About me
Space physicist specializing in the dynamics of Earth's radiation belts, ULF waves in the solar wind and magnetosphere, and the application of machine learning to space weather prediction and geomagnetically induced currents (GIC).
Education
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ph.D. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (Space Physics) | UCLA — Co-advisors: Larry Lyons, Jacob Bortnik |
| 2014 | M.S. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | UCLA |
| 2011 | M.S. Physics (Summa Cum Laude) | Universidad de Chile — Advisors: Alejandro Valdivia, Marina Stepanova |
| 2011 | Becas Chile Fellowship (CONICYT) | Chilean Government doctoral fellowship abroad |
| 2006 | B.S. Physics (Cum Laude) | Universidad de Chile |
Academic Experience
| Period | Position | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 – present | Assistant Professor, Vice-Chair Academic Planning (2025-) | Dept. of Physics, USACH |
| 2020 – 2022 | Postdoctoral Research Associate | Institute for the Study of the Earth, Oceans and Space, UNH |
| Summer 2016 | Visiting Researcher | NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD |
| 2014 – 2019 | Graduate Student Researcher + Teaching Fellow | Dept. AOS, UCLA |
| 2010 – 2011 | Assistant Professor | Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile |
| 2010 – 2011 | Lecturer (part-time) | Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile |
| Feb 2011 | Chilean Antarctic Expedition 47 | Coordinated logistics and replaced magnetometers at Escudero and O'Higgins bases |
Awards and Honors
2023 Most Read Paper 2021, Space Weather — "Geomagnetic Storm Occurrence and Their Relation With Solar Cycle Phases"
2018 AGU Outstanding Student Paper Award, AGU Fall Meeting 2017 — "Spatial characterization of relativistic electron events in the Earth's outer radiation belt"
2018 Top 100 Physics Paper 2017, Scientific Reports — "What is the temperature of a moving body?" (28k+ accesses)
2017 3rd Place, UCLA/Salesforce Data Science Challenge — Data science competition to improve graduation rates
2011 Becas Chile Fellowship, CONICYT — Chilean Government doctoral fellowship
2009 Thesis Support for Antarctic Topics, Chilean Antarctic Institute
Technical Skills
Programming: Python (SciPy, Pandas, Numpy, Matplotlib, SpacePy), IDL, Matlab, Bash, LaTeX
Machine Learning: TensorFlow-Keras, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Deep Learning (RNN, CNN), SVM, Random Forest
Mission Data: THEMIS (SPEDAS), Van Allen Probes (MagEIS, REPT, EMFISIS, EFW), GOES, OMNI, Magnetometers (SAMBA, MACCS, CARISMA, THEMIS GBO), SuperDARN
Languages: Spanish (Native), English
Editorial and Professional Service
2024 – present Associate Editor, Space Weather (Wiley/AGU Journal) — 37+ editorial decisions documented
2021 – present NASA Panel Reviewer — 5 panels: HGIO-23, HSR20, LWS 24, SW R2O2R Steps 1&2. ~35 proposal evaluations
2020 – present Journal Reviewer — 29+ reviews documented in JASTP, AGU Space Weather, JGR, GRL, Nature Communications, Nature Physics, JSWSC, Remote Sensing, Universe, PLOS One and more
2023 – 2026 Thesis Committees — 14 theses evaluated (PhD, Master's, B.S. Physics) at UdeChile, USACH, and UdeC
2021 – 2026 Recommendation Letters — ~134 letters written