Héctor Ramírez, academic from the Department of Electronics at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María and senior researcher at the Advanced Center for Electrical and Electronic Engineering, AC3E, has assumed the Directorship of the Center, which is currently in the preparation and application stage for its next 10 years.
Dr. Ramírez has a long history of collaboration with the Center, which he joined in 2018 as an associate researcher in the Control and Automation line, later becoming the head of that group.
His constant work and close relationship with AC3E led him to take on the sub-directorship and finally be appointed director starting in October 2024. “I receive this appointment very happy, motivated and with a lot of energy. Without a doubt, it is a great responsibility to lead a Center that today has outstanding results both at the level of research excellence, and in relation to industry and outreach to society. We know that science and technology influence the development of a nation, so as scientists we have the mission to build the future hand in hand with science and improve people’s quality of life, through our projects,” highlighted Dr. Ramírez.
The new director of AC3E is an Electronic Engineer, Master in Electrical Engineering Sciences, Doctor in Electrical Engineering Sciences from the University of Concepción and Doctor in Automatic Control from Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, France. His research career focuses mainly on Port-Hamiltonian systems, nonlinear control and distributed parameter systems.
The link between the academic and AC3E began several years ago, under the direction of the current Rector of Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Dr. Juan Yuz, with whom he carried out various research collaborations while he was a professor at l’Université de Franche-Comté and researcher at the FEMTO-ST research institute, in Besanzon, France.
“My history with AC3E is quite long. During all this time I was able to get to know the Center beyond its research dynamics. I saw how things were going in the right direction and that its structure and operation were similar to centers of this type abroad. When I took over as head, I became more and more involved, getting to know the team and its energy closely, as well as all the talent and potential that exists in it,” he said.
Undoubtedly, one of the great challenges that the new director will have to lead is the re-application of the basal center for the next 10 years, a period in which it is expected not only to maintain the level of excellence demonstrated so far, but also to continue growing in infrastructure, researchers and equipment for the development of new scientific and technological capabilities in Chile, generate more science and achieve more impact in the productive sector.
“Today we can dream of a future even bigger than what we have today. We want to continue being a bridge between academia and industry and a national and international benchmark in electrical and electronic engineering. We will continue to contribute to the formation of advanced human capital and inspire and motivate future generations, disseminating what we do and keeping our doors open to the community,” concluded the director.
