Interview to Pablo Sierra

Interview to Pablo Sierra - Innovar’s Program General Coordinator

1- Which are the goals that INNOVAR seeks?

INNOVAR is a program created by the Department of Science Technology and Innovation, which approaches different dimensions of the innovation phenomenon. It focuses on entrepreneurs, including students, researchers, or professionals and also recent commercial entrepreneurships. The instruments that the program uses are the result of its general format of prize or National Contest, and they are:

• Summons to innovative projects from the whole country. INNOVAR is a great recipient of projects, developed by young students and professionals of the whole country, as well as by small companies or companies in creation. This great summon is organized into categories. Some of these categories are the same year after year (Design, Research & Products), and others are added every year in order to capture new trends.
• Evaluation. INNOVAR evaluates every project. This evaluation has to do with general characteristics of the project, without including a deeper economic analysis.
• Visibility. Those projects that have developed a prototype, and that are really innovative, are selected for the great exhibition that is realized every year in October. There are approximately 350 projects. Moreover, all these projects are included in the annual catalogue of INNOVAR. This is a book of great esthetic value which allows these projects to be kept for ever. Within this book you can also find the information to contact participants.

2- Which are the factors that turn INNOVAR into one of the most important national contest?

INNOVAR has reached a prestigious level, thanks to the high quality standards that are required inside and outside the contest.

Every stage of the contest is approached with a high sense of quality, from the design of a form, to the last panel of the exhibition. This implies that those participating in the contest should be very respectful of the procedures. Quality, and organization are key aspects in the process of innovation.

On the other hand, INNOVAR also considers the economic concept of innovation. It is important to transform projects into products that may be useful for society. If this point is not considered, we can be in front of inventions, experiments, valid experiences, but not in front of innovations.

This last point is really important for people, and INNOVAR contest is concerned about it.

3- How do you evaluate the participation of engineers and their projects in the contest throughout the years? Do you remember any project introduced by engineers that has been implemented afterwards?

Engineers are the most important community of participants in INNOVAR. They are the first minority. Every year engineers stand out among the winning projects. Their projects contain a lot of robotic, great automation of industrial processes and systems.

4- How innovative are Argentinean engineers?

Engineering in our country has a good level. Sadly, due to the cyclical crises, our country could not grow so much as to maintain a constant demand of engineers. On the other hand, the constant growth will necessarily cause a demand of a professional profile as that of an engineer.

5- We believe that innovation is the base of the construction of a competitive country. Which are the strengths and weaknesses of Argentina in this aspect? What role do engineers play in innovation and competitiveness in Argentina?

Innovation is the base for development, centered on the permanent increase of human capital. Nobody wants a country only based on natural resources or low wages. Engineers, and other professionals, are an expression of the human capital. Innovation needs increasing and different types of knowledge.

6- How do you consider the impact that the activities of engineers can have in society? Do you remember any project suggested by engineers that has had a social prominent impact?

Whenever engineers are prepared to work and articulate with other professionals, they can fulfill an strategic role.

7- Which is the potential of the joint action between Engineering 2010 and INNOVAR?

It is really very important. Engineers are privileged users of INNOVAR.

8- Which are the perspectives for next years?

To increase the quality of projects and to link INNOVAR to other tools which are being elaborated by the Department of Science Technology and Innovation.

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