Our Team – CENTRA

Executive Team

Daniel Olivares

CENTRA Director

Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canadá

Specialist in control, operation and planning of electrical systems, microgrids, regulation of the electricity sector and market design.

Felipe Larraín

Associate Director of Research

Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Specialist in prototypes for energy generation, sustainable computing and technologies for the prevention of climate change.

José Cruz

Head of the Center

Industrial and Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Specialist in operations management, planning, management control, projects and consultative sales management.

Academic Team

Claudio Agostini

Ph.D. in Economics, Universidad de Michigan

Specialist in public finance, energy, applied econometrics and empirical industrial organization with an emphasis on free competition policies.

Javiera Barrera

Ph.D. in Mathematics and Engineering Science, Université Paris-Descartes

Specialist in stochastic processes, stochastic optimization, and reliable network design.

Eduardo Bitran

Ph.D. in Economics, Boston University

Specialist in economics of natural resources, economic regulation of markets, public policies, infrastructure and innovation for development.

Luis Gutiérrez

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, The University of Manchester, UK

Specialist in the active operation and planning of electrical distribution networks, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and the integration of low-carbon technologies.

Tito Homem-de-Mello

Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Specialist in decision making under uncertainty, data analytics and risk management, with applications in energy, transportation and finance, among others.

Danilo Jara

Ph.D in Chemistry, University of Notre Dame, United States of America

Specialist in synthesis and characterization of materials for applications in green hydrogen generation, CO2 reduction and environmental remediation.

Shahriyar Nasirov

Ph.D. in Economics and Policies, University of Basque Country

Specialist in sustainable energy transition, electricity markets, energy policy instruments, energy-based CGE modeling.

José Luis Opazo

Ph.D in Science and Technology Policy Studies, University of Sussex, United Kingdom

Specialist in diffusion and development of renewable energies in developing and innovation studies for sustainability, STS, evolutionary and economics geography.

Raúl O’Ryan

Ph.D. in Economics, University of California, Berkeley

Specialist in sustainable development, climate change, environmental regulation, general equilibrium modeling, valuation of externalities, governance and socio-environmental conflicts.

Francisco Ramírez

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA

Specialist in nanophotonics for solar energy: radiative cooling, solar fuel devices, smart windows, and solar desalination.

Pedro Reszka

Ph.D. in Engineering and Electronics, The University of Edinburgh

Specialist in combustion, energy conversion, pollutant emission, energy efficiency, process safety and forest fire safety.

Carlos Silva

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Specialist in regulation, operation and control of electrical power systems, energy efficiency, integration of NCRE, micro and macroeconomics, climate change and game theory.

María Thomsen

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Specialist in combustion, solid fuel burning, fire resistant materials, material flammability testing, aircraft and spacecraft fire safety.

Javiera Toledo

Ph.D. in Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Montpellier, France

Specialist in environmental biotechnology, electrofermentation and bioelectrochemical systems for the removal of nitrates from groundwater and biohydrogen.

Claudio Seebach

M.Sc. in Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University

Specialist in public management and modernization of the State, infrastructure, energy, climate change, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

Rodrigo Barraza

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

Specialist in Solar Energy, heat and fluid transfer, solar desalination, microgrid systems and energy conversion management systems.

Mangalaraja Ramalinga

Ph.D. in Materials Technology, Anna-Chennai University

Specialist in nanotechnology and materials, focusing on energy, environmental applications and the micro-nanostructure-property relationship of ceramics.

Juan Pablo Torres

PhD, Management from the University of Warwick Business School

Specialist in strategy and innovation, focusing on strategic planning and innovation in private, public, and international companies.

Professional Team

Cristian Araya

Lawyer. Master of Laws, The London School of Economics and Political Science

Specialist in energy, project development and sustainability. Solid contractual and regulatory background and extensive international experience.

Ramón Castañeda

MBA, MSc in Electrical Engineering, PUC, Chile

Specialist in energy transition, market regulation, energy and risk management, digital transformation and business strategy.

Daniel Gutiérrez

Lawyer. Master of Laws in International Business, Anglia Ruskin University

Specialist in electrical regulations with twelve years of professional experience in the field of energy regulation

Bernardo Severino

Ph.D.(c) in Electrical Engineer, Technische Universität Berlin, Alemania

Specialist in modeling, stability analysis, and control design of AC/DC microgrids; integration of renewables sources of energy and energy storage systems in electric networks; and mathematical methods for nonlinear control and transient stability analysis.

Pablo Pastene

MBA, Adolfo Ibáñez University

Specialist in solar energy, innovation management and development of technological startups.