Seremi de Ciencia y Tecnología held the first meeting in the Greater South Central Region on ocean-based technological development

The initiative sought to explore the proven capacities of the three institutions to contribute to the regional development strategy of the Biobío region in the marine/ocean context, in order to…

The initiative sought to explore the proven capacities of the three institutions to contribute to the regional development strategy of the Biobío region in the marine/ocean context, in order to advance public policies and work on sustainable development of science and technology. The activity took place on Tuesday, June 27, in Jaime Baeza Auditorium at the University of Concepción, where academics, researchers and authorities from the three study houses introduced themselves.

On behalf of UCSC, Faculty of Science Academician and Director of the Center for Research in Biodiversity and Sustainable Environments (CIBAS), Dr. Patricio Camo. “I appreciate this initiative, and I think it’s great to be able to speak between these universities so close together. Today, all the problems we’re dealing with are complex, require multiple perspectives and something that’s easier said than done, which is the intersection of disciplines,” he said at the start of his presentation.

An interdisciplinary environmental approach

In the context of potential contributions to the development of the region, Dr. Camus noted the relationship with the work done at the University of California, San Francisco: “There are some considerations that we take into account to promote the integrated development of science and technology, and that it is interdisciplinary in research. We must learn to reconcile areas of work For the optimal development of the project. Another great goal is to promote concern for the environment and the preservation of biodiversity, all related to sustainable development.

He also referred to various aspects of the research work of the UCSD College of Science and CIBAS in the marine environment: “For example, we analyze the arrival of invasive species, pathogens and pests on our coasts, especially as a result of biofouling and ballast water from ships. There are models applied internationally They allow us to assess the risks posed by some ships depending on where they come from, since we can estimate what species they could arrive with, however, we realized that these models did not capture some relevant situations and we re-adapted them, ”notes the expert.

In addition, he called on politicians to pay special attention to projects related to environmental, scientific and technological issues. Regarding the previous investigation, he noted that Chile had not ratified the International Convention on the Control and Management of Ballast Waters promoted by the International Maritime Organization. “This is a great example of how the political factor can stop the progress we are making through research and implementation of projects that seek to improve current conditions, as long as this continues to happen, we will not be able to do anything,” he said. Dr. Camus.

Finally, the academic mentioned the importance of maintaining a line of research related to climate change and its phenomena, consequences and impact in the short, medium and long term. “You have to take a broader view and not just talk about global warming or climate change, which is responding to something bigger, which is global change. It’s not just people who know that should gather here and discuss this. There are many people out there who don’t get this topic right. And we need to improve our ways of communicating it. For our way of life, it is very important to know the consequences of global change brought about by human activity,” he concluded.