Panamanian initiative: UTP STEM Camp wins world WEC award for its power of outreach.
The initiative had the backing of WEC Panama, CEMCIT AIP, SENACYT and electric sector companies such as Celsia, Naturgy, ENSA, Enel, EISA and IPSA.
An educational initiative of the Technological University of Panama (UTP) has been awarded by the World Energy Council (WEC) during the World Energy Week, held in Panama this October. The project, called UTP STEM Camp, was recognized with the Community Award “Call for the Common Good”.
“Our youth are the energy of the future, and their talent shows that Panama can lead the energy transition through innovation and cooperation,” stated Dr. Jessica Guevara, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of UTP and one of the coordinators.
Fostering gender equity and the energy transition
The UTP STEM Camp, led by Drs. Jessica Guevara and Vanessa Quintero, was born with the objective of motivating young people in their final years of high school to train in the various areas of engineering. The award distinguishes the exceptional cross-sectoral outreach power of the initiative and its contribution to the development of the energy sector.
“Our project was one of four initiatives selected worldwide from 50 applications, competing with projects from Austria, France, and Germany in the same category,” stated Dr. Guevara. The initiative seeks to increase its participation and promote gender equity in STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). To date, the program has trained more than 175 eleventh and twelfth-grade students from different provinces of the country.
This educational initiative aligns with the global WEC motto, “Humanizing Energy,” by fostering teamwork, creative thinking, and understanding the role of energy in social development. Young participants have the opportunity to carry out practical projects around solar, wind, biogas, and electric mobility energy, with the guidance of UTP mentors.
“The success of the UTP STEM Camp demonstrates that the most powerful energy is that of shared knowledge,” concluded Dr. Guevara. The award category, “Call for the Common Good,” celebrates members who promote alliances between academia, government, companies, and the community, generating shared value and strengthening the energy transition.
