Women scientists in the circular economy

Writing/Irene Vega

The main objective of the project has been to make visible Spanish scientists who, both in companies and in research centers, are helping to enable the change from a linear economic model to a circular economy model.

Participation in the contest has involved students, teachers and families from early childhood education to secondary education from various centers in Castilla-La Mancha. Through their work, the students have been able to investigate and reflect on how researchers develop technologies with a practical use, such as in areas for the improvement of food production processes, the reduction of energy and water consumption, research in that convert solid urban waste into energy, the minimization of energy consumption in buildings or the development of sustainable chemistry.

The video series 'Committed Scientists', produced by the Cyberimaginary Group of the URJC in collaboration with the BIO3 project (Circular bioeconomy in the urban environment), has served as the basis for the development of this gamified educational intervention.

The first prize went to the video “Desalination and reuse of water. Investigating with Miriam Balaban”, carried out by the group of students of the CEIP Hermanos Amorós Fernández-Las Mesas. For its part, the IESO Ciudad De Luna-Huete has received the second prize and the third has been awarded to CEIP Gúzquez-Villamayor De Santiago. All the award-winning videos are available on the project website.

The awards ceremony, held virtually, was attended by Paloma Domingo, director of the FECYT, and members of the participating groups: Critical Look from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cyberimaginary from the Rey Juan Carlos University , the Materials Science Institute of Madrid (CSIC), the University of Valencia, the Ministry of Education of Castilla-La Mancha and the company Nanoinnova Technologies. Likewise, both teachers and students from educational centers have participated.

The 'CreActiva Science: Women Scientists in the Circular Economy' project has been coordinated by the University of Castilla-La Mancha.