I had the joy of visiting the National ExpoScience in Mexico. Celebrated every year over the past decade, La Red celebrates and offers a forum for all the young scientists and researches who are enthused by the power of science and put their efforts into pursuing projects that have the power to innovate the world.
ExpoScience is an International contest where participants from ages 6 to 26 present projects forming a team with up to three students and a counsellor/teacher in one of the eleven different areas. Thanks to the exchange program sponsored by the International Movement for Leisure Activities in Science and Technology (MILSET - Mouvement International pour le Loisir Scientifique et Technique) whether you are a national contester or one of the 139 different events among 108 countries around the world you get a change to participle in this important competition.
It should be highlighted that science interest in México is a rare quality that must be cultivated and prompted properly. Participating in the national as a regional winner not only facilitates you to meet other people of your country who share an interest in science as much as you do, but also facilitates being in touch with young people from all around the world! You get to know their interest in science, the projects they developed to be accredited by this forum, and most importantly to really get to know them as people; young people living in opposite worlds, knowing how they think, what their customs are, what they study, what their environment allows them to do, and that at the end of the day they’re just like you, even if they live so far away.
The eagerly awaited Cultural night must be highlighted as well, because not only for being ‘nerds’ we don’t know how to have fun, the representatives of the 12 visiting countries presented a performance which illustrated the essence and core of their respective countries, you get to ‘shake your hips’ with the Colombians, sing along the Italians or yell side by side with the Russians. Their nature flowing through the air and sneaking to your veins reaching your heart, is not only a place where you go to see the best of science, but where you get to see the best of human kind, fellowships bonding despite geography.
At the closing and award ceremony we had a main conference, and it was more of a privilege, having one of the two Mexican astronauts in history. José Hernández (pictured below) talking on stage about how he went from being a child with ‘illegal’ or mojados parents in the United States and, due to this situation, having been forced to work over 8 hrs at days for months harvesting corn or wheat to be one of the 5 selected people of the world with the mission of travelling to the Spatial Station to assist for repairs. How he realized during one of the launching transmissions on and old tv that he wanted to be an astronaut, but not only the desire of it, but the conviction within him that he would be and astronaut. And after all this, having a degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree. The journey was just beginning, he told us that he presented his resume for being an astronaut 12 years, after the first year of being rejected he took piloting classes and got a degree, that helped him for the next year. But not enough. Because he got rejected again, and after that year he went to Russia to assist the repair of a spatial station, with this job added to his resume, but that didn’t help either. But just like a Mexican saying ‘No hay mal que por bien no venga’ or ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’ after 12 years he learned Russian, flying planes, diving, learning Japanese, fixing launching motors, and an infinite activities, he finally got accepted for participating in the mission aiming to help the repairs of the International Spatial Station. And at the end all his hard work paid off. That even just for 2 weeks of travel he experience a journey only a few people in the world will ever have the chance of. All this from a stage that made you feel like if he was telling you his life while sharing a dinner with him. The boy who touched the stars.
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| The Boy Who Touched the Stars - Jose Hernandez talking at National ExpoScience |
- While in orbit, Hernandez became the first person to use the Spanish language in space while tweeting.
- Developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. This invention aids in the early detection of breast cancer.
- Applied for congressman in 2011: "It took me 12 tries to become an astronaut," Hernandez said. "You think I'm gonna quit my first time as a congressman? I don't think that's in my nature."
This ExpoScience is not only a space where you can connect with people intellectually, but emotionally, and that unlike other contests the prizes are life time experiences in other forums. Having the representation of Roberto Hidalgo, the international MILSET President the top 50 scores among 500 national projects and 36 International projects, get a one-in-a-lifetime ticket to one of the events affiliated with MILSET.
Events such as ExpoSciences Mexico allows young people to experience science in the real world from a young age. Partnered with MILSET, ExpoScience sends some of its winners to participate at the London International Youth Science Forum, the world's largest science forum for the best young scientists and engineers from around the world to debate, experience and learn science. To find out more about LIYSF in 2015, click here, or, to get in touch and find out about how to participate in the London International Youth Science Forum this year, click here.
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