Oportunidades Públicas

Increased evaporation due to advection of dry air

Investigating the "oasis effect" which can increase the evaporation rates in bodies of water that are located in areas hyper-arid.

Memory and knowledge: mapping civic knowledge to improve hydrological and hydrogeological knowledge

Compile the community's knowledge about the hydrological state and its evolution over time (perennial and intermittent rivers, water outcrops).
Map this knowledge in GIS tools (QGIS, Google Earth)
Site study: Parque Nacional del Río Clarillo (RM)

Bioremediation

Development of biological systems for the treatment of contaminants.

Exploring environmental data for observing salt intrusion in rivers and estuaries

Statistical analysis of beach evolution in the central region of Chile

Using decadal time series of shoreline evolution, their potential relationships with oceanographic, hydrological, and climatic forcing will be studied in order to understand the processes that may explain their behavior.
Statistical methods will be applied for the analysis of time series.

Design and implementation of educational laboratory experiments in Fluid Dynamics

The goal is to design some educational experiments for the Fluid Mechanics ICH1104 course in open channels. Mechanical components will be developed for the generation, control, and measurement of surface waves in open channels. Additionally, image-based measurement techniques will be implemented to characterize transport phenomena in open channels.

Implementation of CFD simulations in the OpenFOAM model to support teaching activities in Fluid Mechanics

We will work with the CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation model OpenFOAM (https://www.openfoam.com/) to develop numerical simulations of free surface flows as a complement to physical model experiments conducted in the Fluid Dynamics laboratory. The goal is to have a CFD tool that allows solving for the pressure and velocity fields, which can then be compared with direct measurements obtained through video and sensors for velocity and pressure in the laboratory.

Modelling water transport in porous soils

Part of Carlos Faúndez Fondecyt de Iniciación Proyect: Field-scale estimation of macropore parameters for dual permeability models: An integrative approach incorporating pore-scale modeling and applied geophysics.

1. Implement a unsteady 1-D model for the transport of volumetric water content and hydraulic head in a heterogeneous soil column.

2. Analyse the effect of the non-linearity induced by the dependence of the soil hydraulic conductivity on the quantities transported.

3. Extend 1-D model to a 2-D unsteady model with azimuthal symmetry.

* The development of the model will be in Python on Julia. However, the final version of this model must translated to R. The co-supervisor Carlos Faúndez from Ing. Hidráulica y Ambiental will guide and support the translation of the code.

Conservation of coastal wetlands: response of suspended solids to hydrochemical gradients

Understanding the biophysical and geochemical dynamics of suspended solids in coastal wetlands is key to assess and predict their response to human and natural stressors. However, it is still poorly known in Chile, preventing the design of adequate and timely responses to phenomena lile climate change, droughts, and soil use changes in watersheds, like urbanization.

The objectives of this workl are: (i) to sistematize and creiticallyt review the literature on suspended solids and turbidity in selected coastal wetlands; (ii) to familiarize and apply analytical tools enabling the characterization of the suspended particle dynamics and the related pollutants, either in lab or field models; (iii) to recognize the potential implications of the research findings on the proposal of adaptation/prevention/control.

Towards a spatially distributed environmental exposure assessment of pesticides in Chile by computer simulations

Various space-based products will be utilized, primarily derived from publicly available satellite data and its processed outputs. Additionally, analytical solutions will be employed to model water flow, as well as heat and solute transport. These analytical solutions will be compared with numerical models to assess their accuracy. The study will be conducted at a national scale and represents an initial stage in the environmental assessment of areas at risk of pesticide contamination in soils and groundwater. The work is entirely computational; however, students who participate can also engage in laboratory and field activities.

Bioelctrochemical systems for the treatment of industrial wastewaters

This is an applied research project with industry.
The student will work on laboratory-scale electrofermentation prototypes to stabilize wastewater from different industries, e.g., agriculture, pulp and paper.
The student will learn advanced laboratory techniques to determine the methane potential of organic industrial wastes. Additionally, they will learn how to feed and operate anaerobic and bioelectrochemical reactors, as well as how to monitor and evaluate their performance based on bioenergy production and effluent quality.
If you are interested, please contact me at rolabatut@uc.cl to schedule a meeting to discuss details and answer any questions you may have before making a decision.

Anaerobic systems for the treatment of emerging contaminants

This is an applied research project.
The student will work on the development and application of laboratory-scale anaerobic and bioelectrochemical reactors to remove emerging contaminants present in domestic and industrial wastewaters.
The student will learn advanced laboratory techniques for wastewater characterization. They will learn how to feed and operate anaerobic and bioelectrochemical reactors, as well as how to monitor and evaluate their performance based on effluent quality and the removal of specific contaminants.
If you are interested, please contact me at rolabatut@uc.cl to schedule a meeting to discuss details and answer any questions you may have before making a decision.

Designing a Situated Mobile Augmented Reality Exhibition for Communicating Coastal Research Findings

This project aims to design and prototype a situated mobile augmented reality exhibition using smartphones, focused on communicating scientific research results related to coastal phenomena. The exhibition is conceived as a museum-like experience outdoors where users can physically move through different locations and, via their mobile devices, access visualizations, videos, and narrative content explaining wave dynamics, coastal flooding, and associated risks. The project emphasizes experience design, spatial storytelling, and communicative clarity, rather than the development of numerical simulations or scientific modeling.

The work will build upon existing scientific materials—such as simulation videos, images, diagrams, and explanatory texts—which will be reinterpreted through principles of user-centered design and public communication of science. The final outcome will be a low- to mid-fidelity functional prototype implemented in Unity for mobile devices, accompanied by a conceptual exhibition design, a narrative script, and an exploratory user evaluation. The project seeks to strengthen skills in interaction design, situated immersive experience design, and the visual translation of complex scientific knowledge.

Calibration and validation of airborne sensor data for monitoring high-Andean wetlands

This research is part of the Altiplano Wetlands project (www.altiplanowetlands.cl), which studies water and energy fluxes in wetlands of the Chilean Altiplano.
The proposed work consists of the calibration and validation of multispectral and thermal data acquired using drones, integrating information from ground-based sensors and satellites.
We are seeking students interested in the use of remote sensing for environmental monitoring, ideally with knowledge of geographic information systems. The project will strengthen skills in geospatial data handling, data evaluation using error metrics, and the application of correction functions to ensure the precision and accuracy of the generated information.

Simulation of electrical conductivity in soils affected by desalination plant brine (reject water)

Desalination plants supply water with variable physico-chemical quality. In this project, we will focus on the electrical conductivity (EC) of the water—particularly brine (reject water) or blended mixtures—and its potential use in agriculture. The objective is to develop and/or apply a computational model to evaluate the evolution of soil EC (e.g., within the root zone) under different irrigation scenarios, and then determine which crops could grow under these conditions based on their salinity tolerance.
The work will be entirely computational; however, if the student wishes, a technical visit to a desalination plant in Chile’s Fifth Region could be arranged to provide context and to learn about the desalination process and the range of water qualities available.

Prediction of water repellency and moisture in forest soils using portable NIR spectroscopy

The student will propose a methodology to predict soil water repellency across increasing soil moisture levels, integrating laboratory analyses and predictive modeling based on NIR spectroscopy. The research will consider the influence of different soil moisture levels on water repellency and the NIR spectral response, together with a basic characterization of soil properties. As an outcome, predictive models will be developed using machine learning techniques to estimate both soil moisture and different indicators of water repellency.

Advanced Simulations of Turbulent Flows in the Environment

We will develop numerical models to simulate the transport of pollutants and sediments controlled by turbulence dynamics, to understand the transport and mixing processes in river and/or coastal systems,

Development of an automated system for bioreactor monitoring

In this research, the student will develop a data acquisition system (DAQ) for the measurement and continuous monitoring of pH, temperature, and mainly the biogas produced by biological reactors used for water treatment and bioenergy production. The student is expected to be able to use Arduino, LabVIEW or similar, in addition to programming tools such as Python, R, or LabVIEW to develop the DAQ. Students will have at their disposal all the necessary materials (e.g. sensors, Arduino, LabVIEW, etc.) to achieve this objective.

Commissioning a PIV Measurement System: From Optical Design to Data Acquisition

This research project focuses on the technical implementation and validation of a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system for characterizing flows in a horizontal plane. The primary objective is to complement the existing experimental database, enabling a more robust three-dimensional understanding of the system's hydrodynamics. The student will face the challenge of designing and developing an optical correction prism adapted to an octagonal section cell—a critical component to mitigate refraction distortions and ensure the integrity of laser measurements.

Throughout the IPRE, the student will gain intensive hands-on training in the handling of advanced instrumentation. This includes the mounting and alignment of high-resolution cameras, laser configuration, and the use of electronic synchronization systems (timing units) to capture fluid dynamics with microsecond precision. The work requires a meticulous approach during the calibration phase, where reference targets and various lens configurations will be used to capture diverse flow structures under four distinct operating conditions.

Finally, the student will be involved in the digital image processing of the captured frames, using specialized software to obtain vector velocity fields. By the end of the semester, the student will not only have contributed to expanding the laboratory's experimental capabilities but will also have developed critical competencies in fluid metrology, optical setup design, and experimental data analysis—skills highly valued in both academia and cutting-edge industry.

Economic Assessment of Urban Runoff Impacts

The objective of this research project is to advance current approaches for evaluating the impacts of urban drainage practices. Specifically, it aims to develop a methodology for quantifying the savings and cost reductions associated with the implementation of storage and infiltration measures within drainage systems.

Can winter storms help restore eroding beaches? Remote sensing of beaches and inlets on the Chilean coast.

Remote sensing of the earth allows us to observe and quantify spatial and temporal processes. On the Chilean coast, beach erosion is increasing vulnerability of ecosystems and infrastructure to climate change, but this process is non-linear. Winter storms in 2023 and 2024 brought both freshwater and watershed sediments to the coast. This iPre will test the hypothesis that the 2023 and 2024 winter storms deposited litoral grade sediments on the Chilean coast, allowing for beach renewal.

The project will use remote sensing (e.g. CoastSat which uses Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8/9) to detect shoreline changes focusing on beaches with river mouths (Vos et al. 2019). This work will link to ongoing work at the Ligua-Petorca estuary where a camera at the inlet is also recording inlet and beach changes on a finer resolution.

The objective will be to test the hypothesis by looking at coastal shoreline changes, and relate them to oceanic and watershed processes.

This project requires programming skills (e.g. Coastsat is written in Python). Experience in GIS and time-series analysis is beneficial but not a requirement. This project may also include fieldwork to validate measurements.

References

Sánchez-García, E., Palomar-Vázquez, J. M., Pardo-Pascual, J. E., Almonacid-Caballer, J., Cabezas-Rabadán, C., & Gómez-Pujol, L. (2020). An efficient protocol for accurate and massive shoreline definition from mid-resolution satellite imagery. Coastal Engineering, 160, 103732.

Vos, K., Splinter, K. D., Harley, M. D., Simmons, J. A., & Turner, I. L. (2019). CoastSat: A Google Earth Engine-enabled Python toolkit to extract shorelines from publicly available satellite imagery. Environmental Modelling & Software, 122, 104528.

Assessing the Potential of the Feammox Process for the Biological Removal of PFAS from Contaminated Waters

This project will evaluate the potential of the Feammox process as a biotechnological strategy for the degradation and removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of highly persistent emerging contaminants. The study will investigate the ability of enriched microbial consortia to transform these compounds under anaerobic conditions coupled with ferric iron reduction.