Nicolás Gaona

NASA, the University of Santiago de Chile, and top U.S. defense agencies are joining forces for a historic space mission. The collaborative effort will test whether extremophile microorganisms can survive outside the International Space Station (ISS). Participating institutions include the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the DoD Space Test Program (DoD STP), the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), and the Bioscience Foundation.

Attracting more than 12,000 visitors, the festival serves as a premier gathering that bridges higher education, industry leaders, and the local community to advance the world of fungi. 

“Our faculty is a pioneer in bridging academia with technological innovation, as demonstrated by the cross-disciplinary work of our faculty members across its three departments,” explained Dr. Fernando Ortiz, researcher and director of VIME-comunidad, regarding the University of Santiago de Chile’s role in the event. He also presented the panel “Psilocybin Use and Mental Health.”

During his stay, the Argentine researcher visited the Laboratory of Molecular Magnetism and Molecular Materials (LM4), led by Dr. Diego Venegas Yazigi, with whom he maintains academic ties through international conferences and scientific meetings.

“We have been working for some time on topics related to molecular materials that exhibit magnetic properties. Now, we can begin to discuss these topics, exchange results and knowledge, and from there plan for closer collaboration between our two laboratories,” the researcher commented.

A group of students and academics from Arturo Prat University conducted a research stay as part of the FOVI 240220 project, “Applications of Advanced Materials in Sustainable Renewable Energy and Innovations in Water Treatment: a collaboration between Arturo Prat University (UNAP), the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach), and the University of Saskatchewan (Canada).

During the second half of June, Fernando Carranza, a doctoral student in Anthropology at Tulane University (USA), spent two weeks collaborating with Dr. Javier Echeverría, a professor in the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology at the University of Santiago, Chile.

The visit was driven by Carranza’s interest in learning advanced analytical chemistry techniques to study archaeological artifacts. Specifically, he aimed to examine those that might contain remnants of psychoactive plants used in rituals by ancient Andean Amazonian cultures.

The Chilean Academy of Sciences’ Frontier Science Program brings together outstanding researchers under the age of 40 who have demonstrated excellence in their respective disciplines and a high potential to contribute to national scientific development.

Dr. Daniel Aravena, an academic from the University of Santiago, Chile’s Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, has been chosen as one of 20 scientists who will undertake research projects, organize scientific talks, and execute national and international interdisciplinary initiatives from 2025 to 2027.

“This paper is very special for me because it represents the end of a stage of my career as a scientist,” said Dr. Alejandra Moenne Muñoz, an academic from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, after the results of the research she led clarified the mechanism of copper accumulation in the algae.