Winner of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World – OWSD and Elsevier Foundation Award.
Silvia González Pérez is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Exact Sciences and the General Director of University Missions at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), a member institution of the CEDIANetwork. She is also an Idente missionary and seeks to generate positive changes in society through her research.
My research work falls within the field of computational physical chemistry. I study the properties of materials such as metals, bimetals, nanotubes, etc. using specialized software installed on a computing server, and I interpret the results to explain their catalytic activity and other properties of interest.
At UTPL we received an invitation to participate in this call, a professor suggested that I apply, and my colleagues kindly supported this idea; so with the help of the Vice-Rectorate of Research we followed the steps of the application and submitted the requirements: CV, the nomination of some director of the University, in our case, it was the Rector, Dr. José Barbosa and letters of recommendation were sent from some colleagues with whom I have worked in the last years (I never saw the letters, which I am glad about).
We are simply describing our experience in promoting this field of knowledge, as it is not a well-known discipline in the country. However, with the support of the UTPL authorities, especially the Rector at the time, Dr. Luis Miguel Romero, and with the help of other colleagues, a computing server was implemented with the appropriate software. Over the past few years, we have encouraged Chemical Engineering students to become interested in this type of study. I believe I am part of several teams, particularly at UTPL, and previously I was part of Dr. Francesc Illas's team. I have never worked alone; everything I have done has been in collaboration with others, with whom I have shared a passion for knowledge and from whom I have learned a great deal.
I am very happy, for me it is a great achievement of UTPL and of Ecuador, my study is to get closer to the Truth, which for me is God, because for me, as an Idente missionary the search for knowledge has meaning because it brings us closer to the Truth.
On the other hand, it was pleasant news that there are organizations so concerned about the development of science. I admire the struggle of researchers in difficult situations and I love that this has been for Chemistry, which is a science that fascinates and excites me.
It was a pleasant experience. The team from the Elsevier Foundation and the OSWD (World Organization for Women Scientists in Developing Countries) worked with us to help us express our experience. It was very nice to spend time with them. I learned from their generosity, their dedication, their patience, and their humility in bringing out the best in us. It was a few exhausting but extremely enriching days.
I think there's a lot to be done, and that's exciting. I see the future with great hope. Although I believe there could be more support from institutions, for example, to promote the creation of postgraduate programs and funding for national postgraduate scholarships, I think our country has a lot of potential and that with more support we could make high-quality specialized training available to Ecuadorian youth.
Working with a team passionate about Chemistry, about finding solutions, original proposals, and designing new materials.
Yes, I've participated in about five projects funded by the CEPRA call for proposals—we're finalizing the last one—and in one CECIRA project. Since 2009, I've received support for my research; after UTPL, the CEDIA Network has been the main funding entity. The CEDIA Network has been very important in my career in Ecuador.
It is fundamental that organizations like Red CEDIA help us to make society pay attention to these areas, and I believe that people feel supported and backed up.
May they discover their true potential, that we each bring something unique to science, that we see the world differently, with greater sensitivity, that we value other aspects, and that each of us has something original to contribute, something distinctive, because only we possess these ideas, this history, this way of seeing the world. May they focus on what they want to achieve and set aside the obstacles that prevent us from progressing: envy, pride, vanity, comparisons; may they love science and work as a team, may they connect with others who also love knowledge. May they have faith in themselves, for within them lie all the resources they need to overcome any obstacles they may encounter.
