The TeamLab, made up of six undergraduate and graduate students, who work under the auspices of the Laboratory of Dr. Peter von Dassow, associate researcher at the IMO, presented an interactive stand focused on the study of Phytoplankton.
It was a free activity, which included talks, interactive stands, scientific workshops, comics and much more!
The successful event, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage; the Santiago Library, the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), the Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (MAS), the Institute of Complex Engineering Systems (ISCI), the Millennium Institute of Research in Optics (MIRO), the Millennium Institute of Engineering and Artificial Intelligence for Health (iHEALTH) and the Millennium Institute of Research in Volcanic Risk (Ckelar Volcanes), was sponsored by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation; and included various invited institutions, including the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO).
Through "PhytoDELICA" (Phytoplankton Diversity Ecology and Life Cycle Adaptations) the interactive stand "What is Phytoplankton?" showed and brought together part of the existing diversity of marine phytoplankton found in Chile.
Attendees of all ages were fascinated by the observation of live samples of phytoplankton species, through the microscope.
What is Phytoplankton?
During the activity and through different experiences, the PhytoDELICA group taught attendees what Phytoplankton is, which is defined as "a group of microscopic organisms, generally photosynthetic, that live in aquatic environments, both marine and freshwater. They are similar to plants in that they use sunlight to produce their food through photosynthesis. Phytoplankton includes various types of organisms, such as unicellular algae (diatoms, dinoflagellates), cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic microorganisms.
As explained by the students at their stand, Phytoplankton plays a fundamental role in the marine ecosystem, being the base of the food chain, producing oxygen through its photosynthesis and, with it, generating approximately 50% of the oxygen we breathe. It also plays an important role in the Carbon (CO2) cycle and converts it into organic matter.
The experiences at the stand also revealed the importance of the great diversity of functions and forms, such as ecosystem resilience, efficiency in the use of resources and complex interactions.
Testimonials The TeamLab of IMO associate researcher Dr. Peter von Dassow (Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia U. Católica de Chile) had a prominent participation at the stand, led by: Catalina Galaz (Marine Biologist); Caterina Fuentes (Marine Biology Student); Martín Rocco (Marine Biologist); Emilio Espinoza (Biochemistry Student); Bastián Márquez (Marine Biologist and PhD student) and Valentina Rubio (Marine Biologist and PhD student).
We spoke with the PhytoDELICA team to learn more about their vision regarding this type of activities and the knowledge provided to the community.
"Doing scientific outreach as a PhD student is a 100% enriching experience, because I declare myself a lover of Marine Sciences and Phytoplankton, this micro-world that is so little known among students of Primary and Secondary Education. Not only does it allow us to share knowledge and passion for these topics with a wider audience, but it also fosters a greater understanding and appreciation for the importance of these microorganisms in our marine ecosystems," said Marine Biologist and PhD student, Valentina Rubio. "Scientific outreach offers the opportunity to connect with people from diverse disciplines, also to inspire future generations of scientists and promote greater awareness about the conservation and sustainability of our oceans and the Earth system in general. In addition, this communication process reinforces learning and understanding itself and, from my personal perspective, makes the academic path an even more rewarding, meaningful and hopeful experience that for me changes this joy of seeing the little eyes of students (young people and children) shine and seeing how excited they get when they see these little beings under the microscope, capture their photo and ask their curious questions, in addition to seeing their interest in knowing and learning about what we do in our laboratory and about our professions," stressed Valentina, after her participation in the stand.
For the Biochemistry student, Emilio Espinoza, the scientific dissemination of the work of the Millennium Institute of Oceanography is especially relevant. "It is a fascinating experience to be able to share what the IMO and phytoplankton are with the students. There were some very enthusiastic ones, who had many questions and were delighted with what there is in the ocean. It was also a challenge in the sense of delivering knowledge in a simple way, so that it can be understood in a good way".
"This experience is very enriching for me, since it is the first time that I attend an event like this as a speaker, so it will be very useful for me to learn how to communicate these objects of study to the community," explains the Marine Biology student, Caterina Fuentes. "Currently, marine microbiology is not often mentioned in schools and I think it is something very relevant that should be studied, so these types of fairs help to bring these topics closer to students and, above all, to motivate them to explore and delve deeper into the world of phytoplankton and its important role in our ecosystem. In addition, in this way we are contributing to democratizing science and bringing it closer to the community, breaking down this barrier of learning and knowledge that currently exists," she emphasized.
Finally, marine biologist Catalina Galaz highlights the process of scientific literacy of new scientific concepts in the community. "The experience of sharing and disseminating what we do in the laboratory is very enriching, both for the people we share it with and for ourselves. I was struck by the fact that many people knew the concept of phytoplankton and I really enjoyed helping them and introducing them to a small part of what this world is, as well as telling them how the techniques we use every day are carried out and the equipment that is involved in the study of the ocean."
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