UDP Internacional

Wednesday June 11th, 2025

Professor Hernán Alcayaga, director of the School of Civil Engineering at Diego Portales University, has been awarded an international project in collaboration with the University of Washington, USA, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The project, titled “IRES: A US-Chile Research Experience for Students: Exploring Urban Housing Solutions from a Systems Perspective,” will include the participation of Professor Carolina Busco from the UDP School of Industrial Engineering; Nicolás Stutzin and Nicolás Cabargas from the UDP School of Architecture; and Alcayaga from the School of Civil Engineering. Jeffrey Walters and Anaid Yerena will represent the University of Washington.

“The project aims to generate models for analyzing socio-technical systems that integrate social, economic, environmental, and technical factors. Through the study of specific cases in Santiago, the teams will analyze housing policies from a systemic perspective, using methodologies such as participatory modeling, network analysis, and comparative qualitative methods. The goal is to identify leverage points where specific interventions can generate significant improvements, thus contributing relevant recommendations for both Chilean and U.S. authorities,” explained Alcayaga.

“For three years, we will host approximately 30 students from the University of Washington, who will work alongside our students and faculty on research about urban housing. This interaction will enrich the academic environment, foster the exchange of perspectives, and consolidate a global learning community around a problem relevant to both the U.S. and our country,” the professor noted. “This is one of the project’s strengths: the opportunity to have an intercultural experience without leaving the country,” he added.

What does participating in an international project like this mean for UDP?

Participating in this project represents an opportunity for UDP in terms of internationalization and cutting-edge research. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is one of the world’s most prestigious agencies for funding science and technology, so being selected as a partner in this initiative led by UW is a recognition of our institution’s capacity to collaborate on global challenges. Furthermore, it strengthens our international networks and our visibility as a university committed to applied knowledge and addressing issues with a social dimension.

How does this project align with the pillars of undergraduate education at UDP, especially in terms of early research and interdisciplinarity?

This project is deeply aligned with UDP’s educational model by promoting the active participation of undergraduate students in applied research processes, addressing a real-world problem such as the housing deficit. It also brings together three schools: Civil Engineering Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Industrial Engineering, enabling genuine interdisciplinary collaboration to generate systemic solutions. The experience of working in multidisciplinary teams is key to the comprehensive education of our students.

How does this project strengthen UDP’s role in community engagement and addressing social challenges from an academic perspective?

This project represents a highly attractive integration of teaching, research, and community engagement. UDP not only contributes its academic expertise but also actively engages in a high-impact social issue: decent housing. Through collaborative work with communities, researchers, and decision-makers, we seek to provide evidence and proposals that can improve housing conditions in our cities. This is a concrete example of how the University can be a relevant player in building sustainable and equitable solutions.