The “Chaco + i” Scholarships are funded by the provincial government and seek to promote the training and career of future researchers and technologists in our province. The event took place in the Reform Hall of the UNNE Faculty of Engineering and was attended by scholarship holders, tutors and university authorities.
“This is an initiative that we carry out in collaborative work with the three national universities that have their headquarters in Chaco, which allows us to advance in this process of training and support for future researchers,” mentioned Delfina Veiravé, president of the ICCTI. In the “Chaco + i” Scholarship call, more than 130 university students from the region applied and 34 were selected to begin their internships with research groups. “Research activity is a learning that is done in relation to scientific and disciplinary communities and is learned in dialogue, meetings and time shared with these work teams,” she highlighted.
The president of ICCTI also highlighted the diversity of research topics on which the scholarship recipients will work for a year, accompanied by their tutors. “In addition to the economic stimulus they will receive, the ICCTI together with the universities will provide training so that students learn the trade of research,” explained Veiravé. At the same time, she mentioned that these scholarships will provide comprehensive learning for young researchers, always in the company of experienced professionals.
The president of ICCTI pointed out that the institute is a provincial organization that has the responsibility of generating public policies that promote scientific development and technological innovation applied to strategic areas for the development of Chaco. “We hope that it will be an important experience for the scholarship recipients and that it will open paths to new research careers and a future destination of incorporation into the scientific and academic world,” she encouraged the beneficiaries. At the same time, she remarked: “We seek to ensure that the knowledge generated serves to solve specific problems and provide better destiny for our community in the province.”
For his part, Alejandro Gorodner, vice president of ICCTI, highlighted the importance of scholarship recipients joining provincial scientific institutions. “Something important about these scholarships is that students do not need to have prior experience, they are precisely their first steps in research and that is what we want to promote from the institute,” he said. Regarding the benefits that this program provides, he detailed: “It will allow them to acquire deeper and more specific knowledge in a field of knowledge and provides practical experience that complements the theory learned during the degree.”
Additionally, Gorodner mentioned the value of developing critical research skills, such as data analysis, methodology, and learning to work as a team. “This research experience adds significant value to each student’s resume,” she noted. At the same time, she indicated that getting involved in research helps develop skills to solve complex problems and be able to think critically about current challenges. “These scholarships provide a wide range of benefits, covering the academic, professional, personal and social development of students,” she said.
The vice governor of Chaco, Silvana Scheider, also highlighted the importance of the scholarships and noted: “We know that the labor market requires increasingly qualified and prepared professionals in each of the areas.” At the same time, she added: “For this government, it is essential to guarantee the ability of professionals to adapt to new labor demands.” The provincial leader valued the work of teachers and tutors in the training of students: “We need to encourage the incorporation of new professionals in science, technology and innovation, recognizing the importance they have for the development of the province and for the entire province. society”.
During the event, a certificate was delivered to the new beneficiaries of the “Chaco + i” Scholarships and at the end an activity was held with the university students. The vice-rector of UNNE, José Basterra, was present; the dean of UTN Resistencia, Jorge De Pedro; the dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Mario De Bortoli; and, the Undersecretary of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Claudia Pilar.
Experiences from the first call
Nicolai Andre Petelski, doctor in Chemical Sciences and CONICET researcher, also spoke at the event, who served as a tutor in the 2023 call and will again accompany a scholarship recipient this year. “A one-year research training is extremely valuable since something similar is not offered in other spaces,” he said about the “Chaco + i” Scholarships. Likewise, he highlighted the training offered by the tutors: “They are very useful skills whether they want to follow a scientific and academic career, or if they want to work in industry or commerce.”
The scholarship recipient Sofía Cardozo Quintana also shared her experience after being selected for the program during 2023. She is a student of the Philosophy Faculty at the UNNE Faculty of Humanities and joined a research group that works with the value chain of agroecological cotton. “Once I was selected, I was able to develop the research plan together with my director, whose objective was to contribute to the definition of criteria and standards to guarantee products that come from family farming,” she explained. She also thanked the provincial government for the opportunity and congratulated the new scholarship recipients: “Know that you have a great team from ICCTI and associated institutions.”
