During March, the Vice Rector’s Office for Research, Innovation and Creation (Vriic) joined in the commemoration of International Women’s Day, acknowledging the work of various researchers at the University of Santiago de Chile who lead in high economic, social and environmental impact development, which seek to contribute to our society and the evolution of industry.
Its R&D projects have received support from Vriic's Directorate of Technology Management (DGT).
Transforming the packaging industry
Recycling and reusing packaging promotes waste reduction and circularity. Thus, transforming materials into new products minimizes environmental impact and optimizes the use of resources.
Dr. María José Galotto L., a researcher at the Laben-Chile Innovation Center, led the development of yogurt containers with post-consumer recycled polystyrene. The material of the yogurt containers is similar to traditional ones, compatible with the current production system, and guarantees the safety of the dairy product, promoting a circular economy model in the packaging industry.
Dr. Alejandra Torres M., also a researcher at Laben-Chile, promoted a guide and free access platform to provide guidance on the recyclability of food packaging. Through www.guiarecicla.cl, clear information is provided on the selection, management, and recovery of plastics to be used, promoting sustainable recycling practices.
Developments with a gender focus
Gender-sensitive technologies enable creating more inclusive and accessible solutions, responding to specific human needs in different areas.
Dr. Carolina Bonacic C., academic of the Faculty of Engineering, director of Citiaps and current director of Estrategia Informática Usach, led the creation of YoiMujer. This is an efficient and easy-to-use technological solution for micro-entrepreneurs from all over Chile to publish their products, sell them, and contact clients from different parts of the country.
In the health area, Dr. Mónica Palacios T., researcher, academic and director of the Usach School of Occupational Therapy, at the end of 2024 and after two years of research, presented a complete guide of recommendations with a gender approach. This project seeks to favor adherence and therapeutic discharge in Intensive Outpatient Programs (PAI, for its name in Spanish) of alcohol and/or drugs for pregnant and/or postpartum women.
Innovation to protect water resources
Our campus is promoting new solutions that contribute to water conservation and sustainability.
An example of this is the biofiltration system implemented in Parque del Recuerdo, which is led by Dr. Cristina Villamar A., researcher and academic of the Faculty of Engineering, together with the research team of the Ko-Yaku Laboratory. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to treat up to 5 m³ of wastewater per day, which is then used to irrigate the plants.
On the other hand, Dr. Jhosané Pagés D., researcher and academic of the Faculty of Engineering, worked on developing a system to extract nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur from wastewater from anaerobic biodigesters in pig farms, generating a biofertilizer for application in agricultural crops.
For a more sustainable agriculture
At the University of Santiago, new innovations have been achieved in the development of nanobiofertilizers for the treatment of agricultural crops.
Dr. Claudia Ortiz C., an academic and researcher at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, created nanobiofertilizers using microorganisms native to the Atacama Desert and mesoporous silica matrices. These compounds accelerated germination, improved the growth of tomato plants and increased the size of flowers in wheat, contributing to more efficient agricultural production.
Solutions that contribute to aquaculture
The aquaculture industry seeks to reduce the use of conventional antibiotics through innovative solutions to combat diseases that affect fish health.
Dr. Brenda Modak C., an academic and researcher at the School of Chemistry and Biology, developed a food additive based on a Cu(I) coordination complex with coumarin ligands to treat infections caused by a dangerous pathogen called Flavobacterium psychrophilum. Laboratory tests showed that this product has a protective effect and decreases mortality in the species.