This Wednesday, June 26, at 11:15 a.m., at the Physics Institute of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, a welcome breakfast was held for the 30 selected students of the Atomic Girls 2025 program, an initiative led by the researchers of the Millennium Institute SAPHIR and UC Physics academics, Dr. Giovanna Cottin and Dr. Francisca Garay.
The activity gathered the selected young women together with prominent university and program authorities, among them Denise Gómez, Deputy Director of National Funds of the UC Research Directorate, the Dean of the Faculty of Physics, Prof. Samuel Hevia, and the Director of the UC Physics Institute, Prof. Roberto Rodríguez. Also in attendance was part of the administrative team of the Millennium Institute SAPHIR, headed by its executive director, Felipe Olivares León.
The meeting officially kicked off this new version of the workshop, which received 257 applications from different regions of the country. After a rigorous evaluation process, 30 girls were selected to participate in this unique educational space that combines science, community and vocation.
The selected students come from six regions of Chile: Arica and Parinacota, Valparaíso, Metropolitan, Maule, Biobío and Los Ríos. The group is made up of students from municipal, subsidized and private schools, reflecting a remarkable geographic and educational diversity, in line with the program's inclusive approach.
The Atomic Girls workshop is developed in mixed modality, combining virtual sessions with face-to-face activities in Santiago. This structure makes it possible to expand territorial coverage and guarantee access to girls living in different areas of the country, overcoming distance barriers.
During the face-to-face sessions, participants have access to experimental laboratories, modern physics workshops, visits to research centers, talks with scientists, and collaborative work dynamics. These activities not only strengthen their bond with physics, but also foster critical thinking, curiosity and collaboration.
The mission of the Atomic Girls workshop is to make the participation of young women in the exact sciences visible, to break down gender stereotypes and to motivate scientific vocations in traditionally masculinized areas. The 2025 edition is part of the work of the Millennium Institute SAPHIR, which promotes early training in particle physics and field theory, with a decentralized and inclusive approach.
With enthusiasm, commitment and science in action, the program takes a new step to inspire future generations of physicists in the country.
