EUREKA 2022: more than just a student scientific event

EDUMECENTRO 2023;15:e2540

RESEARCH PAPER

 

EUREKA 2022: more than just a student scientific event

EUREKA 2022: algo más que un evento científico estudiantil

 

Carlos Miguel Campos Sanchez1* https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1861-2991
Laura Adalys Guillen León2 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6224-997X
Gabriel Hernández Águila3 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7512-7178
Dalia Melia Martínez Díaz4 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8413-103X

 

1 University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara. 5th year student of Medicine. Villa Clara. Cuba.
2 University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara. 4th year student of Medicine. Villa Clara. Cuba.
3 University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara. 2nd year student of Medicine. Villa Clara. Cuba.
4 University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara. 4th year student of the Dentistry career. Villa Clara. Cuba.

 

* Corresponding author. Email: karlosk@nauta.cu

 

 

ABSTRACT

Virtual scientific events constitute a technology transfer channel that allows the dissemination and socialization of scientific productions to the scientific community. At the University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara, from January to June, the I Student Fair of Innovation and Scientific Application was held EUREKA 2022, arising from the idea of the authors with the aim of showing the results in terms of innovation. and scientific application of students across the country. Beyond this objective, the event had several collateral activities that were carried out in person and virtually. The objective of the authors through this article is to socialize with students and professors the relevance of the EUREKA 2022 event as a student scientific activity.

MeSH: science; students; creativity; education, medical.

RESUMEN

Los eventos científicos virtuales constituyen un canal de transferencia de tecnologías que permite la difusión y la socialización de las producciones de la ciencia a la comunidad científica. En la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara durante el periodo enero-junio se realizó la I Feria Estudiantil de Innovación y Aplicación Científica: EUREKA 2022, surgida a partir de la idea de los autores con el objetivo de mostrar los resultados en materia de innovación y aplicación científica de los estudiantes de todo el país. Más allá de ese objetivo el evento contó con varias actividades colaterales que se desarrollaron de forma presencial y también de manera virtual. Es objetivo de los autores a través de este artículo socializar con estudiantes y profesores la relevancia del evento EUREKA 2022 como actividad científica estudiantil.

DeCS: ciencia; estudiantes; creatividad; educación médica.

 

 

Submitted: 14/11/2022
Accepted: 21/02/2023

 

 

Virtual scientific events constitute a technology transfer channel that allows the dissemination and socialization of scientific productions to the scientific community, since they promote the creation of strategic alliances and academic collaboration in a certain area of knowledge.

Virtual environments are rapidly modernizing based on the efficient use of information and communication technologies and have currently positioned themselves as an invaluable resource to continue the steady scientific development in emerging situations, such as the one generated by COVID-19.(1)

Since the first reported case at the end of 2019, COVID-19 has spread throughout the planet with repercussions in every sphere of society. Health and education, as well as their respective branches and spheres, were the most affected; the first, due to the need to create treatments, protocols and specialized care, and the second, due to the need to leave the usual teaching settings (classrooms) to implement strategies such as distance learning.(2)

In addition to the implementation of distance learning, student and teacher scientific events have had to migrate from face-to-face to virtual, which is why, in recent years. Virtual scientific events have had a great boom in the world and in Cuba.

Regarding the advantages of virtual scientific events, the authors agree with what has been stated in the literature(3) : cost reduction at the individual level (the cost of transportation, accommodation and food is eliminated) and at the level of organizers (savings in renting places , equipment and support staff), a much larger potential audience (as anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone or computer can attend; attendees can even be from multiple different time zones); In the event that the audiovisual material is recorded and freely accessible to the attendees, it can be reviewed and studied again at a time deemed convenient (although it is worth mentioning that this last aspect is already used by several face-to-face congresses today. ). However, as a disadvantage, the impossibility of socializing and sharing between different professionals and attendees from different cities/countries and universities/institutions is also pointed out, which is an important characteristic of face-to-face scientific congresses: face-to- face. Moments of «informal» meetings, such as coffee breaks, are eliminatedbreaks or talks that take place during poster exhibitions.

Unlike previous decades, current technological advances allow these scientific events to be held virtually. The implementation of the new information and communication technologies (ICT) in the context of a pandemic is essential and requires that students play their rightful role: that of protagonists. Although this new dynamic is not accepted by all students of medical universities, especially by those with more experience who value the advantages of face-to-face events, it constitutes a valid alternative to keep student scientific research active.

During the months of January to June at the University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara, the I Student Fair of Innovation and Scientific Application was held EUREKA 2022, which arose as an idea of the authors of this article with the main objective of showing the results. in innovation and scientific application of students across the country. The event had several collateral activities that were developed face to face and at the same time, virtually. It was carried out in certain scenarios and also with the use of digital platforms, integrating the dissemination of knowledge through the use of Telegram, WhatsApp and facilitating the registration and processing of the data of the participants in the activities through the use of Google Forms.

Forochat option made by the Telegram channel of the event was used. The themes of the courses were diverse, but all showed some innovative product or process; In addition, they were taught by the professionals in charge of the development and implementation of such innovative product or process.

It should be noted that, within the 12 courses carried out prior to the exhibition fair, the central activity within the event, 4 of them were taught by students. The themes revolved around the use of new technologies as essential tools to be used in the different processes of research development.

As part of the methodology outlined for carrying out these courses, a final moment was conceived in which an environment of collective debate was created with the objective of evaluating the initial expectations of the public and their final opinion.

It should be noted that after the completion of the courses, an institutional environment of interest was created towards the topics taught; That is why they were repeated on several occasions, in different settings, among which it is worth highlighting two invitations from the Dentistry faculty to be part of the opening conference of the Student Scientific Forum and the Class Festival with the theme Digital Tools; In addition, two meetings were held in the Medical Teaching Diploma: the first, at the invitation ofTania RobainaPh. D, in which the importance of the use of digital technologies for the improvement of the teaching activity and the second, where the subject of Design of Power Point Presentations was taught.

In these meetings, the opinion of the participants regarding the importance of continuing to promote the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the improvement of teaching activity was corroborated once again.

The central activity of the event took place in June, an exhibition fair where students from all over the country presented the results and impact of their innovative products. Together, the research centers of the University of Medical Sciences and the Central University of Las Villas joined the fair and presented their work in this field. This activity was the propitious space to unite ties of cooperation between the country's universities and between students and professors.

this event may serve as a good example of the use of new technologies to open a space to exchange knowledge and experiences in science and innovation in medical sciences but, above all, as a reference to encourage and motivate research and scientific development of students.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

1. Arencibia Fernández A. Los eventos científicos virtuales como canal de transferencia de los resultados de investigación. Correo Científico Médico [Internet]. 2021 [citado 18/04/2022];25(3):[aprox. 2 p.]. Disponible en: https://revcocmed.sld.cu/index.php/cocmed/article/view/4088

2. Benítez Rojas LDLC. Ciencia estudiantil: Eventos Científicos Estudiantiles Virtuales durante la COVID-19. Univ Méd Pinareña [Internet]. 2021 [citado 18/04/2022];17(3):[aprox. 1 p.]. Disponible en: https://revgaleno.sld.cu/index.php/ump/article/view/622

3. Alvarado Carrasco E, Aguilera Zapata J. Congresos virtuales: una nueva realidad, producto de la pandemia COVID-19. Rev. Méd. Chile [Internet]. 2020 [citado 19/04/2022];148(10):[aprox. 2 p.]. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872020001001527&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en

 

 

Declaration of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

 

 

Contribution of the authors

Bibliographic review, preparation and review of the final report: Carlos Miguel Campos Sánchez, Adalys Guillen León, Gabriel Hernández Águila and Dalia Melia Martínez Díaz.

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