It includes the story of CIM researcher Maite Rodríguez DeCastro. Funded by FECYT, it is part of the activities of the UCC+i
The Universidade de Vigo strengthens its commitment to science communication and to promoting STEM vocations among young people, especially girls, with the publication of the sixth edition of the catalogue I Want to Be a Researcher, a publication that gathers the stories of ten women scientists from UVigo to inspire future researchers. Illustrated by artist Alba Casanova (1981), the collage technique is used to portray the stories of ten new role models, ten scientists, women, ten girls who contribute, through their example, to building a fairer and more representative narrative of science. As highlighted in the foreword by the Vice-Rector for Communication and Institutional Relations, Mónica Valderrama, the aim is “to reverse the historical absence of women in the scientific imagination, a phenomenon that represents not only a social injustice but also a collective loss.”
The volume, funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, is part of the activities of the Science There and Back plan, the annual programme of activities of the UVigo Unit for Scientific Culture and Innovation.
In this edition, ten UVigo researchers share their journeys into science from diverse fields. Among them is physicist Maite Rodríguez DeCastro, researcher in the EPhysLab group at the Marine Research Centre of the Universidade de Vigo (CIM), who recalls that when choosing a professional path, she valued several aspects of a research career, such as carrying out a wide variety of tasks and maintaining continuous learning.
New educational resources
Following the line of the previous edition, I Want to Be a Researcher includes an audiobook in which the protagonists themselves narrate their stories, expanding possibilities for access and audience engagement. It also includes an easey-reading, version, using clear language and simple sentences to remove cognitive barriers and facilitate understanding.
The catalogue also features a digital version and will be distributed to nearly 200 educational centres across Galicia. It is complemented by a teaching guide and interactive, gamified content developed on the Genially platform, including a quiz and a true-or-false, guessing game, making it easier to work with the material in classrooms in a dynamic and participatory way.
The CIM holds the CIGUS recognition from the Xunta de Galicia, certifying the quality and impact of its research, and its activity is co-funded by the European Union through the FEDER 21–27 Programme.
Source: DUVI
