MY Camper Santiago Rouco: Viable water purification process to help the poor
19-year-old MY Camper Santiago “Santi” Oviedo Rouco has known for many years that he wants to become a scientist. He is now realising this dream through chemistry studies at university.
Santiago is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studies chemistry at the Buenos Aires University. He heard about the Millennium Youth Camp from a friend, who also applied for the camp, but didn’t make it after all.
Santiago is very anxious to meet his fellow campers, gain more knowledge about natural sciences, and experience the Finnish summer.
“I was a bit worried about the climate in Finland because I had heard it is really cold, but when I saw pictures of your country in the summer, I got really excited.”
Santiago is in MY Camp’s Water group, and his project is about improving the availability of drinkable water in the poor districts on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
“I came up with the idea after talking to my mother, who works in one of the schools of the poor area, and told me about the problems the students face to get drinkable water.”
Santiago’s interest in science comes from his father, who worked in a laboratory, and brought home laboratory equipments to his son. Santiago attended to secondary school that was specialized in science, and through that got the chance to participate in the youth programme of the Buenos Aires University, and decided that he wanted to become a chemist.
Now that Santiago studies at the Buenos Aires University, he is involved in a group of scientists and students called “Expedicion Ciencia” (“science expedition”).
“The aim of the group is to teach science to children and young people, but in non-traditional ways.”
In the future Santiago would like to specialize in biological chemistry.
“I’m really interested in this area, because I would like to study astrobiology. I want to work in research, but let’s see what surprises the future holds.”
Link: Millennium Youth Camp
Document: Santiago´s plan for MY Camp (pdf)
Elisa Lautala works as web editor for University of Helsinki's Faculty of Science. Elisa likes all kinds of cultural events, good books, warm weather, and aqua-jogging.