INSTITUTIONAL NEWS
CONICET and the ‘National University of Mar del Plata’ opened a new institute
It is the ‘Institute for Research in Production, Health and Environment’ which belongs to the ‘Scientific and Technological Center CONICET Mar del Plata’.
The ‘Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM, CONICET-UNMDP’ [Institute for Research in Production, Health and Environment] has 64 professionals of different fields of study such as biology, chemistry and agronomy. Its main goal is to analyse integrated management of pests and its impact on the production systems, diseases of sanitary importance and the care for the environment. The research team seeks to generate basic and applied knowledge and technological development to solve regional, provincial and national problems that improve the quality of life of the people.
Its director, Matías Maggi, is a CONICET independent researcher who was appointed in 2020. He seeks to make the institute consolidate as an excellent academic and model institute at a national and international level. The goal is to generate knowledge and the tools to promote sustainable development of ecosystems by means of research work, human resources training, transfer and dissemination.
The studies conducted from basic sciences show the environmental situation of the landscapes analysed and the health of its past and current inhabitants. This will provide accessible quality information for those who are in charge of making decisions.
Maggi explains that although IIPROSAM develops basic and applied sciences, the application of this research work will impact society directly. One example is the study on native plants and how to optimize crop yields as well as reuse the discard of certain industrial processes to generate a lower environmental impact of these activities. “Most of our lines of research are aimed at solving specific problems. From a production perspective, we look for solutions for the control of diseases that affect both human and animal health and agricultural production,” he explains.
The scope of the activities of this recently created institute has a strong commitment to society and that is reflected in the multiple outreach activities carried out by its members with a permanent commitment of its members sharing and disseminating results and scope of their research work.
Matías Maggi comments that he is very proud of leading the IIPROSAM and despite his experience in management from the beginning of his career, this represents a great challenge for him. “I have a great challenge ahead, but also, the confidence of being able to carry out a good management, especially considering that I will not be alone and that there is an excellent management team with Celina Elissondo, who is deputy director, principal researcher of CONICET and member of the board,” he adds.
“Assuming this responsibility implies not being able to dedicate oneself completely to science and to the subject of research. However, there are moments in which it is necessary to sacrifice personal work for institutional development. The IIPROSAM team has now this great opportunity ahead and it demands time, management and growth,” the researcher concludes.