Weaving science into the culture of Uruguay
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BEYOND THE LAB
Weaving science into the culture of Uruguay Zenzile Brooks
S
cience appreciation presents a special challenge in Uruguay. The Uruguayan culture has historically been rich in reading, writing, dance, and music. Aside from agriculture and economics, science and technology were noticeably missing from this diverse cultural stage. However, in the last few decades, the role of science has blossomed. In 2006, the Uruguayan government established an annual “Science and Technology” week, which showcases various scientific activities throughout the country. In response both to Uruguay’s Science and Technology week and to a lifelong science outreach commitment, Laura Fornaro, a professor at the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, together with her colleagues developed a series of interactive outreach projects which introduce science to the larger community. Maria Eugenia Pérez, a PhD candidate in Fornaro’s group, said, “We want to make children
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MRS BULLETIN
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VOLUME 38 • AUGUST 2013
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more conscious about what they have to choose in their lives.” Uruguayan children will be citizens in a society where science and technology are only recently viewed as cultural issues, and where science and technology are often misunderstood by legislators. Fornaro recalls one politician who mentioned to her his doubt that the element uranium existed in a region with “black,” or radioactive, sands. Fornaro replied, “It’s not an opinion!” A more scientific age is dawning in Uruguay, and the work of Fornaro and her colleagues are preparing future citizens for this new society. The fi rst project, “Materials which Surround Us,” introduced children and schoolteachers to the scientific aspects of materials in their everyday lives by allowing them to perform guided experiments such as growing crystals. The success of this first project inspired two more projects. The second project, “Materials and Solar Energy,” consisted of a guided discussion of classic
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materials types and their evolution, and an activity with solar cells under the sun. The third project, “Materials in Our House,” allows children, schoolteachers, and parents the opportunity to explore a small-scale model of a house that contains several examples of important scientific materials. The materials in the tiny house are linked, in the classroom, with larger demonstrations and experiments about these materials. The projects, funded by the Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación, are presented as 1–4-hour workshops consisting of lectures, open dialogue, demonstrations, and interactive experiments held in classrooms and cultural centers. Fornaro’s research focuses on a complex field in materials science: materials for radiation detectors. Her outreach projects, however, take a more broad and accessible approach to materials science. This more general approach is key to the success of the outreach projects. Fornaro asserts that for outreach projects such as “Materials in Our House,” “you cannot begin from radiation detectors.
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