Outreach
What is the sense of doing science if we cannot communicate what we do, what we know, and what we still don't know to the people outside the lab? In my opinion, scientific outreach is super relevant in the life of a scientist, thus I try to dedicate some part of my year to do spreading of science.
These are some of the activities in which I have participated in:
2023. Publication of the article "Risa contagiosa", Journal "Revista Ciencia HOY", authors: Paula Funaro & Verónica de la Fuente. This is an article of scientific popularization about neural circuits involved in tickling. https://cienciahoy.org.ar/risa-contagiosa/
2021. Publication of the article "Hágase la luz Usando optogenética para iluminar el estudio del cerebro", Journal "Revista Ciencia HOY", author: Verónica de la Fuente. This is an article of scientific popularization about how we can modulate te activity of neurons with light, using a technique called optogenetics. https://cienciahoy.org.ar/hagase-la-luz/
2017 to present. Volunteer in public schools to speak on panels, give presentations and research demonstrations (experiments) with the goal of promoting awareness and feasibility of Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM) Careers and with the goal of giving primary school teachers ideas on how to incorporate the scientific critic way of thinking in their own classrooms.
2016, 1017 & 2020. Volunteer giving lectures about the career of Biology (organization, subjects, job prospects, etc.) to students starting the university (University of Buenos Aires).
2013-2016. Mentor in the program “Ingresantes CBC Exactas” (during all the admission course that lasts one year approx.). School of Exact and Natural Sciences (FCEyN), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Activities: give strategies of study, lab tours, etc.
2015. Participation in The Brain Awareness Week, March 20th, 2015. Berazategui, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2009, 2010, 2012. Mentor in the program “Didactic Experiences”, University of Buenos Aires, in which I co-directed the activities performed by secondary school students, who attended the lab weekly during three months.
2010, 2009, 2008 & 2006. Participation in the Biology Week, an outreach activity organized by the University of Buenos Aires, directed to school students.
2008. Co-organizer of the “Basement of Perception”, interactive museum of neuroscience in the Nights of Museums Festival. Funded by the “Voluntariado Universitario” program of the National Ministry of Education (November).
2007. Co-organizer of the “Basement of Perception”, interactive museum of neuroscience in the Natural Science Argentinian Museum “Bernardino Rivadavia” (September). unded by “Exactas con la Sociedad” program of the School of Exact and Natural Sciences (FCEyN), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the “Programa de Fomento Metropolitano de la Cultura, las Artes y las Ciencias de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires” program of the Buenos Aires city government.
2004 and 2003. Teaching Assistant (comparable position); Secretaría de Extensión, Graduados y Bienestar Estudiantil de la FCEN, UBA. The activities carried out were coordination and participation in scientific dissemination activities, institutional spreading and popularization of knowledge.
Loved the drawings of rats and mice in this website? Some are Banksy's, and the others, anonymous street art :)