PhD in
Physical Sciences
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).
The program is currently accredited by CNA (National Accreditation Commission) for five years, from December 2022 to December 2027.
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.
Brochure 2022
The program prepares students for careers in scientific research with abilities to perform independent and collaborative research at the highest intellectual and technical level, contributing to the development of new knowledge in the research lines of High Energy Physics and Gravitation, Condensed Matter Physics, Particle Physics, and Plasma Physics.
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
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.
Rodrigo Aros
PhD in Physical Sciences. (Universidad de Chile)Lines of research: High energy physics and gravitation.
Academic ProfileGonzalo Avaria (CCHEN)
PhD in Physics. (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)Lines of research: Spectroscopy, plasma physics and pulsed power.
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 ProfileDanilo Díaz
Dr. rer. Nat., Theoretical Physics (Humboldt University, Germany)Lines of research: High energy physics, gravitation, AdS/CFT duality.
Academic ProfileSergey 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 ProfileFrancisco 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.
Rodrigo Olea
PhD in Physical Sciences. (Universidad de Chile)Lines of research: Gravitation; holography.
Academic ProfileCristián 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 ProfileLeopoldo 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 ProfileJilberto Zamora
PhD in Physical Science (Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María)Lines of research: Particle Physics (phenomenology); neutrino physics; CP symmetry violation.
Academic ProfileClaudia 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
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.
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
• Applicants are expected to have a strong background in physics or closely related subjects at 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.
• Applicants must fill and send the application form together with photocopies of passport, degree certificates and official transcripts of records (student’s academic history), including undergraduate ranking.
• If accepted in the program and being awarded a scholarship, foreign applicants must endorse his/her documentation in the Chilean Consulate in their origin countries in order to obtain a student visa. If the applicant’s country is part of the Apostille Convention, he/she must submit the documentation in this format.
• Applicants will be called for a personal on-line interview where they will be asked about their motivations and interests to carry out a doctoral program, the research lines of interest, previous research activities, and they could also be asked about physics contents at undergraduate level.
Applications must be sent to the following email addresses:
Lillian Araya (Secretary): [email protected] and [email protected]
