Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

They see that there have always been women who have done science

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on February 11, various events have been organized to recognize women scientists and take steps towards parity. This is also the objective of the play “I am a woman and I want to be a scientist” by the Public University of Navarra. One of the protagonists is Nazareth Torres Molina.

But in his day to day, Torres is immersed in research, far from the stage and his work as an actor. In fact, he has made the right path to the world of research, although, as he confesses, at first he was not very clear: “In the second year of high school I was a little lost and I joined a classmate to study Biology at the University of Navarra.”

In the third course he went to Biochemistry: “I wanted to understand the processes; how chemical reactions occur in organisms. So I decided to do the thesis. To do this, I did a Master’s Degree in Research and then I started to do my PhD in the field of Biology and Environmental Sciences,” he explains.

In retrospect, he considers that it was a very “beautiful” time: “After all, you have all the time to learn something specific. Then you see that everything is much more complex, but at that moment you are completely focused on your research, and that is beautiful. It’s true that you have pressure, but I felt that my teammates supported me well.”

“I wanted to understand the processes; how chemical reactions occur in organisms.”

In his thesis, he investigated the relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and vineyards, and continues to investigate vineyards at the Public University of Navarra thanks to a Ramón y Cajal contract. Here’s how he explains what he’s doing: “I investigate the state of the soil and, within it, more sustainable planting techniques, for example, to improve the state of the vineyards. We also investigate mycorrhizal fungi, but in real vineyards, not only in pot experiments.”

In the dress of Hedy Lamar

Although she usually works on it, these days she is also dressed in the dress and hat of the last century, which embodies Hedy Lamarr in the play “I am a woman and I want to be a scientist”.

When he explains it, there is an illusion in his voice: “This is a show aimed at elementary school children in which we chronologically represent the biography of some of the most outstanding women scientists in history. Thus, they see that there have always been women who have done science and from all fields. And then we explain to them what we are investigating so that they know nearby examples as well.”

“In research, the relationship between the sciences is fundamental.”

It highlights the importance of the age of the public: “In fact, studies show that around 6 years old, girls start to think that the scientific world is not right for them.”

When choosing the character for the play, he chose Hedy Lamarr: “I find it very attractive. He was a movie star on the one hand, and a pioneer of Wi-Fi and GPS technologies on the other, and had a movie biography.”

He also finds it interesting that the work embodies scientists who do not belong to his field. “After all, in research, the relationship between the sciences is essential.”

He doesn’t hide the fact that he likes to leave the university and work with children. “On February 11, we are going to Baztan,” he said. Both will go there: Nazareth Torres Molina and Hedy Lamarr.

Although he grew up and lived in Aoiz, he was born in Pamplona in 1990. He graduated in Biochemistry, followed by a Master in Biomedical Research. He then completed his thesis at the University of Navarra in the area of Biology and Environment. He also completed a three-month research stay at the ISVV (University of Bordeaux, France), where he obtained his PhD in Cum Laude with International Mention. Since then he has dedicated himself to the study of viticulture and the agronomy of vines at the University of California Davis (USA) and now at the Public University of Navarra. He has won many awards.