Science with purpose: Luksic Scholar develops AI project applied to health in UK
With the Luksic Scholarship, Martina Cádiz studied a Master’s degree in Data Ethics and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh. Today she works as a research assistant at the same university, participating in an artificial intelligence project applied to the early detection of diseases.
Martina Cádiz, a computer engineer from the Universidad de Concepción and volunteer at Niñas Pro, an organization that teaches programming to girls and adolescents, traveled to the United Kingdom in 2024 after winning the Luksic Scholar scholarship to study for a Master’s degree in Data Ethics and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh. What began as an academic experience ended up opening up new professional opportunities for him: today he is part of the team at the Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation, where he works on artificial intelligence projects applied to public health.
“Coming from a much more technical field, the master’s degree helped me understand the social challenges that lie ahead for the country,” Martina explained.
He is currently involved in an initiative supported by the UK government that seeks to develop artificial intelligence systems for the early detection of urinary tract infections, a condition that affects millions of people and can lead to serious complications if not diagnosed in time.
“The project is not just about applying robotics or AI from a technical point of view, but focusing on care and improving people’s quality of life,” he described.
On how the lessons learned from this experience could contribute to the country, Martina highlighted the relevance of this type of initiative in contexts such as the Chilean one. “Thinking about geriatric care -focused on elderly people-, which will be a very relevant area in the coming years, the results of this project could be applied to the detection of urinary infections in older adults and thus improve their quality of life”, she explained.
“When students like Martina return to the country, they bring with them new knowledge that drives innovative initiatives and strengthens our public policies. But their contribution is not limited to their return: those who stay abroad also contribute to the recognition and international projection of Chile, generating networks, collaborations and opportunities that benefit the country from abroad,” said Trinidad García, director of International Education at the Luksic Foundation.
Guidelines for those who want to be part of the Luksic Scholar community
“The most important advice I can give is to dare. Many times we Chileans doubt our preparation, but the truth is that, in my experience, we have a very solid academic background that makes us capable of facing the challenges of studying abroad,” said Martina and added that “a common mistake is to think that there is an ‘ideal candidate’, but each person has something different to contribute: from research, activism or even a critical look at the current system.”
Among the most valuable memories of his time in Edinburgh are the friendships and the Chilean community he met there. “Without even knowing me, many Chileans helped me adapt, and that made all the difference,” she said. She also enjoyed making friends of different nationalities and learning more about their cultures: “I even learned a little Hindi and a lot about India,” she recalled.
About the Luksic Scholarships at the University of Edinburgh
Each year, the Luksic Foundation offers three full scholarships – the Luksic Scholarships – to the University of Edinburgh, aimed at those who are admitted to the Master’s in Data Ethics and Artificial Intelligence or the Master’s in Circular Economy.
To access the Luksic Scholarship, those interested must apply to the master’s program and complete the Luksic Scholarship form managed and provided by the university. The selection of the Luksic Scholars is exclusive to the university; the Luksic Foundation does not participate in the admission or awarding of funds.
On November 5, the Luksic Foundation will hold an information session in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. Registration can be made here. The 2024 briefing is also available on the organization’s YouTube channel.
Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year close on December 15. Details about the Luksic Scholarship in Edinburgh and other programs are available at: www.luksicscholars.org/programas.
