Students from the Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Jesús de Chillán school obtained third place in the international school project competition, Genius Olympiad 2024, held at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York, USA.
These are Martín Esteban Concha Olivera and Sebastián Antonio Figueroa Romero, who together with their supervising professor, Pedro Ponce Cubillos, won a bronze medal, after presenting the research “Exploring Microbial Biodiversity and Primary Production in Antarctic Ecosystems of King George Island ”.
The study highlighted the importance of microorganisms for maintaining the Antarctic ecosystem in the face of climate change. In particular, the “cyanobacteria” which, despite the acidity of the water caused by the increase in the planet’s temperature, were found to be able to adapt to these conditions and avoid, for example, the melting of the polar caps.
“The research focuses on studying microorganisms (bacteria) in the fresh water of King George Island, Antarctica. Using Winogradsky columns, a tool that simulates the natural conditions of aquatic ecosystems (glass tubes containing soil samples from Antarctica), the researchers analyzed how the temperature and acidity (pH) of the water affect these microorganisms and their ability to produce organic matter through photosynthesis. The results show that cyanobacteria, a type of photosynthetic microorganism, are crucial for oxygen production and ecosystem balance. These findings underline the importance of understanding how microorganisms adapt to extreme conditions and the impact of climate change on these processes, highlighting the need to protect these fragile ecosystems,” the teacher explained.
The event brought together thousands of students from around the world to compete in various categories, including science, innovation, robotics and creative writing. In this edition, more than 25,000 projects were presented, with 1,700 selected to participate in the competition in Rochester, where the Chilanejos, along with another delegation of students from Chile, obtained positive results.
“The level of competition was extremely high, with projects of exceptional quality coming from different countries and cultures. Each presentation reflected a high degree of creativity, scientific rigor and commitment to knowledge. We had the opportunity to exchange ideas with other participants, attend workshops and seminars, and receive valuable feedback from experts in various disciplines,” highlighted the professor.
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