Académicos

Since earning her degree in chemistry, Dr. Karen Manquián Cerda has specialized in soil chemistry, analyzing complex molecular interactions beneath the surface. Her current environmental research investigates how natural nanoparticles (NNPs) and industrial or engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) alter the bioavailability of heavy metals and essential nutrients in soil ecosystems. Ultimately, her goal is to translate this nanotechnology data into scalable solutions that improve agricultural sustainability and public health.

En el Berlín Colosseum -complejo histórico reconvertido en espacio cultural ubicado en el barrio de Prenzlauer Berg-, se realizó la ceremonia de los International Green Product Awards, distinción que recayó en el proyecto AYMI Modular Habitat, en la categoría de Architecture, del investigador de la Usach, Cristian Fuenzalida Rozas.

The Chilean sustainable architecture project AYMI Modular Habitat, led by architect and professor at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment Cristián Fuenzalida, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2026 Green Product Award in the Architecture category. Developed at the University of Santiago, Chile (Usach), the innovative system stood out among more than 1,000 entries from 45 countries.

The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Santiago recently contributed to the global dialogue on ethnohistory and Indigenous territorialities. Representing the university at the VI International Congress on Indigenous Worlds: History, Territoriality, and Indigenous Knowledge in Salvador de Bahía, Brazil, Dr. Xochitl Inostroza coordinated a pivotal panel.

Dr. Letelier asserts that teaching ethics requires more than a theoretical framework; it must be connected to professional practice and the genuine dilemmas future professionals encounter. He states, “Applied ethics is not merely about memorizing codes of conduct, but about comprehending how ethical principles inform decision-making in complex and evolving situations.”

To address the persistent challenge of equitable access to justice, Dr. Marcela Contreras from the Faculty of Humanities is conducting a research project titled “Translation as a right: Perceptions and proposals on translation and language assistance in the Chilean legal system as a mechanism to facilitate communication and protect rights.” Her study examines how insufficient language resources in courts can impact non-Spanish speakers.

In the main hall of the Ceina Center, Dr. Claudia Vargas of the University of Santiago (Usach) delivered a presentation on "How to Love Mathematics: Emotions in Learning" to a packed auditorium.

Representing the Usach Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Dr. Vargas served as the university’s exclusive speaker for the 2026 event.

For over a century, optical microscopy was bound by a seemingly unbreakable law: Ernst Abbe’s diffraction limit. Formulated in 1873, this principle dictated that no microscope could resolve details smaller than half the wavelength of light—roughly 200 nanometers. This "physical barrier" effectively veiled the finest inner workings of the cell from human sight.

Driven by the expanding clean energy and advanced electronics sectors, the sustained increase in global demand for rare earth elements (REEs) necessitates more sustainable extraction methods. Studies indicate that mining tailings in north-central Chile represent a promising alternative source, containing significant concentrations of REEs like neodymium (Nd) and dysprosium (Dy). 

In recent decades, human activity has severely threatened natural marine habitats, including reefs, estuaries, and mangroves.

The increasing expansion of underwater and coastal infrastructure poses a major threat, with the construction of ports, breakwaters, and platforms leading to significant ecosystem alterations.