The objective of the meeting is to promote a space for debate, multidisciplinary updating and stimulation of scientific and technological research in a wide spectrum of areas of knowledge, promoting exchange and integration between Argentine and Chilean researchers.

Nearly 200 researchers, academics and undergraduate and graduate students from Chile and Argentina are participating in the Second Binational Scientific Research Congress, which takes place in La Serena from November 6 to 9, as part of the Paso Agua Integration Committee Negra and the Commission of Higher Education Institutions of the Coquimbo Region.

This second version of the Congress, supported by the Regional Council of Coquimbo, aims to promote a space for debate, multidisciplinary updating and stimulation of scientific and technological research in a wide spectrum of areas of knowledge, promoting exchange and integration between researchers. Argentines and Chileans, thus generating opportunities for academic development related to regional, national and international interests.

The meeting considers the participation of renowned speakers from the scientific context and a series of master classes, presentations and posters, the thematic axes being: Binational economic development; Education and culture; Turistic development; Social development; State, society, power and politics; Medicine and health; Present and future energy; and Geoscience, environment and environmental sustainability.

During the opening ceremony of the meeting, the Regional Mayor, Lucía Pinto, highlighted that the integration between the Region of Coquimbo and the Province of San Juan “must be cultural, academic, scientific and this is an opportunity that demonstrates this: sharing knowledge , advance together through the knowledge of science and technology. “We are very proud to receive this instance and we will continue to develop this type of initiatives.”

Meanwhile, the president of the Commission for the Integration of Higher Education Institutions, Adriana Ledezma, pointed out that this Congress seeks to “promote multidisciplinary updating; promote exchange and integration, because this Commission was born within the framework of the Paso Agua Negra Integration Committee; and generate knowledge through the projects that young researchers have presented, those who have completed their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and who have completed their research, and we will be able to share that knowledge expressed in presentations during these days in the different institutions that make up the Commission".

While the Undersecretary of Promotion of Scientific and Technological Activity and Innovation of the Government of the Province of San Juan, Pablo Díez, valued the organization of this Congress and indicated that “it is very important to unite ties between our teachers, scientists and students from both the Province of San Juan as well as the Region of Coquimbo, is necessary, is valid and has an objective, which is the common good of the country.” And he added that currently one cannot have an isolated view of education and science, “we are in a globalized world where the weaknesses and strengths of one side of the Cordillera as well as the other are very good at compensating for scientific work and training.” .

For her part, the president of the Regional Council of Coquimbo, Adriana Peñafiel, emphasized that for CORE this integration with the Province of San Juan is very important, “particularly on this occasion we are emphasizing the holding of this Second Binational Congress where we can generate exchange scientific and technological, and also the brotherhood between scientists and students of both countries, with the aim of always promoting this Agua Negra Pass.”

The inauguration of the binational meeting was held in the Gabriel González Videla Congress Hall of the Municipality, with the presence of authorities, researchers, academics and students from the Coquimbo Region and the Province of San Juan, and included the conference of the journalist Andrea Obaid, creator, editor and host of the TV program “Tecnociencia en Ruta” on Channel 13C and Channel 13, author of the books “Tecnociencia: 30 Scientific Tourism Routes in Chile” Part 1 and Part 2, and host of the program Superciencia en Radio DNA.

The organization of this II Binational Scientific Research Congress is in charge of the Commission of Higher Education Institutions of the Coquimbo Region, which is made up of the University of La Serena, Universidad Santo Tomas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Universidad Central, Universidad Technological Institute of Chile INACAP, Universidad Bolivariana, Universidad Pedro de Valdivia, Universidad de Aconcagua, Instituto Profesional de Chile, Instituto del Valle Central and Instituto Profesional AIEP. In addition, the National University of San Juan and the Catholic University of Cuyo join the organization.