For over a century, physics studies have sought to decode the fundamental laws governing the universe, from subatomic particles to the vast structures of space-time. Central to this effort is quantum mechanics, which reveals that matter follows non-intuitive rules determining physical phenomena.
With the project “Enhancing biohydrogen production from winery wastewater through dark fermentation using iron-based residues,” Dr. Yeney Lauzurique, from the USACH Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses, was awarded a prestigious Fondecyt Iniciación 2026 grant. This achievement reinforces the Faculty of Engineering’s leadership in sustainable research and innovative chemical engineering solutions.
While Chile is recognized worldwide for its high production of wine, pisco, and bread, the industry remains heavily reliant on imported yeasts. Thus, it is essential to strengthen scientific and technological capabilities to develop local solutions and reduce dependence on external suppliers.
The University of Santiago de Chile (Usach) is one of only four national institutions selected to lead the 'Usach Futuro 2050' Frontier Plan. This initiative strengthens the university's leadership in public science and its long-term commitment to sustainable development and innovation across Chile.
The National Research and Development Agency (ANID) announced the Scientific Journal Publication Fund 2025 results, a strategic instrument designed to bolster the editorial management, visibility, and consolidation of national academic journals. The fund supports initiatives to optimize editorial workflows, professionalize teams, implement publishing technologies, and scale the scholarly impact of national scientific publications.
The National Research and Development Agency (ANID) promotes the Scientific and Technological Equipment Fund (Fondequip) as a primary financing mechanism for Chile's scientific infrastructure. Through its Major and Medium funding lines, the competition enables universities to acquire or update high-standard equipment. This investment is essential for advancing high-impact research and maintaining competitive laboratories across the country.
The Agricultural Development Institute (Indap) has provided $5.25 billion pesos in funding to the Department of Industrial Engineering for a new program: the “Technology Transfer and Productive Investment Program for Peasant and Indigenous Family Farming (AFCI)” in the Atacama Region.
More than 800 small-scale farmers will directly benefit from this 18-month initiative. It uses a comprehensive model that integrates technical advice, productive investment, specialized training, and technology transfer to promote sustainable and equitable practices with local relevance.
With the aim of encouraging the development of innovative proposals that qualitatively improve teaching and learning outcomes for Usach students, the Undergraduate Directorate of the Academic Vice-Rector's Office invites professors to apply each year for funding from the Teaching Innovation Projects (PID) competition.
In the 2025 call for proposals, 27 projects were selected, and their implementation began on August 18. They have been allocated 5 million pesos in funding and a two-year timeframe.
In one of the greatest tragedies in recent UK history, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower, a 24-story residential building in London, on June 14, 2017. The fire, which claimed 72 lives, highlighted a major crisis in building safety and led to a nationwide re-evaluation of fire safety regulations and housing standards.
The fire, caused by an electrical fault in a refrigerator, spread rapidly up the exterior of the building. The recently installed cladding, a highly flammable plastic panel, acted as a fuel, causing the flames to engulf the entire tower within hours.
Con la presentación de los resultados, entre los cuales destaca un prototipo en funcionamiento en la empresa Desafío Ambiente, se realizó el evento de cierre del proyecto Fondef “Resonador acústico de plástico reciclado para espacios de trabajo”.