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Hello! I am Maria Belen Lovino

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I specialize in listening, understanding, and integrating my knowledge to your needs, aiming to broaden access to science.

Here you can explore some of my science communication projects, which perfectly illustrate my career and skills.
I am a graduate in university physics education and have a master focused on public science communication.
My academic and professional career includes:

  • Chemical Technician
  • Physics Teacher (National University of Rosario - UNR).
  • Master in public science communication (National University of Rio Negro - UNRN).
  • ex-Science communication manager at the Physics Department of the Atomic Energy National Comission (CNEA), Argentina
  • ex-Physics didactics teacher at the National University of Rio Negro, Argentina

My projects and passions

Schools: Opening the dialogue also means listening During my years coordinating the International Dark Matter Day in Latin America, we initiated enriching exchanges with primary school students in Brazil and Argentina. I prioritize interactions involving their teachers, who have deep knowledge of their students and an essential emotional bond to foster meaningful learning in the classroom.
This approach has allowed us to connect students from particularly vulnerable environments in Brazil with leading researchers from major world scientific centers.
The goal is to stimulate a desire to learn and awaken their curiosity to ask questions. We also want to give them confidence to interact with scientists, often perceived as distant figures from their daily lives or usual activities.
In academic terms, the social aspect of science is the cornerstone of truly meaningful learning.
Scientific ice creams With a local ice cream shop interested in innovating and learning more about our research topics, we embarked on a gastronomic and scientific adventure. Exploring new flavors led us, through weeks, to intense exchanges about science and ice creams.
These conversations have resulted in unique creations, such as 'dark matter' ice cream and 'low temperatures' ice cream using liquid nitrogen. Throughout this co-production, we have established strong links with local communities in our city and with master ice cream makers.
Those who enjoyed these creations can judge whether the ice creams reflect the scientific ideas on which they were based. Dialogue is the main activity among participants.
Fashion and science We always ignore something, which is why we can always learn. This is how I embark on an exciting journey to explore the world of shapes, colors, and textures in fashion. In collaboration with famous Argentine designer Panni Margot (a science enthusiast!), we have been working since late 2023 to create a fashion collection for a show.
This collection is based on various fundamental scientific themes, both institutional and inter-institutional. I have invited physicists, science communicators, engineers, teachers, and many others to participate in this unique initiative. More than 20 pieces, artistically and conceptually inspired, will reflect research in fascinating areas such as astroparticles, low temperatures, nanotechnology, condensed matter, and accelerators, among others.
My professional goal is to initiate a dialogue about the importance of fundamental science among communities related to the fashion world.
Scientific crafts Local productions, whether from artisans, small businesses, or associations, play a crucial role in the experience of inhabitants and tourists visiting our cities.
Their unique and personalized work offers a true local identity, typical of small-scale productions. Therefore, I wanted to collaborate with a group of women producers from my city, gathered in the 'Design Collective', to create objects that communicate science in a profound and accessible way.
We began merging the worlds of science and design, leading to our first common creations: a mysterious puzzle evoking the scientific research process, addressing concepts such as entropy, symmetry, beauty, and complexity, while offering a playful dimension and special attention to details; and an accessory inspired by the results of scientific detectors, in the form of a traditionally redesigned bag.
My working approach helps limit institutional bureaucratic constraints and fosters a harmonious partnership: let’s discuss how to bring it to your institution.
Games and Science Within open communities for creation on Discord, together with scientists, we are dedicated to developing innovative versions of card games for fans. Each of us has our favorite games and many of these games have audiences around the world.
We use these already established audiences to create new campaigns (e.g., Marvel Champions and Arkham Horror). Co-production is our main value, uniting efforts to offer unique and enriching game experiences from an educational and communicational perspective.
New initiatives This space is reserved for our next co-production work. Can you imagine the results? Let's start the journey...

Communication is bidirectional

Why communicate fundamental science?
Although investment in fundamental science is crucial for its often unpredictable future social applications, that is not the main reason. The true essence of this approach lies in promoting culture, education, and understanding of the universe. These are my principles when imagining, designing, and implementing actions in public science communication.
Working method: places, spaces, and time
I am aware of my areas of expertise and my limits, allowing me to adopt dynamic and inclusive leadership in my teams, able to take on other roles that enable healthy group work.
I strive to understand the interests and skills of each of my collaborators and encourage them to engage in science and communication learning. This collaborative and respectful approach to diversity fully leverages everyone's potential and creates safe and inclusive work environments, free from any form of violence.
The public perception of science
In recent decades, studies on the public perception of science have provided valuable insight into the ideas, constructions, and concepts that different population segments hold about various scientific topics. Using these results as a basis for developing strategies and actions in science communication has become an increasing necessity if we aspire to informed and rational decisions. This approach not only improves the impact and effectiveness of science communication but also allows for prudent use of the resources at our disposal. Additionally, these studies often force us to question our own biases as communicators and scientists.
Addressing a problem: innovating, justifying, and evaluating
Generating new ideas is not enough to reach audiences beyond the limits of our communication strategies. These ideas must be solidly rooted in the principles of communication and science education and addressed interdisciplinary. Professionalization in this field requires integrating the latest developments and contributions from communication and education sciences. No initiative is undertaken simply for its entertaining or innovative character; everything is carefully planned. Therefore, evaluation occupies a central place in the professional process, allowing us to identify ways to improve our practices.
Let’s start a dialogue. Let's have a coffee...
Communication is a bidirectional process. Therefore, I commit to dedicating part of my time to listening to your ideas and expectations. My goal is to foster a reasonable dialogue between science and society, working together towards innovative and inclusive initiatives.

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