“Innovating in Feminine: Women in Montegancedo 2024” is the second edition of an event that was created to publicize the science developed by women scientists of the Montegancedo Campus, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Last Thursday, February 15th, the School of Computer Engineering (ETSIINF) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), hosted the conference “Innovating in feminine: Women in Montegancedo” organized by the IMDEA Software Institute, in collaboration with the E-USOC, CBGP and CTB, which was attended by more than 150 high school students.
The day began with a warm and brief welcome given by Blanca Gutiérrez, IMDEA Software’s Communication Manager, who was in charge of the organization of the event. In her speech, she thanked the ETSIINF for the support provided and stressed the importance of scientific dissemination as an essential mechanism for the promotion of scientific vocations, and more specifically in women.
This was followed by a round table composed of representatives from the four research centers participating in the meeting: Claudia Bartoli (IMDEA Software), Elena Ramírez Parra (CBGP-CSIC), Úrsula Andrea Martínez Álvarez (E-USOC), and Lucía Prieto Santamaría (CTB), moderated by Clara Benac, professor and researcher at ETSIINF. In addition to a brief introduction by the researchers, many questions from the audience were answered about the myths regarding scientific careers, salaries and much more.
After the panel discussion, the round of workshops began. “Climate Change: Plants Fight Back” from the CBGP was the first proposal with the participation of the scientists: Laura Rodriguez, Mar Garcia, Catalina Arnaiz, and Elena Ramirez. They talked about biotechnology and environmental biotechnology and their relationship with sectors such as economics, physiology, ethics and genetics. In addition, they explained how and why they use computers in their biotechnology research.
“Playing with Artificial Intelligence” was the next workshop given by Georgia Christofidi, PhD student at the IMDEA Software Institute. The researcher introduced artificial intelligence and its aspects by proposing practical examples of both goals and applications of AI today. She interacted with the audience by asking whether certain products had AI or not, such as cars, vacuum cleaners, or video games. Finally, seven volunteers took the stage to create images from text and put a finishing touch to a story about Ada Lovelace.
Georgia’s presentation was followed by a break where attendees were able to interact with each other and with the scientists. Upon returning to the auditorium, Pilar Quevedo, academic secretary and professor of the ETSIINF UPM, welcomed the students again, stressing the importance of pursuing their dreams and breaking their limits.
Úrsula Andrea Martínez Álvarez, E-USOC postdoctoral researcher, was next, with her workshop: “Space science: experiments in microgravity”. In it, she explained that space research focuses on space exploration and earth observation. In addition, she told the audience about her own microgravity space science experiment, which is the first Spanish experiment on the International Space Station.
Finally, it was the turn of the workshop “From spiders to brains: what is biomedical technology?” by CTB. Researchers Ana Julia Bautista Palacios, Marta Turégano López, Cristina Castro, Giulia Varotto and Belén Otero Carrasco showed the work of their research groups, which are dedicated, among other things, to creating biomaterials based on silkworm fibers to repair tissues, how the different areas of our brain communicate, or how biological sex can affect the functioning of a drug.
