From elementary school through university, Dr. Carolina Candia reflects on the powerful role the public school system played in her education. Her scientific vocation was profoundly marked by her time in the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, beginning with her undergraduate experience in Dr. Betty Matsuhiro's laboratory and continuing into her Doctorate in Chemistry at the University of Santiago, where she worked in Dr. Jorge Pavez's Surface Physical Chemistry Laboratory. She now strengthens this vocation with research focused on metalloporphyrin synthesis and its application in Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs).
"Honestly, I never thought I would end up working with this type of material," Dr. Candia says, reflecting on her path. "I was looking for systems that could be used as catalysts, and during my literature search, I came across some papers on COF and 'fell in love.'" Through her ongoing research, she aims to improve these systems further and advance the understanding of clean energy alternatives.
During her time at King's College London, renowned for its scientific excellence and interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Candia will focus on an innovative research project. She will study the bottom-up synthesis of porphyrin-based COFs—creating ultrathin layers directly on surfaces. She will then analyze the electronic transport properties of these layers, employing a novel technique based on electrochemical control.
"At KCL, collaboration between different disciplines is encouraged to tackle global challenges," the researcher notes. These challenges include sustainability and reducing environmental impact in areas such as manufacturing, transportation, and urban infrastructure, where research is directly linked to public policies seeking real change and a direct impact on society. She feels a deep sense of belonging to the Faculty and the University that educated her, and is aware of the importance of representing those institutions abroad.
Carolina argues that this experience represents more than just a professional step forward; it is a deep commitment to her training and to the value of public education. She states, "I firmly believe that public education has the power to transform lives. It allowed me to leave my region to study science in Santiago, and now it is opening the door for me to specialize abroad."
Dr. Candia looks forward to her return, where she hopes to be awarded a Fondecyt Initiation grant or "some project that will allow me to continue doing research and forming my own group here at Usach." She adds, "In this way, I hope to be able to give back directly to the public university that educated me, leading a team that contributes to the generation of knowledge from Chile and motivates new generations of scientists."
Focusing on the future of research, Dr. Candia calls for greater financial support for the scientific community. "I know talented people who have to work in several places to stay in academia," she states. "As a state university, we must strengthen ourselves and create the conditions for these people to remain in our institution, contributing through teaching and laboratories. Supporting science means investing in the development of our institution and our country," she concludes.