With the aim of promoting student participation in citizen science processes, the Industrial University of Santander, through the Halley group of the School of Physics, presented the project “Orchid Cluster – Environmental Monitoring for Climate Change Adaptation” at the UIS Málaga Campus, an initiative involving educational institutions in the province of García Rovira.
The meeting was attended by principals and delegates from schools in the region, who learned about the scope of this social outreach proposal supported by the Orchids call for proposals from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The project includes the installation of weather and air quality monitoring stations in some schools in the region, as well as the creation of scientific research seedbeds, made up of secondary school students, who will be trained to collect and analyze environmental data.
According to Laura Flórez, a postdoctoral researcher with the Halley group, the goal is to reach different provinces in Santander.
“The activities will be carried out in two stages: the first, training guided by the Halley group team; and the second, the development of scientific projects contextualized in climate change and the impact of human activity on the environment. The sessions will be face-to-face and virtual, and will be accompanied by local teachers,” she said.
For her part, Yerly Salina Ramírez, from the Normal School in the municipality of El Cerrito, highlighted the importance of the project for the comprehensive training of students, as it allows them to recognize their context and propose solutions to the problems that affect them. She also emphasized that everything related to climate change is of vital importance and appreciated that educational institutions can coordinate efforts to find effective solutions.
In this way, the UIS continues to strengthen its commitment to the scientific education of young people in the regions, generating knowledge with social and environmental impact.
