Assistant Professor in Astrophysics, leads research on planet formation and initiatives on art-science interplay with has incursions into music, literature, outreach, and education.
I am an astrophysicist studying the fundamental question of the origins of planets, and I am deeply involved in the art-science interface through literature, science communication, and education. I lead the Millennium Nucleus for Young Exoplanets and Their Moons (YEMS) and the interdisciplinary center CIRAS. I've developed a new method for detecting young planets and have authored and contributed to over 90 publications in international journals.
I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics at the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH), with a PhD in astrophysics from Oxford University. I defended my thesis on the evolution of stellar black holes at the age of 25. At the University of Santiago de Chile, I've worked closely with the Physics Department to help establish an astrophysics degree with a focus on data science, the first of its kind.
I also direct the Astrodialogues project, which seeks to develop virtual reality experiences through intercultural dialogues about the sky between indigenous communities and scientific communities. I am the founder and director of the Concierto Cielos initiative and a soloist in the Concerto for Charango and Orchestra. As the author of the astronomy novel "Bitácora planetaria: cazadores de eclipses," my goal is to inspire children to explore science. I am an alumni of the Djerassi art-science residency "Scientific Delirium Madness" in San Francisco, California.
This section is dedicated to showcasing our projects and initiatives at the confluence of astrophysics with art, literature, and digital innovation, illustrating how science can transcend traditional boundaries.
The full list of my publications and works can be found here at NASA/ADS, also at ORCID, and Google Scholar. For highlighted research results and a list of current and past young researchers and students working with me, please check the following page:
I funded the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Astrophysics and Space Sciences (CIRAS), which is now an initiative led by faculty members at the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH) that promotes research through multidisciplinary connections between astrophysics, space sciences, computer engineering, mathematics, biology, and education.
The Millennium Nucleus on Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS) is an astronomy-informatics multidisciplinary effort funded by Iniciativa Científica Milenio and hosted by four universities in Chile. YEMS scientific objectives involve detecting and characterizing young exoplanets and exomoons to answer the long-standing question of their formation.
Started as a project to develop virtual reality experiences based on intercultural dialogues about the sky between indigenous communities and scientific communities. In 2022, the first dialogues with members of the Mapuche communities were established, and work began on developing an experience called Explorando el Wenumapu (Exploring Wenumapu). In 2023, we started connecting with Lickan Antay communities in the North of Chile to develope a experience called Ckunza Universo (Our Universe). Today, Astrodialogos is a foundation dedicated to building bridges between indigenous and astronomical communities as well as producing state-of-the-art RV experiences and educational material for intercultural science education.
This initiative merges science and music through a journey of brief scientific outreach talks intertwined with musical works and a visual spectacle based on images of Chilean astronomy.
Interpreting the Charango Concerto: from the Big Bang to the fundamental laws, at Concierto Cielos in GAM, 2017.
Talk on exoplanets at Concierto Cielos in GAM 2017.
Talk about planet formation at Concierto Cielos at USACH, 2022.
Interpreting a piece on the GJ 367 planetary system named Añañuca and Tahay by our center, USACH 2023.
Interpreting a piece on the event horizon of a black hole, USACH 2023.