From March to June, Luciano Figueroa Maturana is undertaking a research internship at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão-Monte Castelo Campus, in São Luís, Brazil. He is currently completing his master’s degree in Engineering Sciences, specializing in Extractive Metallurgy and Materials Science and Engineering, and simultaneously beginning his PhD in Engineering Sciences, specializing in Materials Science and Engineering.
This international opportunity was made possible by a Capes’ “Move La América” program grant. It represents a critical juncture for Luciano’s academic progression, supporting the completion of his master’s thesis and informing the design of his prospective doctoral thesis work plan.
“This internship is crucial for both my master’s thesis and my future doctoral work plan,” explains Luciano Figueroa. “It strengthens my research, helps generate high-impact scientific knowledge, and fosters strategic collaborations with international laboratories.”
The program is part of the Fondecyt Regular Project No. 1220058, led by Dr. Felipe Castro Cerda, and aims to strengthen his line of research on advanced steels.
During his stay, Figueroa has had access to state-of-the-art technology, such as the Gleeble 563 thermomechanical simulator, which allows experimental testing under controlled thermomechanical conditions. He is also developing microstructural characterizations using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy and backscattered electron diffraction, in collaboration with the Federal University of Ceará.
The activities are carried out full-time at the Laboratório de Ensaios de Materiais, where Figueroa actively participates in his personal project, collaborates on other joint research projects, and supports the implementation of the new metallography laboratory under the supervision of Professor Samuel Filgueiras.
Access to equipment not found in Chile has made this experience exceptionally enriching and fundamental to his research. Figueroa attributes his success in navigating the internship’s technical and scientific demands to the training he received in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, highlighting the invaluable knowledge and specialized laboratory instrument proficiency it provided.