. However, Dr. Vecchi argues that these promises have not materialized, "because the human body is not just formed by cells with the same genome, but it contains innumerable microbes that directly affect its development and physiology.”

This human exposure to bacteria, viruses and microbes leads to philosophical questions, because "we may ask ourselves: what are we? Are we just our cells? Or are we microbes and other entities? These questions have many epistemological, ontological and metaphysical implications that were never taken into account", this University’s expert says. He is working on this project together with with Isaac Hernandez, a thesis student of the Master’s Degree in Philosophy of Science in the same institution.

His research began in October and he expects to finish it on September 2013, after a series of presentations of his work in Argentina, Santiago and Concepcion. Besides, he is keeping in touch with two research centers, one in Australia and another in Austria, in order to interact with other philosophers, biologists and microbiologists, with similar interests. The results will be published in, at least, one international ISI journal, Dr. Vecchi tells in advance.