The award ceremony for the contest “Sumérgete a Explorar 2017”, held by the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) and Par Explora Biobío, took place on Tuesday December 5 to present the winning students with trophies and those given an honorable mention with diplomas.
The competition encouraged primary and secondary school students as well as teachers from the Bío Bío Region to write sea-inspired stories or create stop motion videos. Students from Arauco (Liceo San Felipe), Cañete (Liceo Politécnico), Penco (Escuela Eduardo Campbell), Nacimiento (Liceo Municipal), Coronel (Escuela San Marcos), Hualqui (Liceo San Juan Bautista) and Laja (Las Ciénagas) had a fun day full of activities at the Marine Biology Station of UdeC’s Department of Oceanography in Dichato. The group of young people aged from 11 to 16 started the day with a brief introduction to the various species that can be found in different marine environments, ranging from the intertidal zone to the deep ocean and then, with the help of magnifying glasses and microscopes, they went to the laboratory, to see first-hand, samples of phyto- and zooplankton as well as some species in culture ponds. The day concluded with the exciting ceremony in which the winners of the competition received their trophies and all the participants awarded an honorable mention were given their diplomas and gifts. Finally there was an original, fun activity dealing with the complex trophic relationships among sea organisms, which took place on the beach.
The coordinator of PAR Explora Biobío, Rocío Cruces, said: "In the year of the oceans, it is very important for us at Explora CONICYT that students should carry out this type of fieldwork, because it allows them to have real experiences, during which they learn about marine science."
Barbara Léniz, IMO’s Outreach deputy director, emphasizes the importance of this kind of event. “It is very motivating for students to participate in activities that give them the opportunity to vary their routine and get to know other people and places. On this occasion, they were able to see samples of different types of organisms, from phytoplankton to catsharks, as well as organisms in their natural environment, thus learning about the environments in which they live and their adaptation to those environments. It's rewarding to complete a long process successfully and finally to see the people behind the work prepared with so much effort and dedication.”
This activity took place in the framework of the dissemination of science that IMO has been dedicated to since its beginnings, which this year has been promoted through the special attention that Explora CONICYT has devoted to the oceans. With the appropriate motivation, activities such as the one carried out yesterday are a great educational tool, helping young people not only to learn about oceanography, but also to acquire a holistic view of their environment.
