The Network for Extreme Environment Research (NEXER) has joined the efforts of the Universities of Magallanes, La Frontera and Antofagasta, around research in extreme environments in Chile, establishing multidisciplinary scientific lines that allow understanding at different levels and scales, in addition to establishing outreach programs, promoting interactions between researchers and contributing to the training of undergraduate and graduate students.

This Wednesday, December 2, authorities from the three universities involved  in this project met with the board of directors and the coordinating committee of NEXER, with the purpose of presenting the productivity advances since the year of its establishment.

Since 2016, this initiative has obtained interesting results. Thanks to the projects financed and associated with the network, more than 90 high-impact articles have been published. With an exponential increase: to date there are 31 undergraduate and graduate thesis.

At the meeting, the results of a bibliometric study were presented, which has made it possible to identify training capacities and characterize the  collaborations and scientific specialization. EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

Within the research lines that stand out the results are  in topics related to the Atacama Desert, Antarctica, Holocene and Climate Change. The network is collaborating every day more with social sciences, in order to take a holistic direction of research in environments extremes.

The rector of the University of Antofagasta, Dr. Luis Alberto Loyola Morales, highlighted the high projections of the network. “The networking of researchers and students allows to enhance results, deepen scientific studies from different areas, in addition to sharing experiences and knowledge between regional state universities, located in extreme areas. Here, trust and progress have been developed among the participants, national and international” he indicated.

On the meeting, the rectors highlighted that NEXER has achieved an identity to be recognized as a relevant network of scientific collaboration between regional state universities, becoming a platform that connects and promotes the development of heterogeneous scientific capacities, not just papers, but also educational processes.

In this context, the University of La Frontera rector, Dr. Eduardo Hebel Weiss, pointed out “ The association between the three universities has allowed us to develop a network work that has been key in the results that are being obtained. In addition to the commitment of the researchers from the institutions that are part of  NEXER Project, who have added their knowledge to develop research in extreme environments in our country ”.

In addition, a strong outlook towards the community has been consolidated, which is the reason NEXER have been part of more than 45 outreach activities to date, granting spaces not only to network partners but also to the entire territory,  with the aim of making known how extreme environments are invaluable in our ecosystem.

In this sense, the University of Magallanes rector, Dr. Juan Oyarzo Pérez, this is a pioneering network in the effort to articulate the work of regional state universities, as a way of decentralizing research and teaching activities. In this first phase, the will to keep this network running was demonstrated, in order to contribute from three geographically different areas ”. International Projections

Another element addressed in this meeting between rectors and representatives of NEXER, was the beginning of its positioning at an international level, as a platform that connects and promotes the development of heterogeneous scientific capacities, not only of scientific production but also of training processes and link with the environment.

NEXER

NEXER allows synergy between associated Universities, constantly increasing the productivity of these and their researchers. As a vision, NEXER-CHILE hopes to be a national and international leader for Extreme Environments and Climate Change Research, achieving today future contribution to the world society transfer of fundamental and applied scientific knowledge, which we help address global challenges such as global change and the consequences of the Sars-CoV-2 world pandemic.

 

Written by: NEXER Science Outreach Team