Medellin: Innovative Science

On May 31 and June 1, Medellín hosted Colombia’s first ever Science Hack Day.

The event was a grass roots science event that connected scientists from different disciplines and gave them 24 hours of ‘friendly competition’ to create an innovative prototype ‘hack’.

Global Director of the event, Ariel Waldman said: “Science Hack Day empowers people from a variety of backgrounds to explore, participate in and build new ways of interacting with and contributing to science.”

News software provider, Thomson Reuters EndNote teamed up with the Kairos Society of Latin America to deliver the event.

The Kairos Society promotes entrepreneurship and innovation among the under 25’s.

Vanessa Restrepo Schild,  President of the charity’s Latin American branch, believes the event will have a lasting legacy for Colombia. She told The Bogotá Post: “Our local scientific and technological community has embraced this Hackathon trend and we see it continuing.

“It challenges our usual practices and shows how easy and fast it can be to develop effective prototypes when you have access to the right space and collaborative opportunities,” she stated.