CEGA actively involved in Science Month celebrations spreading the word on geothermal

Friday, 28 de October

With the aim to promote geothermal energy in the society, CEGA`s researchers took the challenge of communicating in a friendly and interactive way.

Through analog models that explain the operation of a geothermal plant, plus videos, experiments and educational materials on volcanoes and direct use of Earth`s heat, CEGA`s stall achieved to engage thousands of people who visited the Explora Conicyt Science and Technology Festival and the Science and Engineering Festival at the University of Chile. Both are free events where diverse institutions exhibit their research to non-experts publics.

CEGA`s postgraduate students were responsible for communicating and generating interest among more than 12,000 people who visited the Festival of Science and 15,000 who went to the Festival at the University of Chile.

About this experience, Marcela Pizarro, PhD CEGA student, says: “It was very rewarding because people made very original questions, which I never thought about before. I was surprised for people`s interest in direct use and how it is being implemented in Chile. Many were interested in using geothermal energy in their homes, had no prejudices about it and wondered why there is not more of this energy in the country”

Ornella Saltori, another CEGA PhD student, also participated as instructor of “Julieta in Girl’s Land” workshop, an activity specially adapted to promote the interest for science in girls. About this opportunity she says: “Girls were very curious and wanted to know more about the rocks. They stayed a long time playing with the exploration kit “.

The Science and Engineering Festival also hosted the talks “How to get energy from volcanoes?” by researcher Diego Aravena, and “Brief overview of geothermal energy in Chile” presented by CEGA`s director, Diego Morata.

It adds to this list the talk given by CEGA`s postdoctoral researcher Benigno Godoy, who shared with students from the Ena Bellemans Montti School, as part of the Explora Conicyt initiative “1000 scientists 1000 classrooms”. During his visit, the researcher presented his talk “Volcanic Eruptions and supercalderas in northern and central Chile”, including videos and simple experiments that demonstrated how volcanoes erupt and the inflation of the crust due to magma intrusion

“It was a very rewarding activity. The teacher and students behaved in a friendly manner and paid attention to all activities associated with the talk. That day I also presented different types of volcanic rocks and some of the work tools of a geologist (magnifier and compass)“adds the CEGA`s researcher.