ULTIMATE-I

Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María strengthened its international scientific collaboration through its participation in the European research project ULTIMATE-I, an initiative funded by the European Union that brought together institutions from Spain, France, Serbia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and the United States in the field of advanced nanoscience and spintronic technologies.

As one of the project’s partner institutions, USM played an important role in developing research on ultra-thin magnetothermal sensors based on advanced magnetic materials. The initiative also provided international training opportunities for doctoral students at the university, enabling them to undertake extended research stays at leading European laboratories and research centres.

The collaboration involved researchers and students from the Department of Physics, including Carlos García and PhD students Fernando Soto, Paul Carvajal, and Manolo Cardona, who participated in collaborative research activities in Spain and France. During their stays abroad, the students worked with advanced fabrication and characterisation techniques for thin films and spintronic devices while integrating into international research teams and accessing high-level scientific infrastructure.

According to Professor García, the project represented an important milestone for the internationalisation of scientific research at USM. Beyond the scientific results, the initiative helped create long-term academic networks and strengthened cooperation between Latin American and European institutions working in nanomagnetism and advanced materials.

The experience gained through ULTIMATE-I also opened new opportunities for USM students and researchers. One of the most significant outcomes was the advancement of a dual-degree process between USM and the Université de Lorraine in France, involving student Damián Melo.

Following the completion of the project, USM’s Applied Magnetism Group began preparing new Horizon Europe proposals with a stronger focus on applied research and industry collaboration, further consolidating the university’s international presence in nanoscience, advanced materials, and spintronics research.

https://usm.cl/noticias/usm-consolida-colaboracion-internacional-en-nanociencia-tras-participacion-en-proyecto-europeo-ultimate-i

On January 13, 2026, we organized the Workshop on Integrating Simulations and Experiments for Advanced Applications at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) in Belgrade. The event, supported by Enterprise Europe Network, brought together researchers from academia and industry to discuss how multiscale simulations and advanced experimental methods can jointly accelerate materials innovation.

The workshop covered recent results from the European Union-funded projects ULTIMATE-I, BLESSED, and HIP-2d-QM, with a strong focus on fuel cells and functional materials, advanced atomistic and continuum simulations, and applications spanning spintronics, ferromagnetism, energy conversion, optics, and space technologies.

The scientific program highlighted the role of molecular dynamics, reactive force fields (ReaxFF), density functional theory, and discrete element methods in understanding complex material behavior. Topics included interactions of small molecules with graphene and MoS₂ nanonetworks, hydration-controlled transport in Nafion membranes, multiscale modeling of enzyme–substrate interactions, and degradation mechanisms in PEM fuel cell electrodes. Industrial perspectives were provided by Freudenberg Technology Innovation, demonstrating how digital modeling is increasingly embedded in materials and process development.

Beyond individual presentations, the workshop fostered open discussion on how simulation-driven insights can guide experiments, improve material design, and shorten development cycles. The interdisciplinary and international character of the meeting underlined the importance of close collaboration between academic institutions and industrial partners.

We thank all speakers and participants for their contributions and the lively scientific exchange. Events like this reinforce the value of integrating simulations and experiments to address current challenges in energy, functional materials, and advanced applications.