Brian Martinez

Brian Martinez is 20 years old and comes from Paysandú, Uruguay. Since he was 11 years old, he had to move away from his parents to attend agricultural schools where he studied and often lived.  

Being the son of rural producers, he knew first-hand the difficulties experienced by those who work in the countryside. As he grew up, his interest in science and technology increased.  

In 2019, he applied to the Latin American Science Camp in Uruguay and was selected. On his return, together with his classmates, he created the "Jornadas Científicas Agrarias" to help other students with their final high school projects. But their goal went beyond that: they wanted to awaken interest in science, convinced of its strong presence in everyday life. 

The initial idea of studying law gradually diminished in the face of the option of agronomy as an opportunity to change their context. He is currently developing an application for rural producers that aims to simplify the management of sheep: by means of a printed QR code that is read by a mobile phone, the data of the animals are registered. This reduces time and error margins, processes the data and systematises the analysis. 

Together with his science club, in 2020 he devised a project called "Green Agrarian" that sought to make his school more sustainable and sustainable. With it, they managed to qualify from the departmental science fair to the national one, obtaining a special mention with which they were able to participate in an entrepreneurship programme organised by the US Embassy. Ultimately, out of the 30 participating clubs, three projects were chosen as winners, and they won first place. 

The recognition continued to escalate. In the pandemic, thanks to this project and the tutoring teacher, he was invited by another school to teach "Ecoaction", a subject that seeks to apply the scientific method to environmental problems. And in 2021 they presented the project at an international livestock exhibition known as "Expo Prado". 

Together with colleagues from the faculty, he is also creating a visual guide to recognise earthworms, given the benefits they provide for plant growth. He also helps with science and technology awareness days, and is a facilitator in student agricultural network clubs. Brian wants to promote science in agricultural schools throughout Uruguay and already has a plan: to create a science and technology academy for rural youth.