+56 2 2328 1398
RIVAS PARDO LAB
Mechano-Biology Group

OUTREACH (VICOM)
We are convince that our mission is to communicate and connect our science to society. For that we have pursued several initiatives which aim to return the support that communities has placed on us. Check below our individual and community activities, some of them organized with the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics at Univ Mayor and SMAT-C at Univ de Santiago.
OUTREACH PROJECTS
(Vinculación con el Medio)
MICROSCOPY FOR EVERYONE
Did you know that there is a immense universe of cells in a single drop of water? We think the microscopy is one of the most thrilling and exciting experiences in Science, which could teach us more than we think.
We have organized several microscopy workshops, open to the university students but also our local communities. We have used origami microscopes, also known as FoldScope, a microscope developed by Prof. Manu Prakash and Jim Cybulski (Stanford Univ).
Together with members of the lab we have implemented several options for illumination including fluorescence and polarization.
​
Recently, we have designed and built a brand new microscope based on 3D printing. With less than 30 pieces you could build your own microscope which is equipped with a CCD with USB connection enabling to acquire pictures of the micro-universe that surrounding us.
Check below for more information.

SCIENCE FOR THE CITIZENSHIP (CPC)
(SAMT-C & CPEIP, MINEDUC, CHILE)
Starting at 2020, the lab joined efforts with the Soft Matter Research Center (SMAT-C) and the Physics Department at USACH to designed and prepare high School Science Teachers. The initiative, funding by CPEIP (Education Ministry), aim to prepare high school teachers for the updated of Science curricula. We collaborated in the generation of material and leading the workshops of "Health an d Wellness" and "Technology and Society". In particular we prepared multimedia contents and simulators related to nanotechnology. Find more in the link below.

GENES AND GENOMES
TEACHING IN SCHOOLS
How many genes do we have in our Genome? How long is a human chromosome? How genes work?
​
Genes and Genomes is an activity aimed for the youngest, and so much as well, to introduce them in the world of the DNA.
The activity is a short talk with didactic experience in building a DNA molecule. We take advantage of 3D and origami models to explore the structure of the double helix.
​
We have explored this workshop thanks to an agreement with Saint Joseph School (Huechuraba) partner in our outreach program. Together with professors of the Science departmetn of the school we have

PARTERING WITH EXPLORA RM
FECI AND 1000C-1000A
Members of the lab have participated in many activities organized by Explora, including Scientific Congress, Science and Technology fairs and the very well-known 1000 Scientiest-1000 classrooms, most of them organized during the Science Month.
Last year we were judges in the Science and Technology Congress, Explora RM-North. Moreover, at the end of the year we did a microscopy workshop based on Foldscope, as an activity of the Science Fair Explora, Santiago SouthWest RM.
