An interesting day with high-level international speakers took place this Thursday at the University of O'Higgins, as part of the Future Congress, a free event open to the public that seeks to generate dialogue and reflection on social, cultural and political issues.

Innovation in urban transport, electric vehicles, neuroscience behind decision-making and the perspective of bodily sensations from the sciences were the four main topics discussed at the study center, in an event organized by the Chilean Senate, the Encuentros del Futuro Foundation, the Chilean Academy of Sciences and universities in the country, and which, in the O'Higgins region, had the support of Codelco División El Teniente.

El Teniente's Innovation Director, Ignacio Cruz, stressed that "for Codelco, innovation is fundamental; it is part of our strategy. We are always looking for different and novel ways to treat our minerals in a more sustainable and clean manner, while also reducing exposure to people in terms of safety."

Along these lines, the executive pointed out that the reflective analysis around technology and science is a contribution to mining development, which in the case of El Teniente seeks to generate resources through copper, to provide well-being to all the inhabitants of the country.

Cruz took the opportunity to propose a change of perspective regarding the negative views that are sometimes associated with technology in the mining industry: “We have to innovate in the way we do things. Today we have people who, instead of being inside a machine, inside the mine, perform the same task from Rancagua, in a remote control room in the Integrated Operations Center. It is not about technology competing with people in the workplace, but rather about adaptation.”