In its fifteenth version, and under the theme “Advanced Materials: Cutting-Edge Technologies”, this event was attended by leading national and international exhibitors, authorities, scholars and executives of Empresas Copec and its subsidiaries.

In his role as chairman of the COPEC-UC Foundation, Roberto Angelini welcomed the attendees underlining the importance of this Seminar as a key tool to advance the Foundation’s mission in contributing to the development of the country, based on the promotion of applied science, technology and innovation.

Also, Angelini stressed that it was from this vision that in 2002, this strategic alliance between the Academy and the business sector emerged “with the firm purpose of promoting research and the development of innovative solutions that respond to issues relevant to the society, contributing to improve people’s quality of life”.

Then, the Rector of the Catholic University, Ignacio Sánchez, also delivered a few words of welcome, and then introduced the Coordinator of the COP25 Presidency, Andrés Landerretche. Then, Carl Thompson, Director of the Materials Research Lab at MIT; Francisco Martín-Martínez, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Swansea, England; Alex Berg, Executive Director of the Technological Development Unit of the Universidad de Concepción; Cristián Olivares, co-founder of the Solubag company; Tomás Egaña, professor and researcher of the Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering of the Catholic University and creator of the Hulk-UC project; and Alfonso Cruz, Executive Director of the COPEC-UC Foundation, delivered speeches.

This Seminar is one of the various initiatives carried out annually by the Foundation. In its 17 years of history, this organization has invested more than $ 7.5 billion in funds to technically and financially support more than 100 innovative projects that seek to generate a positive impact on people’s quality of life.