Biology students Diana Carolina Grimaldos González, María Andrea Caviedes Joya and Danna Valentina Morantes Estévez presented their research projects at the Ibero-American Contest of Student Science and Technology Projects (Infomatrix Colombia 2024).
This event aims to promote scientific culture for social benefit through science outreach projects in which students from 5 to 25 years of age from all over Latin America can participate.
There, Grimaldos Gonzalez won the bronze medal with the research entitled ‘Systematic review: coat characteristics in Felis catus (domestic cat) and its relationship with diseases and behavior’, which aims to determine whether there is a relationship between phenotypic characteristics of the coat in domestic cats with behavioral patterns and predisposition to diseases.
“It was a new and enriching experience because I had never participated in an event of this style and I was able to learn about projects, make new contacts, meet other cultures and happy for the bronze obtained. And it is an important recognition because it means that the work we do is important for research and is a contribution to society. I am proud to leave the UIS well positioned and I hope to participate again in events of this type,” said Grimaldos Gonzalez, Biology student.
María Andrea Caviedes Joya and Danna Valentina Morantes Estévez jointly presented the work ‘Exploring genetics through feline fur: educational workshops in schools in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga’, which aimed to teach basic concepts of genetics to high school students through the study of phenotypic markers in the fur of domestic cats.
Infomatrix takes place in state and regional stages where the best teams qualify for the corresponding national phase. It is organized by the Latin American Society of Science and Technology (Solacyt), with the objective of supporting young people in taking their school projects to the next level, presenting them to the community and seeking their application in the social environment in order to become agents of change, innovation and entrepreneurship.
