BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE WITH THE NEEDSIn my current position, I work closely with the US Department of Agriculture advancing research on sustainable agricultural water systems. In this role, we work with California's agriculture and water sectors stakeholders to identify scientific and tecnological gaps preventing the transition towards sustainability. My research is driven and co-created in a team environment where researchers from different fields and stakeholder engage from the early stages of a research project until pilot implementations and technological development.
As part of the GRAPEX (Grape Remote sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment) research team, my work has focused on designing a framework to link leaf and canopy level measurements to flux and remotely sensed energy balance data used to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) and crop stress in vineyards. My goal is to provide tools for viticultural management and test the feasibility of our research solutions working with California wineries. I also work with almond, olives, and winegrowers to translate the research findings resulting from my research work. We strive to reach a wide spectrum of growers and stakeholder, and I paid special attention to bridge the gaps that minority groups face when accessing to research and expert advice. As Executive Director of the Global Change Center at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, I supervised the execution of different research and extension initiatives of the center. The center creates scientific research and provides support to private and public parties by bridging practiExcal questions with a diverse portfolio of research initiatives in global change, with special focus on climate change. I report to the Director of the center and an academic board formed by 12 faculty members who oversee the research projects and the center’s contribution to society. I supervised a group of four researchers who are responsible of providing technical support to research and consultancy projects. I also lead some of the projects of the center among which I would highlight the following list:
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