CATA astronomer gave a talk to students at San Miguel Arcángel School

Roberto Assef, Deputy Director and Principal Investigator at CATA, gave a talk on black holes at an establishment in Las Condes.

As part of its scientific outreach program, the Center for Astrophysics and Related Technologies (CATA) visited San Miguel Arcángel School in the Las Condes district to give a talk on black holes to high school students. The presentation was given by CATA’s Deputy Director and Principal Investigator, Roberto Assef, who is also a professor at Diego Portales University and an expert on these celestial bodies.

The meeting aimed to bring scientific knowledge closer to 80 students from the school. During the talk, Roberto addressed different aspects of these astronomical objects, answered questions from the audience, and promoted a conversation about the importance of science for the country.

“I think it was very successful. The main purpose of these talks is to spark students’ interest in these topics and inform them about the discoveries that have been made in this area so that they have an up-to-date view of the subject. This was evident in the students’ keen interest, asking questions during and after the talk, not only about black holes, but also engaging in a more general discussion about the importance of science funding for the country’s development,” said Roberto Assef.

The school administration praised the activity for its approachable, accessible style and the impact it had on the young people. “As a school, we are deeply grateful to have CATA available to carry out these activities. One of the things I value most as a teacher is having access to first-hand information on the latest advances in science, explained in clear and accessible language, which allows us all to understand it. Similarly, students greatly value the opportunity to understand concepts such as black holes, which are generating increasing interest,” said Matías Navarro, physics teacher at Colegio San Miguel Arcángel.

The CATA researcher also highlighted the importance of institutions such as our Center maintaining this link with the school community: “I believe that dissemination is a fundamental aspect of science, because the knowledge we have gained through research is of little use if it is not shared with the community. This is particularly important at the school level, as this knowledge can have a significant impact on students’ education, regardless of the path they decide to pursue after this stage,” emphasized Assef.

Finally, Professor Navarro highlighted the pedagogical approach of the activity and the good coordination with the CATA team: “Rather than focusing on the scientific rigor of definitions or technical aspects, the talk was adapted to the students’ level, using familiar references, such as the movie Interstellar. In addition, the coordination with the team and Professor Roberto was smooth and marked by an excellent attitude, which is greatly appreciated and valued.”