Secondary school students spend a week at the ICMM thanks to the 'Investiga I+D+i' and 'Científic@s en prácticas' programs

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Five students from 3rd and 4th year of secondary school (ESO) spent the end of the school year at the Institute of Materials Science in Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, thanks to two scientific outreach programs for young people: 'Investiga I+D+i' by the San Patricio Foundation, and 'Científic@s en prácticas' by the Spanish Association for the Advancement of Science (AEAC) in collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

"It has been great! Honestly, it has been incredible every day. It's not just about stepping into the CSIC research centers (which is easier said than done), but also the experience with the fellow students, experts, visits... everything we have learned," said Gisela Farnós at the end of her stay. Thanks to the San Patricio Foundation, she came from Barcelona to the ICMM to learn, alongside Conchi Gutiérrez and her team, about the applications of solvents in the field of energy.

Belén Boto, from Palencia, spent most of her days with Puerto Morales and other members of the MAMBIO group. "We talked about all the curious things we now know. It's true, as Gisela said, the whole experience has been fantastic, but I wish it had lasted a bit longer," she said at the end of her journey, during which she had the opportunity to practice and get closer to the world of synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles.

Naty Lana, also from Barcelona, was with Agustina Asenjo and her team, learning about the properties of magnetic materials in various areas and practicing different techniques to study these properties. "This won't be the last time we set foot in a research center," said Naty, convinced, as she finished her week at the ICMM.

Meanwhile, while these three young women were in 4th year of ESO and came to the center thanks to the San Patricio Foundation, Lucía Requejo Jurado and Asier Porras García, who were finishing 3rd year of ESO, spent a week in our facilities through the 'Científic@s en prácticas' program. These two young people spent a week with Pilar Aranda, Margarita Darder, Eva García Frutos, Miguel Camblor, Javier Pérez Carvajal, and other members of their teams.

As the organizers of this program recall, its main objective is to search for and promote talent in disadvantaged areas, providing young students with the opportunity to stay in research groups and laboratories, participate in their work, and interact with their members. The aim is to give them an opportunity, through science, to come into contact with an environment to which they would hardly have access otherwise and, eventually, to awaken or nurture their interest in science.

Their words and their expressions throughout each of the days they spent at the institute testify that the objective has been achieved.