Burner or ignition systems are essential for the operation of industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and energy, as they facilitate the ignition of fuels to generate heat, energy or perform key processes. Their use in mining, manufacturing, construction and transportation, among others, ensures the continuity of operations.
The Universidad de Santiago de Chile was recently awarded the Structural Research Fund for Universities (FIU), an initiative of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), aimed at strengthening Research, Development and Innovation (R+D+i) capacity in higher education institutions in our country. This funding will allow Usach to develop and consolidate strategic lines of research during the next ten years.
Vitamin D is a human hormone known mainly for its relevance in bone formation, as it is involved in calcium and phosphorus absorption at intestinal level. However, in recent decades it has been discovered that it also plays a valuable role in strengthening the immune system and in brain development, in addition to having an anti-inflammatory role.
The results of Fondecyt Initiation 2025 were the best for the Faculty of Engineering. This award confirms the level of excellence of fundamental research at FING and represents a continued high performance in the award rate, exceeding the historical rate of the Faculty (19%). “These figures are evidence of the significant improvement in research we are doing, due to high standards of the academics who have been hired in recent years and the current policies of the Faculty regarding Research and Development,” said the Vice-Dean of R&D and Graduate Studies, Dr. Andrea Mahn Osses.
Chile is one of the world leaders in the aquaculture industry, positioning itself among the main producers of species such as Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, which are highly demanded in international markets. However, for the industry to be able to guarantee productivity and competitiveness at a global level, it must meet high standards of health and breeding of salmonids. It is therefore essential to prevent and treat viral infections that affect the health of the fish, which jeopardize the stability and quality of production.
PET is a fully recyclable plastic, which can be processed after use and converted into rPET (recycled PET) to manufacture new products. However, in Chile less than 15% of PET reaches recycling plants to be transformed into rPET, says a report by the Chilean Plastics Industry Association (Asipla). This is clearly illustrated by the low household recycling rate of plastic bottles, which barely reaches 7%.
“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.
Currently, dairy packaging waste made of high impact polystyrene (PS) is not recycled to produce new containers for the same product, because this material has a particular chemical composition that causes its strong deterioration with recycling, hindering its performance for producing new resistant and safe containers for safe food preservation.
PS is a hard-to-replace petrochemical polymer due to its low cost, light weight and impact resistance which prevents container breakage.
The project entitled “Advancing mass timber and precast concrete-timber building research by multi-physics and multi-scale engineering computations and large-scale experimental studies,” led by Erick Saavedra, was awarded an ANID Technology Ring with the potential for transforming the construction industry.
“We propose to research building, wood, concrete, and hybrid structures that mix the two. Today, construction in Chile is dominated by concrete, which is highly polluting,” stated the Civil Works Engineer.
Alongside industry leaders and representatives of key collaborators, the closing of the IDeA ID21I10412 project entitled “Design and development of a new ultra-fast multiprotocol charger with vehicle to grid capability for light and medium electric vehicles” was held on March 26. The initiative has consolidated an important step towards a more sustainable and efficient mobility future. It constitutes a breakthrough in the production and massification of electromobility in the country as the development of the first electric car charger made in Chile.