Astrophysics, Cosmology, Gravitation

The Universe is all of space and time and its content, including stars, galaxies, black holes, the vacuum, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation (ACG) group studies the physics of the Universe, from observations of astrophysical and cosmological phenomena, to the theories that describe it, but it also poses more fundamental questions related to the force of gravity.
In particular, we in the ACG group investigate the evolution of the Universe from its earliest to its latest stages, i.e., an origin of primordial fluctuations, formation of structures and the current cosmic acceleration. This includes a study of relevant astrophysical processes, such as the intergalactic medium, the formation and evolution of galaxies, gravitational waves and the large-scale structure of the Universe; while at the fundamental level, we explore alternative theories of gravity that could help to understand a possible quantum nature of the gravitational interaction, and whose applications can be found in the cosmological context as well as in black hole physics and holography.
Faculty members
María Argudo Fernández
Research Associate
PhD in Astrophysics, University of Granada (Spain, 2013)
Research interest: Extragalactic astrophysics, galaxy formation and evolution, interacting galaxies, effects of the environment on galaxy evolution, star formation in galaxies
32 227 4879
maria.argudo at pucv.cl

Dumitru Astefanesei
Associate Professor
PhD in Physics, McGill University (Canada, 2005)
Research interest: Gravitation, black hole physics, holography
32 227 4888
dumitru.astefanesei at pucv.cl

Radouane Gannouji
Associate Profesor
PhD in Physics, University of Montpellier (France, 2008)
Research interest: Cosmology, Gravitation
32 227 4899
radouane.gannouji at pucv.cl

Raphael Gobat
Research Associate
PhD in Astrophysics, Ludwig Maximilians University (Germany, 2009)
Research interest: Extragalactic astrophysics, clusters of galaxies
32 227 4896
raphael.gobat at pucv.cl

Ramón Herrera
Full Professor
PhD in Physics, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (Chile, 2004)
Research interest: Theoretical Cosmology, Inflation, Dark Energy
32 227 4903
ramon.herrera at pucv.cl

Samuel Lepe
Emeritus
PhD in Physics, University of Santiago, Chile (Chile, 2001)
Research interest: Cosmology
32 227 4881
samuel.lepe at pucv.cl
Olivera Mišković
Full Professor
PhD in Physics, University of Santiago, Chile (Chile, 2004)
Research interest: Gravitation, (super)gravity theories, black hole physics, gauge/gravity duality, holography
32 227 4885
olivera.miskovic at pucv.cl

Jorge Noreña
Assistant Professor
PhD in Physics, International School for Advanced Studies (Italy, 2010)
Research interest: Cosmology, inflation, large-scale structure
32 227 4897
jorge.norena at pucv.cl

Joel Saavedra
Full Professor
PhD in Physics, University of Santiago, Chile (Chile, 2002)
Research interest: Gravitation
32 227 4894
joel.saavedra at pucv.cl
Cristóbal Sifón
Research Associate
PhD in Astrophysics, Leiden University (Netherlands, 2016)
Research interest: Extragalactic astrophysics and observational cosmology, cosmic radiation background, galaxy clusters
32 227 4698
cristobal.sifon at pucv.cl
Nicolás Tejos
Associate Professor
PhD in Astrophysics, Durham University (England, 2014)
Research interest: Extragalactic astrophysics, intergalactic medium, large-scale structure, fast radio bursts, circumgalactic medium, galaxy evolution
32 227 4900
nicolas.tejos at pucv.cl

Nelson Videla
Assistant Professor
PhD in Physics, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (Chile, 2014)
Research interest: Theoretical cosmology, inflation
32 227 2841
nelson.videla at pucv.cl
Postdoctoral researchers

Georgios Anastasiou
PhD in Physics, Andrés Bello National University (Chile, 2018)
Research interest: Gauge/Gravity duality, Higher-Curvature Gravity theories, Quantum Information Theoretic measures
Sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković
32 227 4621
georgios.anastasiou at pucv.cl

Lawrence Bilton
PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Hull (UK, 2020)
Research interest: Galaxy evolution, large-scale structure, galaxy clusters
Sponsoring researcher: María Argudo Fernández
32 227 4621
lawrence.bilton at pucv.cl

Arindam Lala
PhD in Physics, Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (India, 2016)
Research interest: Gauge/Gravity duality, Entanglement Entropy, Asymptotic Symmetries of space-time, Gravity in 2D and black hole solutions
Sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković
32 227 4621
arindam.lala at pucv.cl

Suraj Poudel
PhD in Astrophysics: University of South Carolina, Columbia (USA, 2020)
Research interest: Quasar Absorption Line Systems, Extragalactic Astrophysics, Physics of the CGM/ISM, Cosmic Reionization, Galaxy Evolution, Cosmology
Sponsoring researcher: Nicolás Tejos
32 227 4621
suraj.poudel at pucv.cl
Former postdoctoral researchers
- 2018-2021 Krishnamohan Parattu (sponsoring researcher: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016-2021 Giovanni Otalora Patiño (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2019-2020 Ángel Rincón (sponsoring researcher: Nelson Videla)
- 2019-2020 Patricio Salgado-Rebolledo (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2017-2020 Ali Övgün (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2017-2020 Clément Stahl (sponsoring researcher: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2018-2019 Apratim Ganguly (sponsoring researcher: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2018-2019 Diego Molina-Peñafiel (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016-2019 Debraj Roy (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016-2019 Omar Valdivia (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2014-2017 Theodoros Kolyvaris (sponsoring researcher: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2014-2017 Xiao-Mei Kuang (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2012-2017 Genly Leon (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2014-2016 Miguel Cruz (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2013-2016 Remigiusz Durka (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2012-2015 Nelson Merino (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2013-2014 Yoelsy Leiva (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2011-2012 Marco Olivares (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2018-2021 Krishnamohan Parattu (sponsoring researcher: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016-2021 Giovanni Otalora Patiño (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2019-2020 Ángel Rincón (sponsoring researcher: Nelson Videla)
- 2019-2020 Patricio Salgado-Rebolledo (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2017-2020 Ali Övgün (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2017-2020 Clément Stahl (sponsoring researcher: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2018-2019 Apratim Ganguly (sponsoring researcher: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2018-2019 Diego Molina-Peñafiel (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016-2019 Debraj Roy (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016-2019 Omar Valdivia (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2014-2017 Theodoros Kolyvaris (sponsoring researcher: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2014-2017 Xiao-Mei Kuang (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2012-2017 Genly Leon (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2014-2016 Miguel Cruz (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2013-2016 Remigiusz Durka (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2012-2015 Nelson Merino (sponsoring researcher: Olivera Mišković)
- 2013-2014 Yoelsy Leiva (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
- 2011-2012 Marco Olivares (sponsoring researcher: Joel Saavedra)
PhD students

Romina Ballesteros
Thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei

Carla Bernal
Thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji

Paulina Cabrera
Thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei

Juan Calles
Thesis advisor: Jorge Noreña

Lina Castiblanco
Thesis advisor: Jorge Noreña

Aníbal Faúndez
Thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji

Darío Lopez
Thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković
Thesis co-advisor: Laura Andrianopoli (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)

Karen Martinez
Thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos

Javier Moreno
Thesis advisor: Rodrigo Olea (Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile)
Thesis co-advisor: Olivera Mišković

Constanza Osses
Thesis advisor: Nelson Videla

Romina Ballesteros
Thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei

Carla Bernal
Thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji

Paulina Cabrera
Thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei

Juan Calles
Thesis advisor: Jorge Noreña

Lina Castiblanco
Thesis advisor: Jorge Noreña

Aníbal Faúndez
Thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji

Paula Quezada Leon
Thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković

Carlos Ríos

Darío Lopez
Thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković
Thesis co-advisor: Laura Andrianopoli (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)

Karen Martinez
Thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos

Javier Moreno
Thesis advisor: Rodrigo Olea (Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile)
Thesis co-advisor: Olivera Mišković

Constanza Osses
Thesis advisor: Nelson Videla

Paula Quezada Leon
Thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković

Carlos Ríos
Thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera
Former PhD students
- 2022 - Yolbeiker Rodríguez Baez (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Manuel González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2018 - Raúl Rojas (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016 - Ligeia Aránguiz (thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016 - David Choque (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016 - Roberto Perez (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2016 - Simón del Pino (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2015 - Adolfo Toloza (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2015 - Carlos González (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2014 - Nelson Videla (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2014 - Adolfo Cisterna (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2013 - Fiorenza de Micheli (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2011 - Marco Astorino (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2010 - Pablo González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2010 - José Villanueva (thesis advisor: Sergio del Campo)
- 2009 - Yerko Vásquez (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2004 - Ramón Herrera (thesis advisor: Sergio del Campo)
- 2022 - Yolbeiker Rodríguez Baez (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Manuel González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2018 - Raúl Rojas (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016 - Ligeia Aránguiz (thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković)
- 2016 - David Choque (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2016 - Roberto Perez (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2016 - Simón del Pino (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2015 - Adolfo Toloza (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2015 - Carlos González (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2014 - Nelson Videla (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2014 - Adolfo Cisterna (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2013 - Fiorenza de Micheli (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2011 - Marco Astorino (thesis advisor: Jorge Zanelli)
- 2010 - Pablo González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2010 - José Villanueva (thesis advisor: Sergio del Campo)
- 2009 - Yerko Vásquez (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2003 - Ramón Herrera (thesis advisor: Sergio del Campo)
Master students

Jean Báez
Thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera

Lucas Bernales
Thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos

Camila Aros Bunster
Thesis advisor: Cristóbal Sifón

Claudio Cofré
Thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera

Marco Onnis
Director de tesis: Ramón Herrera

Alejandro Varas
Thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković
Former master students
- 2021 - Matías López (thesis advisor: Nelson Videla)
- 2021 - Raúl Carrasco (thesis advisor: Nelson Videla)
- 2021 - Jorge Maggiolo (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Sergio Aburto (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Paula Hermosilla (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Consuelo Nuñez (thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos)
- 2021 - Nicole Rivas (thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos)
- 2021 - Michél Housset (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2020 - Sebastián Jara (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Carlos Pizarro Moya (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Paulo Rojas (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Romina Ballesteros (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Francisco Gomez (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Danilo Tapia (thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković)
- 2018 - Fabrizzio Merello (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2017 - Carla Bernal (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2016 - Manuel González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2016 - Evelyn Puebla (thesis advisor: Nikolaus Vogt)
- 2014 - Gustavo Pulgar (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2021 - Matías López (thesis advisor: Nelson Videla)
- 2021 - Raúl Carrasco (thesis advisor: Nelson Videla)
- 2021 - Jorge Maggiolo (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Sergio Aburto (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Paula Hermosilla (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2021 - Consuelo Núñez (thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos)
- 2021 - Nicole Rivas (thesis advisor: Nicolás Tejos)
- 2021 - Michél Housset (thesis advisor: Ramón Herrera)
- 2020 - Sebastián Jara (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Carlos Pizarro Moya (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2019 - Paulo Rojas (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Romina Ballesteros (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Francisco Gomez (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2019 - Danilo Tapia (thesis advisor: Olivera Mišković)
- 2018 - Fabrizzio Merello (thesis advisor: Dumitru Astefanesei)
- 2017 - Carla Bernal (thesis advisor: Radouane Gannouji)
- 2016 - Manuel González (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)
- 2014 - Gustavo Pulgar (thesis advisor: Joel Saavedra)