Educational initiatives focus on STEM and mining in Spain and Chile

In Galicia, Spain, UNED Lugo participated in the III STEMbach Networks Conference held in Santiago de Compostela. The event brought together university and educational center representatives to discuss research challenges in high school and strengthen institutional collaboration. Ana Belén Traseira Pena, director of UNED Lugo, presented a work model focused on scientific mentorship for students, coordination with high school faculty, and research projects addressing real-world problems. The program covers disciplines ranging from social and health sciences to engineering and experimental sciences, including sustainability and climate change research.

In Chile, the Compromiso Minero network organized educational activities for over 200 students from the SLEP Atacama during FOREDE 2026 in Copiapó. The initiative used storytelling, such as the series “Las Aventuras de Maite y Gaspar,” to teach children how minerals like copper and lithium are used in daily life and technology. The program aimed to connect mining industry knowledge with literacy and learning outside the classroom, helping students understand the professional reality of many families in the Atacama region.