Energy that takes care of the environment

From left From left to right: Isabel Pariente, Beatriz Paredes, María Linares and Gisela Orcajo

Five researchers from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group (GIQA) have developed different games to explain the current energy system and the relevance of renewable energies to primary school students. This activity was held within the framework of World Environment Day, which is commemorated on June 5.

Irene Vega

The main objective of the activity “Pulsergía: choose your own energy” has been to raise awareness among primary school students (between 8 and 12 years old) about the importance of researching the creation of infrastructures for the development of energy. renewable. In the workshops held, different games have been developed to explain the current energy system with the advantages and disadvantages it has, raising the need to take care of the environment through renewable energies.

This initiative has been promoted by five researchers from the GIQA group, María Linares Serrano, Isabel Pariente Castilla, Inés Moreno García, Gisela Orcajo Rincón and Beatriz Paredes Martínez. "What we liked the most is the curiosity of the children's audience, who know the individual importance that we have as people in caring for the environment and know that it is essential to turn off the light when it is not needed, turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, Close the refrigerator so things don't get hot,” says María Linares.

In relation to renewable energies, these students have also demonstrated their knowledge. “They know that the sun gives us energy and that it is used on the roofs of houses, and they are used to seeing pinwheels on the road when they go on vacation.”

To develop the creative part of the workshop, the participants have used a die that has images of solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric dams, clean energy and biomass on its faces. Each attendee had to select a pre-designed image on a “magic” plastic to color. “Once their design was made, these images were heated so that they adjusted to the appropriate size to be able to make a bracelet and wear the energy that they liked the most,” highlights the researcher.

These activities have been developed to celebrate World Environment Day, which is commemorated on June 5, and have also promoted the promotion of STEM vocations (from English Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Promotion of dissemination in environmental care

The researchers who promoted these activities work on different projects related to renewable energies with funding from the Rey Juan Carlos University - Community of Madrid program, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, as well as the State Research Agency. (NextGenerationEU European Union, Strategic Projects Oriented to the Ecological Transition and the Digital Transition). “Greater dissemination of the figure of research personnel and how their research work contributes to the care of the environment is necessary. The children attending, as well as their fathers and mothers, have been very participatory and eager to learn,” underlines María Linares.

This initiative is part of the annual program of activities of the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit (UCC+I), of the Vice-Rector's Office for Research, Innovation and Transfer, and has the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)-Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Within the framework of this UCC+I program, the activities were also carried out for the first time on March 4, coinciding with World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.