• With didactic experiments, presentations given by experts, workshops, contests and exhibitions, the 5th version of the Universidad de Santiago’s Scientific Fair was held for three days. The activity is organized by the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology and is recognized as one of the main activities for science dissemination in Chile.
• According to the fair’s coordinator, Professor Leonora Mendoza, “it is encouraging to see how the future professionals of this Faculty are committed to this initiative, in which students from many schools can be scientists for a day.”
• The recipient of the National Award of Exact Sciences 2001, Fernando Lund, who was invited to the fair, shared with visitors and expressed his admiration for “the success of the fair and the eagerness and commitment shown by the organizers.”

From a recipe for home-made tooth paste to a method for frying eggs without a fire: these are some of the experiments that called the attention of more than a thousand secondary students who visited the 5th version of the Universidad de Santiago’s Scientific Fair, between Thursday 25th and Saturday 27th of September, which is organized by the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology.

Around 600 people- students from schools of Santiago, mainly- participated every day in this fair that is recognized as one of the main activities for science dissemination in our country.

In the successful activity, the visitors, some of them with their families, were able to participate for free in experiments, contests and presentations given by experts, besides touring the laboratories of the University, where they were shown different experiences of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Mathematics and Electrical Engineering Departments.

“It is encouraging to see how the future professionals of this Faculty are so committed to this initiative, in which students from many schools can be scientists for a day,” the fair’s coordinator and Professor at the University, Leonora Mendoza, said.

Together with the 45 scientific experiments shown every day, presentations were given by guests like the renowned physicist Fernando Lund, recipient of the National Award of Exact Sciences 2001, who highlighted the importance of promoting scientific thinking in the country.

“I am very impressed how successful this fair is. The eagerness and commitment of the organizers are notable, so I congratulate Universidad de Santiago and the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology for this activity,” Lund said, adding that “controlling scientific thinking and knowledge allows us, human beings and societies, to be free.”

Commitment of all the faculty members

The 2014 version of the Universidad de Santiago’s Scientific Fair is the result of the commitment of more than 1,000 students, professors and staff of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology

Aracely Flores, a student of the fourth year of the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Program, who was in charge of organizing the activity this year, highlighted the efforts made over several months to have a successful fair.

“We had to work hard to settle ideas, find sponsors, contact exhibitors and coordinate with the authorities. But today, when we see this excellent rate of response, we are very pleased with the results of our efforts,” she said.

Together with the didactic activities developed at the campus, the third version of the contest Concurso de Proyectos Científicos Dra. Elsa Abuin was held, in which the best scientific project presented by the participant schools was selected.

The successful 5th version of the Universidad de Santiago’s Scientific Fair was sponsored by the Explora Conicyt Program, Fundación Más Ciencia, Soviquim and Fundación Más Ciencia para Chile.


Translated by Marcela Contreras

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