Dr. Mario Molina, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995 for his work on knowing the causes of the Earth’s ozone layer damage that produce chlorofluorocarbons gases (CFCs), visited the Technological Development Unit (UDT) of the University of Concepción on July 25.
The renowned investigator and adviser to the U.S. President Obama and the UN participated in the Roundtable: The forest industry as a source of new bioproducts in Chile, where he shared with young investigators and students from UDT.
Regarding this field, Dr. Molina said that the forest industry has great potential because it is a green industry. Wood is generated by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
On the other hand, Dr. Alex Berg, Executive Director of UDT, said that “not only traditional products such as sawn timber or pulp can be obtained from wood, but also biofuels, chemical products and biomaterials”.
Finally, Berg said that the Biobío Region must meet a pioneering role in the development of bioeconomy, because it has trained people, interested companies and abundant raw material.
Role of science
Before the approach to the role and duty of science and technology in the development of emerging countries, Dr. Molina said that the economic development is related to the investment in science and technology made by countries.
The Nobel Prizewinner also said that the quality of tertiary education, especially in science and engineering, depends on how well connected professors are to the international field in order to train engineers and technologists able to compete in a globalized world.
Finally, he argued that “the only way to compete in the globalized world is that governments invest in education, science and technology so the emerging countries can have their own samsungs”, referring to the South Korean brand.