Federico Santa María Technical University
The Federico Santa María Technical University is a Chilean university founded in 1926 in Valparaíso, Chile.
It is one of the most prestigious engineering universities in the country and Latin America, and gives special emphasis to basic sciences, engineering and technical fields with a more recent growth into economics and business sciences. The University has campuses in Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Santiago, Concepción and Rancagua, as well as an international campus in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Federico Santa María Technical University is the alma mater of several prominent businessmen, engineers and Chilean scientists. Its students and alumni are known as "Sansanos".
The UTFSM was the first Chilean university to confer a doctorate in engineering in 1962 and the first higher-education institution in Latin America to confer this degree. The UTFSM university radio is the oldest campus radio in Latin America.
The university admission is very competitive and, it is known for its rigorous study requirements, demanding study program, and for being the only engineering university in Chile to require physical training as a compulsory part of the curriculum in its Valparaiso and Santiago Campuses. For the years 2011–2016, the UTFSM has an undergraduate retention rate of 81.0% by the first year of studies, and a 66.4% by the second year. Less than 1% of its students are international, and most of the available courses are imparted in Spanish.
The UTFSM has been historically perceived as one of the most prestigious engineering schools in the country and more recently, with the appearance of national and international rankings, has been placed among the top Universities in Chile and Latin America. It is ranked 1st in Chile and 2nd in Latin America by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014–2015.
The graduation date is held on the 20th of December every year, since it commemorates the anniversary of the death of the founder, Federico Santa Maria Carrera, on the 20th of December 1925.
History
The university takes its name from Federico Santa María, a Chilean philanthropist that lived in France. He raised a huge fortune as a broker in the sugar market in Paris. Before his death, he donated all his fortune to create a university in Valparaíso, his hometown. Although the exact amount of his fortune is unknown, it is believed to have been around 2 billion dollars of today's currency. While in Paris in 1920, in his testament, Santa María donated his fortune with the idea of building a high-standard technical and scientific institution.In his will, Santa María manifested that his desired executors contribute to material progress and expand Chile's cultural horizons; altruistic ideas which sought to facilitate entry into the academic life of outstanding compatriots dispossessed but without further requirement than merit, skills and high academic achievement. This institution would accept and prepare the best students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to gain technical and scientific knowledge that contribute to the progress of the country.
The executors were chosen by Santa María to be Agustin Edwards Mac-Clure, Juan Brown Caces, Carlos van Buren and Andrew Geddes.
Following his philosophy, on March 31, 1926, an institution was created to develop Santa María's legacy. In 1931, the School of Crafts and Arts and School of Engineering José Miguel Carrera was founded. In 1935, its name changed to Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.
The condition imposed by Federico Santa María was that, during the first 10 years, the university must receive academics from the best schools of sciences and engineering. Following this imperative, the executor of this project, Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure, traveled to Germany where he contacted Karl Laudien, at the time rector of a technical school in the Western Pemerania region, and he became the first rector of the university. From that moment, the university received a strong German influence in its engineering education. Several German engineers and scientists arrived before and after the second world war from institutions such as TU Berlin, Berlin University, and Leipzig University among other German institutions. They brought to the University cutting edge knowledge in physics, chemistry and engineering. For example, Arnold Keller, professor of the Physics department at UTFSM, was involved in the development of the V-1 rockets during the second world war, as part of the team of Wernher von Braun. Research in new areas to the country such as Solar Energy, or Chemistry of Natural Products were created, which delivered two Nacional Science Prize awards, Herbert Appel in 1970, and Juan Garbarino in 1998.
In 1934, the Scientia magazine is published, becoming the voice for the university's academic work.
In 1937, the Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria Radio was created, becoming the first university radio broadcaster in Chile and Latin America, focused to broadcasting information and cultural programs. The radio still broadcasts to this day, in the AM: 1.450 and FM: 99,7 signals in the Valparaiso region. The radio also has an online signal.
In 1939, the Alumni association was founded, known today as AEXA.
In 1960, the Graduate School was created, and its first director was Herbert Appel, offering the PhD study lines for chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering. In 1963 the university became the first higher-education institution in Latin America to confer a doctorate in engineering, in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh. In the 1960s the University started a strategy of national and international expansion. In 1966 the Technical campus "Viña del Mar" was founded. In 1972 the campus "Rey Balduino de Bélgica" in the southeast city of Concepción with orientation in technical-professional areas was founded. The project received strong financial support from Baudouin King.
In 1964, the university grants for the first time a technical degree to a woman, the chemical technician Patricia Guzman. In 1965 Graciela Muñoz graduates as its first female engineer.
The UTFSM was the first university of the 8 existing universities in Chile at the time to restart its operations on 15 October 1973, after the Military coup of 11 September 1973.
Campuses
The university has four campuses and two branch campuses. These are in four Chilean cities and Guayaquil, Ecuador:- Casa Central, main campus. Inaugurated in 1931 in Valparaíso
- Campus Santiago Vitacura and Campus Santiago San Joaquín, in the capital, Santiago.
- Campus Guayaquil, located in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
- Sede José Miguel Carrera, located in Viña del Mar.
- Sede Rey Balduino de Bélgica, in the seaport city of Talcahuano.
Main campus, Valparaíso
The main UTFSM campus is located in Valparaíso, covering most of the front area of Los Placeres hill, on the grounds of the former Pudeto fort. The site faces the Pacific coast and it is visible from many parts of the bay of Valparaíso.The building was designed by Josué Smith Solar, one of the most respected Chilean architects of the 20th century, and his son José Smith Miller. The American Neo-Gothic style campus is considered one of the foremost works of Chilean architecture. The campus is also recognised for its beautiful gardening, with native and exotic species.
In 2001, the illumination of the university frontis was renewed through a contest organised by the Chilean branch of Philips.
The main campus has a gothic scholastic architecture with a privileged view to the Pacific Ocean. This campus includes more than 3 hectares of green areas making it the biggest urban park in Valparaiso, despite it being closed to the public. In 2008 it was chosen as one of the most remarkable national architectural works of the 20th century.
Branch campus Viña del Mar, "José Miguel Carrera"
In the 1960s, the University formulated an expansion plan. With financial assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank, the support of the Ford Foundation, advice from Dunwoody Industrial Institute in the US, and a donation of land by Chile's Agricultural Development Institute INDAP, a fully furnished building was constructed in 1971 in Viña del Mar, and it was named the "Jose Miguel Carrera" branch campus, following the testamentary vision of the University founder, the philanthropist Federico Santa María.This branch is located on the border between the communes of Vina del Mar and Quilpué in Chile.
Branch campus Concepción, "Rey Baduino de Belgica"
By the mid-1960s, the University planned to install six schools in different parts of the country.In October 1965, the Kings of Belgium, Baudouin I and Fabiola de Mora y Aragon visited the University headquarters in Valparaíso, were introduced to its educational project and as a result initiated conversations for the construction of a branch campus in the city of Concepción.
Meanwhile, our country strengthens their contributions: the government facilitates the exchange of funds provided by Belgium; local businesses such as the San Pedro Sawmills, Cementos Bio Bio, Pacific Steel Company, Fanaloza, Inchalam, Pizarreño, Glasses Lirquén, among others, also contributed in its construction. Additionally, a donation of Archbishop of Concepción provided the land needed for the building construction. Its construction began in 1969.
Academic activities started on April 26, 1971, offering the careers of Electronics, Electrical, Structural Mechanics, Maintenance Mechanics, and Chemistry. On February 14, 1972, the campus branch was inaugurated solemnly in the presence of the President of Chile, Salvador Allende Gossens, and the University rector, Jaime Chiang Acosta.
Academic rankings and accreditation
For 10 consecutive years, UTFSM has been ranked among the three best Universities in Chile in terms of quality perception given by more than 1000 important national business executives. In 2012, the University was ranked 5 between 9,500 schools of engineering in the world according to their impact factor in the last 5 years, as the latinoamerican university with the largest normalized impact factor, and as the first school of engineering in South America. According to Times Higher Education Ranking 2014, UTFSM is among the first 300 best Universities in the World, 2nd in South America and 1st in Chile. The UTFSM has consistently been considered as one of the best engineering universities in Latin America, and appears regularly as a highly ranked university in many of the published world university rankings.Accreditations
- Chilean National Accreditation commission CNA: 6 years until December 2022
Organization
Directive council
The current president of the UTFSM Academic Council is Mr. Roberto Medina Cantariño. The following table summarizes the different presidents the UTFSM has had in its history.| Directive Council President | Start Year | |
| Roberto Medina Cantariño | 2008 | |
| Jorge Swett | 1987 | |
| Military Junta | 1973-1986 | |
| Carlos Massad Abud | 1968 | |
| Agustin Edwards Eastman | 1956 | |
| Agustin Edwards Budge | 1941 | |
| Agustin Edwards Mac-Clure | 1931 |
Rector
The current rector is Professor Darcy Fuenzalida O'Shee, for the Period 2014 - 2022. Some notable events:- Two rectors died at the time of having the role, i.e., Armando Quezada in 1936, and Commander Juan Naylor in 1977. They were replaced by Interim Rectors until a new rector was chosen through a vote.
- One rector have had to resign due to protests within the University,i.e., Carlos Cerutti in 1968.
- Three "delegate" rectors were designated by a military junta. During the Military regime of Augusto Pinochet the university rector was designated by the military junta instead of a normal voting process. Three "delegate rectors", retired military men, had this role during the period: Commander Juan Naylor, Vice-admiral Ismael Huerta and Commander Arturo Niño de Zepeda.
- Two of the rectors were siblings, i.e., Jaime Chiang Acosta, and Gustavo Chiang Acosta.
- Jaime Chiang Acosta was the first rector chosen through a voting process in the university community.
- Jaime Chiang Acosta was the first rector that was also a UTFSM alumnus, a Civil Chemical Engineering graduate with a PhD from the University of Louisiana.
- Gustavo Chiang Acosta, a UTFSM civil mechanical engineer graduated in 1949, was also the first rector chosen by popular vote of the university community after the end of the Pinochet military regime.
| Rector Name | Period | |
| Darcy Fuenzalida O'Shee | 2014-2022 | |
| Jose Rodriguez Perez | 2006-2014 | |
| Jose Rodriguez Perez | 2005-2006 | |
| Giovanni Pesce Santana | 2001-2005 | |
| Adolfo Arata Andreani | 1993-2001 | |
| Gustavo Chiang Acosta | 1989-1993 | |
| Arturo Niño de Zepeda Schele | 1985-1989 | |
| Ismael Huerta Diaz | 1977-1985 | |
| Juan Naylor Wieber | 1973-1977+ | |
| Domingo Santa Maria Santa Cruz | 1972-1973 | |
| Jaime Chiang Acosta | 1969-1972 | |
| 1968-1969 | ||
| Carlos Ceruti Gardeazábal | 1959-1968 | |
| Julio Hirschmann | 1958-1959 | |
| Francisco Cereceda Cisternas | 1937-1958 | |
| Armando Quezada Acharán | 1936 + | |
| Karl Laudien | 1935-1938 |
Academic departments
Due to the focused nature of the university, its organisation currently does not include different faculties, only different academic departments, which carry out research and graduate/undergraduate educational programs. Originally, faculties had been considered in the University organization, with the founding of the first three faculties in 1944, Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Faculties were subsequently abolished under Adolfo Arata's period as rector.| Academic Department | Year founded |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1944 |
| Chemical Engineering | 1944 |
| Electrical Engineering | 1944 |
| Construction Engineering | 1959 |
| Chemical and Environmental Engineering | 19XX |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 1965 |
| Computer Engineering / Informatics | 1975 |
| Electronic Engineering | 1982 |
| Industrial Engineering | 1988 |
| Commercial Engineering | 1996 |
| Architecture | 1996 |
Within the Chilean campus level, there are 17 different academic departments, though not all of them are in every campus location, and not all degree levels are offered at every location, as the following table shows:
| Academic Department | Valparaiso Campus Main Campus | Concepción Campus "Rey Baduino de Belgica" | Viña del Mar Campus "José Miguel Carrera" | Santiago Campus |
| Architecture | Yes | - | - | - |
| Metallurgical Engineering and Materials | Yes | - | - | - |
| Electrical Engineering | Yes | Yes | - | Yes |
| Electronic Engineering | Yes | Yes | - | - |
| Physics | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Industrial Engineering | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Commercial Engineering | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Computer Science Engineering | Yes | - | Yes | Yes |
| Mathematics | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Mechanical Engineering | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Civil Engineering and Construction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chemical and Environmental Engineering | Yes | - | Yes | Yes |
| Chemistry | Yes | Yes | - | Yes |
| Physical Education, sports and recreation | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Humanist Studies | Yes | - | - | Yes |
| Product Design engineering | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| Aeronautic Science | - | - | - | Yes |
UTFSM is the only Chilean engineering school where sports is an obligatory course in the curriculum during the first three semesters of all its study lines at its Valparaiso and Santiago Campuses.
The university offers careers of Commercial Pilot and Aeronautical Engineering in its Academia de Ciencias Aeronáuticas in a joint venture with Chilean airline Lan Chile.
Education
The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. The undergraduate degrees can be of 12 academic semesters, 10 semesters, 8 semesters and 6 semesters. The graduate degrees offered by this university are Masters and Doctorate. The Masters of Science degree requires 2 years of study, and the Doctorate degree requires 3 to 5 years of study. All graduate degrees require entrants to have a bachelor's degree.Engineering degrees
The engineering degrees at UTFSM are offered in different degrees of difficulty.- To differentiate it from the engineering studies of 10 semesters, the engineering degree has the suffix of Civil. For example, the degree for 12 academic semesters in chemical engineering has the title of Ingeniero Civil Químico, while the degree of 10 semesters has the title of Ingeniero Químico.The following Bachelor Engineering degrees are granted by this University:
- * Engineering
- * Civil
- * Environmental
- * Electrical
- * Electronics
- * Computer Science
- * Industrial
- * Mathematics
- * Mechanical
- * Metallurgical
- * Chemical
- * Telematics
- * Mining
- * Business management
- * Product design engineering
- * Aircraft business engineering
- * Manufacturing and industrial drawing engineering
- * Occupational Health and Safety Engineering
- * Mechanical processes and maintenance engineering
- The following Masters of Science are granted by this University:
- * Civil Engineering
- * Electrical Engineering
- * Electronics
- * Computer Engineering
- * Mechanical
- * Chemical Engineering
- * Industrial Engineering
- * Telematics Engineering
- * Metallurgical Engineering
- * Physics
- * Chemistry
- * Mathematics
- The following PhD Degrees are granted by this University:
- * Biotechnology
- * Physics
- * Chemistry
- * Electronics Engineering
- * Chemical Engineering
- * Computer Science Engineering
- * Mathematics
- * Mechanical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
- Design of industrial processes
- Environmental Engineering
- Food Science and Bioprocesses
- Minerals Processing
- Automation and process control
Mechanical Engineering
The Mechanical Engineering School at UTFSM was founded together with the foundation of the School of Engineers in 1935, being one of the oldest degrees offered by the university. Its first four mechanical engineers graduated in 1939. The mechanical engineering department was also among the first to offer a PhD program in 1964.The mechanical engineering department has the following research areas:
- Thermodynamics
- Energy and Renewable energies
- Process engineering
Graduate School
The UTFSM graduate school started its activities on the 1st of August, 1960, as a response to the increasing requirements for deeper and applied research in the country. The project was directed by Leroy Stutzman of the University of Pittsburgh, and doctors G.R. Fitterer and John F. Calver, who audited study programs and teaching methods for the project. The first director of the UTFSM graduate school was Herbert Appel, during the period 1960–1964. The school initially offered PhD study lines in chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering. The first UTFSM PhD graduate was Walter Gaete Castro, with a PhD degree in chemical engineering, becoming the first PhD graduate in Latin America.Doctor Honoris Causa
The "Doctor Honoris Causa" honorary degree is the highest distinction that UTFSM can bestow. Only seven people have been awarded this honor by UTFSM:- Georges Mikenberg in 2019, physicist, for his work in particle physics and support of the UTFSM participation in CERN research programs.
- Raul Zurita in 2015, and first UTFSM alumnus to obtain it, for his successful career in literature
- Wolfgang Riesenkönig in 2014, for his achievements advancements in computer science in Chile
- Michelle Bachelet in 2007, president of Chile at the time
- Frederik Hayek in 1977, Austrian economist
- Francisco Cereceda in 1964, for his contribution to society and to the university as its former Rector
Research
Cultural activities
University radio
The Federico Santa Maria University radio was created on the 7th of April, 1937, and it is the oldest university radio in Latin America. It can be heard on 1450 kHz in the AM spectrum, on 99.7 MHz in the FM spectrum, and online.University Chamber Choir
The Chamber Choir of the Federico Santa María Technical University was founded on August 4, 1951 in its Valparaiso Campus. It is the second oldest choir in Chile with continuous activity. During the choir's over 60 years of existence, it has interpreted an extensive repertoire, including all manifestations of choral western music, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The choir's first performance was at the closing ceremony of the academic year in December 1951, in the Aula Magna, main hall of events in the "A" building of the University's Main Valparaíso campus.Demosthenes Penna, engineering student of this campus, was its founder and first director until 1954. From March 1955, the choir was directed by Silvio Olate Valenzuela for over 28 years until March 1983. From 1983 to 1987, it was directed by Mauricio Pergelier Hernandez. For the next 23 years, from 1987 to 2010, the choir was conducted by Eduardo Silva Cerda. From 2010, the choir has been conducted by Felipe Molina Lavandera.
The Guayaquil campus in Ecuador also has formed a Choir in 2015, directed by Charles Sampertegui.
Folklore ensemble "Alimapu"
The university has a long history of musical expression, in particular through its folkloric ensemble ""Alumni
Different organizations, denominated AEXA have been created at several of the UTFSM campuses:- AEXA Valparaiso, established in 1939
- AEXA Santiago, established in 1941
- AEXA in the United States, established in 1995
Notable alumni (by year of graduation)
- Homero Capona, first engineer graduated at the university, UTFSM electrical engineer.
- Abelardo Quinteros, composer particularly known for his contributions to twelve-note composition and serialism. UTFSM industrial design graduate.
- Carlos Ceruti Gardeazabal, the first Chilean to receive the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by an international institution: University of Pittsburgh, USA. Founder council member of the Chilean school of engineers, UTFSM rector. UTFSM mechanical engineer.
- :es:Mario Luxoro|Mario Luxoro Mariani, First Chilean to earn a PhD degree abroad. National Sciences prize in the year 2000. UTFSM chemical engineer. He later went on to receive a Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship and to earn a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1957. Subsequently, he became a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile in Santiago, Chile.
- Boris Rotman Arensburg, First UTFSM alumnus to become professor in an Ivy League University. He is recognized for performing the first single molecule experiment in biology, and received the State of Rhode Island Governor's award for Scientific Excellence. UTFSM chemical engineer
- , Vice president of the Chilean nuclear energy commission. UTFSM professor. UTFSM chemical engineer.
- Sergio Contreras Navia, Bishop of Temuco Directed the construction of the new Temuco Cathedral. UTFSM mechanical engineer. He assisted to graduation dressed in cassock.
- Miguel Kiwi, National Sciences Prize. UTFSM mechanical engineer and later PhD in Physics from the University of Virginia.
- , first child of a UTFSM graduate, to also graduate from this university. UTFSM Electrical Engineer and later PhD in electrical engineering from Arizona State University.
- , first woman to graduate from this university. UTFSM chemical technician
- , first woman to graduate as an engineer at this university. UTFSM chemical engineer
- Raul Zurita, Civil Engineer, Poet, National Literature Prize. UTFSM civil engineer. He completed the study curriculum but did deliver a thesis or graduate.
- , physicist. He developed, in cooperation with Dr. Stanley Brodsky from Stanford University, the basic theoretical aspects to create anti-hydrogen atoms in the Laboratory. Based in this methods, Swiss scientists have created the first antimatter atom in the world. He is also member of the Chilean academy of sciences. UTFSM electronics engineer and later PhD from Stanford University.
- José Rodríguez Pérez, National Applied Sciences and Technology Prize 2014. UTFSM rector. UTFSM electrical engineer and later PhD at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
- Ricardo Meruane, Comedian, UTFSM Tooling Technician.
- Charles Menevau, Member of the Chilean academy of sciences. UTFSM mechanical engineer, and later PhD from Yale University. Professor at the at the Johns Hopkins University.
- Juan Guillermo Avila Willer - Sales Engineer at Gasmaster Industries, Vancouver, Canada.
Notable faculty
- Karl Laudien, first Rector of the University.
- Robert Frucht, German-Chilean mathematician, known for developing the Frucht's theorem, emeritus professor 1970. PhD from the University of Berlin, was a UTFSM professor.
- Robert Breusch, mathematician. Breusch was known for his new proof of the prime number theorem and for the many solutions he provided to problems posed in the American Mathematical Monthly. PhD from the University of Berlin, was a UTFSM professor until 1939.
- Herbert Appel, National Sciences Prize 1971. PhD from Leipzig University, held different roles at the UTFSM chemical engineering department and graduate school.
- Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure, Executor of the will of Federico Santa María. President of the General Assembly of the League of Nations, Interior Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization and Plenipotentiary to Great Britain among other positions.
- Francisco Cereceda Cisternas, state minister during both Jorge Alessandri and Carlos Ibañez del Campo governments. UTFSM rector.
- Juan Garbarino, Natural Sciences National Prize. UTFSM professor from 1981. Chemical Engineer PUC and later PhD from University of Lausanne.
Notable Alumni in Politics
- :es:Eduardo Esteffan|Eduardo Esteffan, Governor of Copiapo Province 2012–2014, UTFSM civil engineer
- Gaston frene Saavedra Chandia, Chilean Deputy since 2018, UTFSM mechanical maintenance technician
- Liliana Kusanovic, Governor of Magallanes and Antartica Province 2010–2011, UTFSM electronics engineer
- Marino Penna, Chilean Deputy 1969–1973, UTFSM chemical engineer
- Miodrag Marinović Solo de Zaldívar, Chilean Deputy 2010–2014, UTFSM Commercial engineer