Collaboration between ALMA and Chilean universities

Since 2011, ALMA has collaborated with various Chilean educational institutes in the generation of advanced technology and the integration of innovative approaches into the flow of knowledge and practices of future science professionals. Some of the institutes of higher learning involved include: Universidad de Chile, INRIA-Chile, Red Universitaria Nacional (National University Network, REUNA), the National Laboratory for High Performance Computing – Chile (NLHPC), Universidad de la Frontera, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Federico Santa María, Universidad de Concepción and Universidad de Santiago.

For instance, the Universidad de Chile has played an active role in hardware development and commissioning of instruments for three of its bands: Band 1 through the Fundación para la Transferencia Tecnológica (Foundation for Technological Transference, UNTEC); Band 2 through the Laboratory for Millimetric and Submillimetric Waves; and Band 5, one of the increased capabilities of the observatory approved under the ALMA Development Program.

In turn, the Universidad de Concepción participates in the commissioning of the ALMA Phasing Project, an initiative project funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), ALMA’s North American partner.

Finally, ALMA has been very active in establishing memoranda of understanding with different institutions, which has enabled a joint effort that has led to: a) ALMA staff giving talks, conferences and teaching courses in Chilean universities, and b) promising students having the opportunity to develop work for postgraduate studies in areas offered by ALMA. This observatory has received over one hundred interns and post-doctoral students from local universities, enabling its relationship with the surrounding community to continue to grow.