With the appointment of two academics and a representative of the regional productive sector, the Valparaíso Regional Committee for Science, Technology and Innovation was established, a body mandated by law to promote the scientific-technological development of the region, after the creation in 2018 of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation.
The Committee’s mission will be to advise the Regional Government in the preparation of the Regional Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation, so its members will work to promote innovation in the different territories of this area of the country.
The advisory entity chaired by the regional governor, Rodrigo Mundaca, together with the regional councilor Ricardo Aliaga, president of the Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development; the regional ministerial secretaries of Science and Education, María José Escobar and Patricia Torrico, respectively, and the Minister of Economy, Alejandro Garrido, appointed the director of the Interdisciplinary Doctorate Program in Environmental Sciences at the University of Playa Ancha, Dr. Paula Celis -Plá, to integrate this new instance of participation.
Likewise, as representative of the productive sector, the past president of the Association of Companies of the V Region, ASIVA, Ricardo Guerra, and the vice-rector of the Viña del Mar Headquarters of the University of Las Américas (UDLA), Paola Espejo, were elected in representation of universities.
SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE
The PhD in Marine Sciences, Paula Celis-Plá, who directs the Interdisciplinary Doctorate in Environmental Sciences at the University of Playa Ancha is a specialist in ficology, ecophysiology, climate change, reproductive biology and algae cultivation. It is also Vice-president of the Scientific Ethics Committee of the institution and Director of the Laboratory of Aquatic Environmental Research, LACER UPLA, which depends on the Center for Advanced Studies.
Regarding her appointment, the investigator maintained that “Lhe University of Playa Ancha fulfills a regional and national role recognized for its teaching, research, development, innovation and involvement with the environment, and stands out for its marked social commitment. From that perspective, it is very relevant and interesting that we have been summoned to be part of this space for dialogue and advice, so that as a knowledge-generating higher education institution we can contribute that local and regional vision, with our experience in science and research. ”.
Paula Celis-Plá
Three months ago, Dr. Celis-Plá was selected by the Ministry of Science, together with the dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the UPLA, Dr. Silvia Sarzoza Herrera, to participate along with 70 other women in the country in the Female Leadership program in Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, LI * FE, which had the support of the Inter-American Development Bank and taught online at the Center for Organizational Engineering of the University of Chile.
