Santiago Alejandro Bernal Galarza - DAS

Post-Doctoral Researcher

Education and contact

University of Chile

Research Topics:Black Holes, Active Galaxies, Galaxies

sbernal@das.uchile.cl

Website:

Area of interest:

The objects of my study are Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). These sources are among the most luminous in the Universe, emitting radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. In the UV/optical wavelength range, their spectral profiles are dominated by the accretion disc continuum emission and the presence of both broad and narrow emission lines. Using this information, I characterize different populations of AGNs based on their physical properties, such as black hole mass, luminosity, and accretion rate. Through this approach, I aim to better understand the physical processes that govern AGN activity.

Supervisor

Paulina Lira

Biography

Santiago is from Ecuador, where his interest in exploring and understanding the laws of the Universe led him to pursue an undergraduate degree in Physics. He continued his studies at the Instituto de Física y Astronomía at Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile, earning both his Master’s and PhD in Astrophysics. His doctoral research specialized in the analysis of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) at UV/optical wavelengths, with a focus on determining the properties of different AGN populations.

Now, as a member of the DAS, He will collaborate with Dr. Paulina Lira on research related to AGN outflows and the 4MOST survey.

Beyond his research, Santiago has been passionately involved in science outreach and astronomy for the development of communities. Since 2015, he has regularly given talks and workshops to audiences of all ages, and in particular, has been a tutor of the Schools for high school teachers and participated in projects of the Oficina Regional Andina de Astronomía para el desarrollo.