European Culture and Technology Seminar Series 'Thinking Human First'
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT Cartagena), a European University of Technology consortium member alongside TU Dublin, is hosting a panel discussion about 'Thinking Human First' on Wednesday, 23 June 2021 at 4pm (GMT).
“Human First… and humans in the end” is the motto of the cauldron in which we are going to mix a selection of technological developments concocted in Cartagena, which will be served up in a two-course menu for the summer solstice.
First: Human First. Technology devoted to helping people with visual and hearing impairment, specifically in a learning context. BeMyVega aims at more inclusive education, and this intervention will move beyond technical details to discuss researchers’motivation and rewards, social impact and feedback from final users. Second: the curse for the environment that we may represent, seasoned with a caring technology as a second chance to redeem ourselves and remedy environmental damage.
From the use of light as a language tool for plant-human communication in the fight against global warming to the local recovery of our Mar Menor coastal saltwater lagoon, remarkable contributions by UPCT researchers through nature-based solutions will be displayed. Finally, as a dessert, the UPCT-Bloopbusters team will tell us about their experience teaching Physics for engineers while making the most of their passion for the Seventh Art. Scientific mistakes in films and hands-on experiments are used to help our students with complex aspects of their courses, develop critical thinking and raise awareness of their responsibility towards global challenges for their future professional career.
FIRST WITCH: When shall we meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
(Macbeth, Act I, Scene I)
Schedule
17:00-17:15 ECTLab Introduction. Noel Fitzpatrick – TU Dublin (English) and host introduction: José Luis Serrano - UPCT (Spanish/English).
17:15-17:30. Maria Carmen Martínez – Assistant Professor at the Department of Agronomical Engineering. "Light as a language tool for plant-human communication"
17:30-17:45 María Nazaret González - Biologist, PhD, Contract Researcher (Saavedra Fajardo program). "Nature-based solutions can help us, but only if we help them: the case of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon".
17:45-18:00 Ángel Molina - Professor at the Department of Electric Engineering. "Use of Technology to improve accessibility and inclusion in education: BeMyVega"
18:00-18:15 UPCT Bloopbusters – Enrique Castro y Juan Francisco Sánchez Assistant Professors at the Department of Applied Physic "A methodology of teaching physics and technology concepts using movie scenes and related experiments."
18:15 Q/A in local host language and/or English.
18:25 Wrap up: José Luis Serrano –UPCT (Spanish)
18:30 Conclusion: Noel Fitzpatrick – TU Dublin (English)