High School Students from Liceo Polivalente El Llano Visit the Center for Mathematical Modeling and the National Laboratory for High-Performance Computing

A group of secondary school students from Liceo Polivalente El Llano in Maipú visited the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) and the National Laboratory for High-Performance Computing (NLHPC) at the University of Chile in an initiative designed to bring science and technology closer to the younger generations.

Accompanied by their Citizenship Science teacher, the students arrived at the CMM with curiosity and anticipation, attentive to what for many would be a unique experience. The day began with a talk by Dr. Flavio Guíñez, CMM’s Outreach Coordinator, who introduced the students to the world of mathematical modeling and its wide-ranging applications in science, industry, and everyday life.

“Our vision at CMM is to develop new mathematics to solve problems arising from other sciences and industry, while also enhancing education in this field. That is why we aim to bring the work of our researchers closer to the community through initiatives like this,” Dr. Guíñez explained during his presentation, also taking questions and outlining the center’s main research lines.

For Ingrid Alvarado, Citizenship Science teacher at Liceo El Llano, the visit was a unique opportunity to connect the classroom curriculum with real-world experiences. “We wanted to come because in the Technology and Society unit, there is no better place to show how science is advancing in the field of supercomputing. Here, students gain an understanding of the importance of data storage and how these processes impact areas such as medicine and technology,” she said.

The tour continued at the National Laboratory for High-Performance Computing (NLHPC), where systems engineers José Morales and Esteban Osorio guided the students through the supercomputer facilities, explaining its operation and significance for the country’s scientific development.

“As the National Laboratory for High-Performance Computing, we are very pleased to welcome students and explain how supercomputing works, as well as the services NLHPC provides to the national scientific community, government, and industry,” Morales .

The experience left a lasting impression on the students. Margot Espino, a senior student, commented, “It is amazing to be in a place like this, to see all the connections and the sheer volume of data this supercomputer can process. I was truly impressed.”

Through activities like this, the CMM and NLHPC aim to bring frontier research closer to school communities, inspiring the next generation of scientists in Chile.

 

By Cintia Beltrán Gómez, Communications, CMM

Posted on Sep 4, 2025 in News