In 1969, humanity reached the Moon—just nine years after the Apollo Program began. Nearly 400,000 people worked to make that feat possible. Every research project, every technological development, had its own goals, yet all shared a single mission: to make the impossible possible.
That alignment of science, innovation, and purpose did not remain in the past. Uruguay lived its own version of it during the pandemic: researchers, technologists, and authorities worked together to develop locally made diagnostic kits and an app that allowed real-time monitoring of cases. It was proof of what happens when knowledge meets mission.
To research with purpose means directing science and technology toward the great challenges of our society: producing more with less environmental impact, designing sustainable production systems, improving people’s quality of life. It’s not only about generating new knowledge but about translating it into solutions that can transform reality.
Just as the Apollo Program brought together thousands of projects under a single umbrella, mission-driven research means building comprehensive R&D programs. These programs require diverse, interdisciplinary teams—able to combine perspectives and skills to achieve shared goals. The challenge is enormous, but so is the opportunity: producing science with a tangible impact on development, resilience, and well-being.
On a recent visit to Uruguay, innovation policy expert Caetano Penna highlighted this very approach: mission-oriented innovation policies. He emphasized the crucial role of universities as anchors: they train interdisciplinary talent, provide scientific and technological resources, offer spaces for experimentation and validation, and sustain connections with global knowledge networks. They are vital nodes in the construction of innovative ecosystems.
Uruguay’s own energy transition is a clear example of a mission accomplished. According to Caetano, it was possible because universities did not limit themselves to research. They led. They designed. They acted. They sustained. Thanks to that, today the country boasts one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world.
The open question is as inspiring as it is demanding: What will be the next mission that research and technological development in Uruguay will make a reality? Whatever it may be, the experience shows that when science and mission come together, the extraordinary becomes possible.