In the 2011-2012 academic year, Alberto García, a teacher at the CPR Colexio Plurilingüe Alborada, contacted the Toralla Marine Science Station of the University of Vigo, requesting their collaboration to place some collection structures on one of its docks. This was the starting point of a collaboration that this year marks eight years and throughout which Ecimat, the main infrastructure of the Marine Research Center of the University of Vigo (CIM-UVigo), provided scientific equipment and facilities; research support services, such as the analysis of water samples and marine organisms; and advice and support for the development of research projects for students in 1st, 2nd and 4th years of ESO at the educational center. “The work that is done falls within the curriculum in many subjects, since there is an objective that is The scientific method and we also integrate this work into the programming in the subjects and that, being optional, count towards the grades”, points out Alberto García.
Over these eight years of collaboration, the students of the center have developed 13 marine research projects on various topics, ranging from the study of biodiversity and succession of marine organisms in the seaport of Bouzas and on the island of Toralla; the study of the distribution and ecology of the bivalve Donacilla cornea in the Aldán estuary or the comparative study of the sand of the beaches of the Vigo estuary. “Alberto’s ideas and passion for science and education are extraordinary and can take you to the most unexpected place with minimal needs. From the request for a small piece of equipment or resources, such as scales, tanks or seawater, they develop real research projects”, explains Damián Costas, technical director of the Ecimat. For her part, Alba Hernández, station technician and responsible for communication and dissemination activities at the CIM-UVigo, highlights “the great kindness, motivation, modesty and involvement, absolutely commendable, of Alberto and his students”.
Beyond fulfilling their educational function, some of the projects developed by the CPR Alborada students have won awards at fairs and scientific competitions. Thus, in Galicia, their work on the clam Donacilla cornea won the award for the best-defined scientific method and research process, while a work on the biodiversity of Vilariño beach won in the 1st cycle of ESO category at the Galicia fair. This same work won a prize in the Es de libro competition of the Royal Spanish Academy, which recognizes research works that respect copyright, and the Magma Association award for the first cycle of ESO at the Exporeçerca in Barcelona.
A program to open Ecimat to more educational centers
With the experience accumulated through the collaboration with the CPR Alborada, the CIM-UVigo intends to launch an initiative next year to contribute to the integration of marine-themed research projects in the educational centers closest to the University of Vigo, offering its facilities, staff and knowledge to interested schools. “Through a program, centers in the metropolitan area of Vigo will be able to compete to develop small research projects in the station’s facilities, with the help and supervision of some CIM-UVigo researchers and which will be presented in a scientific competition at the end of the course,” explains the Ecimat team, which intends for this proposal to be consolidated in the future.
Source:DUVI
