- The Chair of the Senate’s Future Challenges Committee called for a single platform where scientists, business and the State can move forward in unison.
With the attendance of business, political and academic leaders, the 2023 edition of the Nanotechnology Fair, organized annually by the Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), a consortium of 14 Chilean universities, took place.
Executives from leading companies such as Copec, Enel, SQM, ChileCarne, Grupo Sutil, Codelco, Nestlé, ChileAlimentos, Deysa Care, Coexpan and Agrosuper, among others, came to the scientific center to learn first-hand about all the Center’s research lines and developments, talking with the researchers and engineers leading these projects.
During the event, business leaders from different sectors learned about the development of sensors to detect pesticides in fruits and vegetables; sensors to detect uncrushables in mining and machinery wear; the use of nanotechnology to treat cancer; lightweight structural concrete with nanotechnology; protection systems for native species; packaging with properties to extend food shelf life while maintaining quality, and high-end batteries, among others, as well as CEDENNA’s contributions to nanosafety under OECD standards.
The event began with a presentation of CEDENNA’s work by its director, Dr. Dora Altbir, who detailed the impact of nanotechnology in different areas, including medicine, energy, the environment, food, agriculture, electronics and data storage.
She noted that CEDENNA was founded 13 years ago and is currently the most important nanoscience and nanotechnology center in the country and unique in its multidisciplinary approach in Latin America. Since then, the institution has moved into a technology transfer stage through its developments and services, some of which were presented to representatives of various companies at the scientific exhibition set up on the esplanade of the Eduardo Morales Santos Research Centers Building at USACH.
Creating a common platform
The event was also attended by the Chair of the Senate’s Future Challenges Committee, Senator Ximena Rincón, who highlighted the relevance of these meetings “and the potential we have in this country in this area. And if we do not move further forward, it is because we have not been able to convey this information about what the scientific and technological world, innovative companies and even the State are doing to the rest of the country.”
She regretted that Chile’s resilience to disasters such as those now affecting agriculture in the central region has not also moved towards adopting nanotechnology solutions such as those she saw during this visit, and pledged the efforts of the committee she chairs to build that bridge. “We have not yet managed to develop permanent public-private and scientific-academic collaboration on a structured, solid basis. And I believe that is the great challenge: building trust and collaboration with a known platform. That is obviously the challenge we must face as a country. Scientists and politicians need to sit down and talk quickly. Other countries are overtaking us and we are missing opportunities,” she concluded.
SQM’s Innovation and Development Manager, Osvaldo Yáñez, told attendees about the company’s experience working with CEDENNA. “Some time ago we decided, as a company, to move up the value chain. We are very good at extraction and at copying external experiences, but to add higher value we need to add the knowledge and competencies of our scientists and universities. If we could combine the competencies of the various centers like this one, it would be even better and we would form a much more competent whole. But as a country, we are asleep. We have a big challenge ahead,” he concluded.
Views during the tour
Nestlé’s representative, María Cristina Villamán, summed up the general view of attendees: “A meeting like this is wonderful because it allows us to learn about and understand in detail the science and technology being developed in our country, and what better way than to see it here live with the people who are doing it.”
“For us it is great news that universities are exploring nanotechnology solutions, and we were particularly struck by the mining applications we learned about here in detail. It is quite astonishing how little time it took them to implement them and how they compete with other companies that already have their solutions up and running. I think nanotechnology has great potential in our mining industry and that is how we will incorporate it,” said Codelco’s Innovation Manager, Paula Gómez, during her tour of the fair.
“At Copec we work continuously with universities and scientists, because it is ongoing work that makes it possible to match national knowledge with the company’s needs and requirements, especially in innovation,” highlighted Copec’s general manager, Arturo Natho.
“Here you realize there are lots of solutions developed that are very applicable to our industry, which is ultimately interested in producing food that means health for people, and nanotechnology is closely related to generating solutions that translate directly into beneficial effects for consumers,” commented Guillermo González, manager of Chilealimentos.
We invite you to watch the testimonials and opinions at the following links
- Senator Ximena Rincón, Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Future Challenges, Science, Knowledge and Innovation.
- Guillermo González, General Manager of Chile Alimentos.
- Osvaldo Yáñez, Innovation and Development Manager at SQM.
