PhD in

Physical Sciences

Dr. Walter Orellana Director
Dashiell Lizama Doctorate Programs Analyst, Faculty of Exact Sciences. República 275, piso 1, Santiago dashiell.lizama@unab.cl

The doctorate program in Physical Sciences is the result of a collaborative effort between academics from the Department of Physical Sciences of the Faculty of Exact Sciences of the Andrés Bello University (UNAB), and researchers from the Research Center at the Intersection of Plasma Physics, Matter and Complexity and the Center for Research in Nuclear Physics and Neutron Spectroscopy, both belonging to the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN).

Welcome to

Physical Sciences

We welcome the brightest students to be part of our program and encourage them to come, learn and participate in cutting-edge research. Courses are offered to give a broad treatment of both fundamental physics and specialized physics research topics. After completing the courses, doctoral candidates are required to pass a written examination in fundamental modern physics (Qualifying Exam), which is offered at the end of each semester. After passing the Qualifyng Exam, students are encouraged to establish connections with faculty members of the program, choosing one to develop a thesis project. Students accepted in our program are typically supported by scholarships.

Objectives

  • Develop an environment of critical reflection and academic dialogue among different theories and methods around the research lines of the program.
  • Educate students to conduct independent research that constitutes original and relevant scientific contributions to the advance of physical sciences.
  • Prepare students at the highest intellectual and technical level for careers in scientific research acting in the academia or research centers.
  • Contribute to the production of cutting-edge research, publishable at national and international level with ethical responsibility.

Graduate Profile

The graduate of the doctorate program in Physical Sciences has a solid background in Physics and advanced knowledge in one of the research lines of the program, namely: High Energy Physics and Gravitation, Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Plasma Physics, mastering the theoretical and methodological bases of scientific research. He/She uses physical, mathematical, and computational tools to understand and formulate the laws that describe physical phenomena. He/She applies theoretical and experimental methodologies to solve scientific and technological problems individually or collaboratively, contributing to the generation of new knowledge.

Lines of Research

Lines of Research

Graduates can formulate and apply mathematical models of physics, including fundamental laws, that allow them to understand current theories of the Universe, the matter, and its interactions.

Graduates can formulate and develop theoretical and computational methods; apply them to describe and understand physical properties and phenomena of condensed matter and low dimensional systems at the quantum level.

Graduates can formulate and develop theoretical, computational, statistical, and experimental methods; apply them to the study of the phenomena that arise from the interaction of elementary particles, comparing the observations with predictions from theoretical models; perform data analysis, simulate events in detectors and identify possible deviations from theoretical predictions.

Graduates can formulate, develop, and apply theoretical methods and experimental techniques of diagnostic and instrumentation for the study of continuous and pulsed plasma discharges, understand their phenomena and the products generated by them, according to its behavior and its interaction with matter.

Program Director

Dr. Walter Orellana

PhD in Physical Sciences (Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Academic Profile

Faculty Members

Rodrigo Aros

PhD in Physical Sciences. (Universidad de Chile)

Lines of research: High energy physics and gravitation.

Academic Profile

Biswajit Bora (CCHEN)

PhD in Physics (Gauhati University, India)

Lines of research: Plasma physics.

Sergio Davis (CCHEN)

PhD in Applied Physics (Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden)

Lines of research: Statistical mechanics; materials physics; probability and information theory; plasma physics.

Walter Orellana

PhD in Physical Sciences (Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Lines of research: Condensed matter physics and computational materials science, electronic structure calculations of solids, surfaces, and nanostructures; ab initio molecular dynamics.

Academic Profile

Danilo Díaz

Dr. rer. Nat., Theoretical Physics (Humboldt University, Germany)

Lines of research: High energy physics, gravitation, AdS/CFT duality.

Academic Profile

Sergey Kovalenko

PhD in Physical Sciences and Mathematics (Joint Institute of Nuclear Research, Russia).

Lines of research: Theoretical physics of elementary particles; electroweak interactions; physics beyond the standard model; phenomenology of supersymmetry.

Sergey Kuleshov

PhD in Physical Sciences and Mathematics (Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Russia)

Lines of research: High-energy physics; experimental nuclear physics; elementary particle physics.

Academic Profile

Francisco Molina (CCHEN)

PhD in Nuclear Physics (Universidad de Valencia, Spain)

Lines of Research: Experimental nuclear physics, nuclear structures, nuclear astrophysics, neutron field study, temporary dependency in Monte Carlo simulation reactors.

José Moreno (CCHEN)

PhD in Physical Sciences (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

Lines of research: Plasma physics, nuclear physics.

Cristián Pavez (CCHEN)

PhD in Physical Sciences (Universidad de Concepción)

Lines of research: Plasma physics, Fourier pptics and holography, plasma techniques for diagnosis; pulsed power.

Sebastián E. Reyes-Lillo

PhD in Physics (Rutgers University, USA).

Research lines: Condensed matter physics, first principles, ferroelectricity, solar energy conversion

Academic Profile

Leopoldo Soto (CCHEN)

PhD in Physical Sciences (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

Lines of research: Plasma physics; pulsed power, applied optics, effects of intense pulsed radiation on organic and biological matter.

Brenno Vallilo

PhD in Theoretical Physics (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil)

Lines of research: String theory; supersymmetry; AdS/CFT conjecture.

Academic Profile

Jilberto Zamora

PhD in Physical Science (Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María)

Lines of research: Particle Physics (phenomenology); neutrino physics; CP symmetry violation.

Academic Profile

Claudia Loyola

PhD in Physical Science. (Universidad de Chile)

Lines of research: Solid state physics, structural properties of materials, computational physics.

Joaquín Peralta

PhD in Physical Science. (Universidad de Chile)

Lines of research: Solid state physics, structural properties of materials, computational physics.

Sebastián Olivares

PhD in Physics (University of Edinburgh, UK)

Línea de Investigación: Física de partículas experimental

Macarena Lagos

PhD in Physics (Imperial College, London, UK)

Lines of research: High Energy Physics, gravitation, cosmology, gravitational waves, dark energy.

Academic Profile

Ignacio Araya

PhD in Physics (University of Southern California, USA)

Lines of reserach: High Energy Physics, gravitation, holografy AdS/CFT, gravitation AdS, primordials black holes.

Collaborating Academics

Mauro Cambiaso

PhD in Physical Science (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

Lines of research: Theoretical physics of particles and fields; extensions to the Standard Model of particles; topological field theories, radiation-matter interactions with topological phases.

José M. González

PhD in Molecular Physical Chemistry (Universidad Andrés Bello)

Line of research: Molecular physics, conceptual DFT and development of chemical and astrochemical indexes.

Academic Profile

Curriculum

Download Curriculum

Scholarships and Financing

Andrés Bello University has different scholarships for its doctoral students, to learn more we invite you to visit the Doctorates home where you will find Scholarships and Financing Opportunities.

VIEW SCHOLARSHIOS AND FINANCING

Applying to the Doctorate Program

  • Applicants are expected to have a strong background in physics or closely related subjects at the undergraduate level. They must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physics or related fields.
  • Applicant must arrange two letters of recommendation in the format established by the program. In selecting your recommenders, choose individuals (preferably academics) who can provide an overall evaluation of your readiness and potential to succeed as a doctoral student. Letter of recommendation must be sent directly by the recommenders.
  • Applicants must fill out and send the application form together with photocopies of their passports, degree certificates, and official transcripts of records (student’s academic history), including undergraduate ranking. Apostilles are required for educational records such as degree certificates, grade certificates, and diplomas. This requirement is mandatory. Additional information on the Apostille Convention and its application may be found on The Hague Conference website’s specialized Apostille Section.
  • Successful applicants will be invited to a personal online interview where they will be asked about their motivations and interests in pursuing a PhD program, their lines of research interest, and previous research activities. Also, they will be asked about fundamental knowledge of undergraduate physics.
  • Foreign applicants accepted into the program and awarded a scholarship must apply for a student visa at the Chilean Consulate closest to their place of residence.

Applications must be sent to the following email addresses:

Lillian Araya (Secretary): liaraya@unab.cl and doctorado.csfisicas@unab.cl

  • Download Application Form HERE
  • Download Letter of Recommendation Form HERE