About me:
I am an astronomer and science communicator, currently I work at
Michigan University as Assistant Professor and Research Fellow funded by the
Michigan Society of Fellows and
51 Pegasi B program of Heising Simons foundation.
I obtained my PhD in September of 2024 as part of the
IMPRS program at
ESO in Munich, Germany and
Leiden University in the Netherlands. I worked alongside Prof.
Ewine van Dishoeck and Dr.
Anna Miotello. My research centered on the chemical reservoir of protoplanetary disks, where by combining high sensitivity ALMA observations with thermochemical models I aimed to understand ongoing physical processes during the early stages of planet formation.
Previously I obtained my Bachelor and Master degree at
Universidad de Chile. During my Master research I worked with Prof.
Laura Pérez and Prof.
Myriam Benisty. My thesis focused on spiral structures in protoplanetary disks, particularly around the star Elias 2-27 (see the press release of that work
here).
In parallel to my scientific work I am an active science communicator with over 1 million followers on social media platforms (
@terepaneque). I have
five published books of astronomy for teenagers and
collaborate with UNICEF Chile to promote science and education for children. In 2025 I was
awarded by the National Academy of Sciences with the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science communication for my work in science outreach.
I study the 3D distribution and physical conditions of molecules in protoplanetary disks, using models and ALMA observations
Molecular emission strongly depends on temperature and density conditions. By spatially locating various tracers we can construct an empirical map of how conditions vary across a system.
Through high sensitivity ALMA observations of gas in moderately-inclined disks, we can directly trace the emission surfaces for a given molecule. Doing this with various lines allows us to obtain a map of the azimuthal, radial and
vertical physical chemical disk properties.
I am passionate about learning and sharing, which is why I do both scientific research and outreach.
In 2019, while completing my Master, I began combining my research on planet formation with outreach activities focusing on schools, news outlets and social media. Currently, as my PhD is based in Europe, but most of my outreach is focused in Latin America, I divide my time so I can do science “during the day” and then record videos, do virtual talks or grant interviews “during the night”. (Don’t worry, I always get enough sleep!)
My proudest achievement:
I have five published astronomy novels, topsellers in Chile
“El Universo Según Carlota” series is currently only available in Spanish, but I hope to translate them soon
