A study on the problems of computer waste receives the 17th Peace Research Award of the University of Barcelona
The study Ordinadors de sang, rius de deixalles. Una segona vida per als residus informàtics, by student Dídac Jiménez, from the Institute Frederic Martí in Palafrugell, was the awardee of the seventeenth edition of the Peace Research Award given to upper secondary school projects, held annually by the University of Barcelona, promoted by the UB Solidarity Foundation and the Institute of Professional Development (IDP-ICE) of the UB.
The jury, made up entirely of UB teaching staff, decided to award the prize to this research study, which analyses the journey of a computer from the time it is deposited at a recycling centre until it disappears from the planet. It also analyses the reasons behind the amount of electronic waste we generate and designs a protocol to prevent computer equipment from going to waste and to make it easier for people with limited economic resources to find another use for it.
The study Ordinadors de sang, rius de deixalles. Una segona vida per als residus informàtics, by student Dídac Jiménez, from the Institute Frederic Martí in Palafrugell, was the awardee of the seventeenth edition of the Peace Research Award given to upper secondary school projects, held annually by the University of Barcelona, promoted by the UB Solidarity Foundation and the Institute of Professional Development (IDP-ICE) of the UB.
The jury, made up entirely of UB teaching staff, decided to award the prize to this research study, which analyses the journey of a computer from the time it is deposited at a recycling centre until it disappears from the planet. It also analyses the reasons behind the amount of electronic waste we generate and designs a protocol to prevent computer equipment from going to waste and to make it easier for people with limited economic resources to find another use for it.
According to the verdict of the jury, "the research stands out for the student's ability to relate global issues such as environmental pollution, poverty and armed conflicts to local issues such as planned obsolescence, consumerism and the digital gap". The jury also praised how, "using both an environmental and social approach, the student overcomes the impotence of the problem to advance in the search for a solution, which he explains in detail with the aim of making it available to everyone".
The award, which aims to promote education for peace in high school and strengthen the culture of peace through research, was presented this Thursday, June 2, at a ceremony in the Chapel of the Historic Building of the University of Barcelona. Both the awardee and his school each received a prize accounting for 500 euros.
The jury also awarded nine special mentions to the studies Viure en guerra. Una crònica familiar de la Guerra Civil espanyola, by Fiona García, and De la guerra a l'escenari. Un viatge per la societat a la Guerra Civil espanyola, by Claudia Ortiz, Marta Ruiz and Araceli Pendón, both from Institut Ferran Casablancas in Sabadell; 360 minuts dins d'un centre penitenciari. Aproximació al concepte de reinserció, by Gisela Pérez and Sara de Haro, from El Cairat high school in Esparreguera; Diversitat sexual i de gènere i educació sexual inclusiva, by Biel Bendicho, from Joan Solà high school in Torrefarrera; Cinema, l'art per a la normalització de les identitats de gènere, by Laura Pérez, from Les Corts high school in Barcelona; El voluntariat, l'altra cara de les crisis, by Ares Carrera, from Guindàvols high school in Lleida; Efectes del temporal Glòria a la morfologia del delta de la Tordera, by Rebeca Torrecilla, from S'Agulla high school in Blanes; Evolució de la lluita LGBTI+ durant el franquisme, la transició democràtica i l'actualitat, by Kevin Colorado, from Escola Pía Sant Antoni in Barcelona; and La guerra contra la fam. El paper de les ONG en problemes internacionals, by Ariadna Bofill, from Escola Pía Balmes in Barcelona.
The Joan Gomis Award, given by the Santa Coloma de Gramenet City Council to the top peace research study from this city, went to the study L'assalt al Capitoli, by Hugo Valdesoiro, from the Puig Castellar high school.
Thursday's event was chaired by Joan Guàrdia, rector of the University of Barcelona. Among the participants were Montserrat Puig, vice-rector for Equal Opportunities and Gender at the UB, representing the UB Solidarity Foundation; Maria Rosa Buxarrais, director of the IDP-ICE of the UB; Mar Grasa, lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine at the UB, representing the jury, and Dídac Jiménez, the awardee.