Federico Santa María Technical University facts for kids

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Federico Santa María Technical University

Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
Former names	Escuela de Artes y Oficios y el Colegio de Ingenieros José Miguel Carrera (1926–1935)
Motto	Ex umbra in Solem
Motto in English	From the shadows to the light
Type	Private (traditional), technical
Established	20 December 1931 (93 years ago) (1931-12-20)
Academic affiliations	Cruz del sur Network G9 Network Clover 2030 Engineering
Chairman	Roberto Medina Cantariño
Rector	Juan Yuz Eissmann (2022-2026)
Academic staff	618 (equivalent full time 2019)
Students	19,291 (2020)
Undergraduates	18,239
Postgraduates	1,052
Location	Valparaíso, Santiago, Viña del Mar, Concepción , Chile 33°02′06″S 71°35′47″W / 33.0351°S 71.5963°W / -33.0351; -71.5963
Campus	Urban 14.82 hectares (36.6 acres)
Architect	Smith Solar & Smith Miller
Colours	Blue, red, yellow

The Federico Santa María Technical University (known as Spanish: Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, UTFSM, or just Santa Maria University) is a famous university in Chile. It's part of the Rector's Council. The university was started in 1931 in Valparaíso, Chile.

This university has campuses in different cities. You can find them in Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Santiago (in Vitacura and San Joaquín), and Concepcion. There was also a campus in Guayaquil, Ecuador, which closed in 2018. Many important business people, engineers, and scientists from Chile studied here. Students and graduates from this university are called "Sansanos."

UTFSM was the first university in Chile to offer a doctorate degree in engineering. This happened in 1962. It was also the first university in Latin America to offer this high-level degree. The university's radio station is the oldest campus radio in Latin America.

Getting into UTFSM is quite competitive. It's known for its tough study programs and high standards. Most courses are taught in Spanish. The graduation ceremony happens every year on December 20th. This date honors the founder, Federico Santa Maria Carrera, who passed away on December 20, 1925.

A Look at University History

Main UTFSM Campus in Valparaiso, 2016

The university is named after Federico Santa María. He was a kind person from Chile who lived in France. He made a lot of money working as a broker in the sugar market in Paris. Before he died, he gave all his money to start a university in Valparaíso. This was his hometown. No one knows exactly how much money he had, but it's thought to be around 27 billion dollars today! In 1920, he wrote in his will that he wanted his money to build a top-notch technical and science school.

Federico Santa María wanted the university to help Chile grow. He wanted it to expand the country's knowledge. He believed that smart students, no matter their background, should get a chance. They should learn technical and scientific skills. This would help the country move forward.

He chose four people to make sure his wishes came true. These were Agustin Edwards Mac-Clure, Juan Brown Caces, Carlos van Buren, and Andrew Geddes.

Following his plan, a group was formed on March 31, 1926. Their job was to carry out Santa María's dream. In 1931, the School of Crafts and Arts and the School of Engineering José Miguel Carrera were founded. Then, in 1935, the name changed to Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.

Santa María had one important rule. For the first 10 years, the university had to bring in professors from the best science and engineering schools. So, Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure went to Germany. He met Karl Laudien, who was a rector at a technical school. Dr. Laudien became the first rector of UTFSM. Because of this, the university's engineering education got a strong German influence. Many German engineers and scientists came to teach. They brought new ideas in physics, chemistry, and engineering.

In 1934, the university started publishing the Scientia magazine. This magazine shared the university's academic work.

In 1937, the Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria Radio began broadcasting. It was the first university radio station in Chile and Latin America. It shared information and cultural programs. You can still listen to it today in the Valparaiso region and online!

The Alumni association was created in 1939. It's now called AEXA.

In 1960, the Graduate School was started. It offered PhD programs in chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering. In 1963, UTFSM became the first university in Latin America to give a doctorate in engineering. This was done with help from the University of Pittsburgh. In the 1960s, the university began to grow. In 1966, the "Viña del Mar" campus was opened. In 1972, the "Rey Balduino de Bélgica" campus opened in Concepción. This campus focused on technical and professional studies. It received a lot of help from King Baudouin of Belgium.

In 1964, a woman named Patricia Guzman earned a technical degree. She was the first woman to graduate from the university. In 1965, Graciela Muñoz became the first woman to graduate as an engineer from UTFSM.

After the military coup on September 11, 1973, UTFSM was the first of the eight universities in Chile to reopen. This happened on October 15, 1973.

University Locations

The university has three main campuses and two smaller branch campuses.

• Casa Central: This is the main campus. It opened in 1931 in Valparaíso.
• Campus Vitacura: This campus opened in 1995 in Vitacura, Santiago, Chile.
• Campus San Joaquín: This campus opened in 2009 in San Joaquin, Santiago, Chile.
• Sede José Miguel Carrera: This branch is in Viña del Mar.
• Sede Rey Balduino de Bélgica: This branch opened in 1972 in Talcahuano, Chile.

The main campuses focus on university degrees (undergraduate and graduate). The branch campuses mainly offer technical degrees.

UTFSM also had a campus in Guayaquil, Ecuador, starting in 1996. It closed in 2018.

Main Campus in Valparaíso

Main Campus in Valparaíso, 1949

The main UTFSM campus, called Casa Central, is in Valparaíso. It sits on Los Placeres hill, where an old fort used to be. The campus faces the Pacific coast. You can see it from many parts of Valparaíso bay.

The famous Chilean architect Josué Smith Solar and his son José Smith Miller designed the building. The campus has an American Neo-Gothic style. It is considered one of the most important buildings in Chilean architecture. The campus is also known for its beautiful gardening, with both local and foreign plants.

In 2001, the lighting on the front of the university was updated. This was done through a competition.

The main campus has a gothic style, like old schools. It has a great view of the Pacific Ocean. It also has over 3 hectares of green spaces. This makes it the biggest urban park in Valparaiso. In 2008, it was named one of the most amazing architectural works of the 20th century in Chile.

Viña del Mar Branch Campus, "José Miguel Carrera"

In the 1960s, the university planned to expand. With money from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and help from the Ford Foundation, a new building was built. It opened in 1971 in Viña del Mar. It was named the "Jose Miguel Carrera" branch campus. This followed the founder's wishes.

This branch is located between the cities of Vina del Mar and Quilpué in Chile.

Concepción Branch Campus, "Rey Baduino de Belgica"

In the mid-1960s, the university planned to open six schools across the country.

In October 1965, the Kings of Belgium, Baudouin I and Fabiola de Mora y Aragon, visited the university in Valparaíso. They learned about its education plans. This led to talks about building a branch campus in Concepción.

Chile also helped with money. Local businesses like San Pedro Sawmills and Cementos Bio Bio also contributed. The Archbishop of Concepción donated the land. Construction began in 1969.

Classes started on April 26, 1971. They offered careers in Electronics, Electrical, Structural Mechanics, Maintenance Mechanics, and Chemistry. On February 14, 1972, the campus was officially opened. The President of Chile, Salvador Allende Gossens, and the university rector were there.

University Rankings

UTFSM is known as one of the best engineering schools in Chile. It is also highly ranked among universities in Chile and Latin America.

• For 10 years in a row, UTFSM has been in the top three universities in Chile. This is based on what over 1000 important business leaders think.
• In 2019, UTFSM was ranked 2nd in Latin America for Engineering and Technology by Times Higher Education (THE).
• US News has ranked UTFSM as #64 in the Best Global Universities. It's also #15 in the Best Universities in Latin America and #3 in the Best Universities in Chile.

Accreditations

The Chilean National Accreditation commission (CNA) has accredited UTFSM for 6 years, until December 2022.

How the University is Organized

Agustin Edwards Mc-Clure, UTFSM Directive Council President, 1931

University Leaders

The university has a Directive Council and a Rector. The current president of the Directive Council is Mr. Roberto Medina Cantariño.

The current rector is Professor Juan I. Yuz Eissmann. He is a professor of electronic engineering. He became the new rector for 2022–2026.

Some interesting facts about past rectors:

• Two rectors passed away while in office.
• One rector had to resign due to student protests.
• During the time of the military junta (1973-1990), three "delegate" rectors were chosen by the military. They were retired military men.
• Two rectors were brothers: Jaime Chiang Acosta and Gustavo Chiang Acosta.
• Jaime Chiang Acosta (1969-1972) was the first rector chosen by a vote from the university community. He was also the first rector who had studied at UTFSM.
• Gustavo Chiang Acosta (1989-1993) was the first rector chosen by popular vote after the military rule ended.

Academic Departments

UTFSM doesn't have different "faculties" like some universities. Instead, it has academic departments. These departments do research and offer study programs for students.

There are 17 different academic departments across the Chilean campuses. Not all departments are at every campus. Also, not all degree levels are offered everywhere.

UTFSM is the only engineering school in Chile where sports is a required class. Students must take it for the first three semesters at the Valparaiso and Santiago Campuses.

The university also offers degrees for Commercial Pilot and Aeronautical Engineering. This is through its Academia de Ciencias Aeronáuticas, working with the Chilean airline Lan Chile.

What You Can Study

Original UTFSM design(1935)

The university offers different types of degrees. You can get undergraduate degrees (like a bachelor's) and graduate degrees (like a master's or PhD).

• Undergraduate degrees can take 6, 8, 10, or 12 semesters (about 3 to 6 years).
• Master's degrees usually take 2 years.
• Doctorate (PhD) degrees take 3 to 5 years.
• To get a graduate degree, you need to have a bachelor's degree first.

Engineering Degrees

UTFSM offers many engineering degrees. Some are called "Civil" engineering degrees. These usually take 12 semesters. Other engineering degrees take 10 semesters.

Here are some of the Bachelor Engineering degrees you can get:

• Engineering (general)
• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Electronics Engineering
• Computer Science Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Mathematics Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Telematics Engineering
• Mining Engineering
• Business Management Engineering
• Product Design Engineering
• Aircraft Business Engineering
• Manufacturing and Industrial Drawing Engineering
• Occupational Health and Safety Engineering
• Mechanical Processes and Maintenance Engineering (4 years)

The university also offers Masters of Science degrees in:

• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Electronics
• Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Telematics Engineering
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics

And PhD Degrees in:

• Biotechnology (with Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso)
• Physics (with Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso)
• Chemistry
• Electronics Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science Engineering
• Mathematics (with Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso and University of Valparaíso)
• Mechanical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

The Chemical Engineering School at UTFSM is one of the oldest degrees offered. It started when the School of Engineers was founded in 1935. The first Chilean and Latin American doctorate degree in chemical engineering was given in 1962. This was to Walter Gaete Castro, with help from UTFSM and the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Today, the chemical engineering department is called the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. It offers degrees in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering.

Mechanical Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering School also started in 1935. The first four mechanical engineers graduated in 1939. This department was also one of the first to offer a PhD program in 1964.

The mechanical engineering department has research areas like:

• Thermodynamics (study of heat and energy)
• Energy and Renewable energies (like solar or wind power)
• Process engineering (how to design and improve industrial processes)

The department has many full-time professors, most with PhD degrees. Besides the Bachelor of Sciences in mechanical engineering, they offer Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Graduate School

The UTFSM graduate school began on August 1, 1960. It was created to meet the need for more in-depth research in Chile. The first director was Herbert Appel. The school first offered PhD programs in chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Walter Gaete Castro was the first person to get a PhD from UTFSM. He earned his PhD in chemical engineering. This made him the first PhD graduate in Latin America.

Doctor Honoris Causa

The "Doctor Honoris Causa" is the highest award UTFSM can give. Only a few people have received this special honor. In 2022, Lorena A. Barba, a former student, received it.

Other people who have received this award include:

• Georges Mikenberg (2019), a physicist who helped UTFSM join CERN research.
• Raul Zurita (2015), a famous writer and the first UTFSM alumnus to get this award.
• Wolfgang Riesenkönig (2014), for his work in computer science in Chile.
• Michelle Bachelet (2007), who was the president of Chile at the time.
• Frederik Hayek (1977), an Austrian economist.
• Francisco Cereceda (1964), for his work for society and the university as a former Rector.

Research at UTFSM

Since 2010, UTFSM has received almost US$8 million for 76 research projects. Many of these projects involve working with other famous institutions. These include places in Latin America (like the ANDES Laboratory Project), Europe (like CERN and Max Planck Institut), and the USA (like MIT and SLAC).

Fun Cultural Activities

University Radio

The Federico Santa Maria University radio started on April 7, 1937. It is the oldest university radio in Latin America! You can listen to it on 1450 kHz (AM) and 99.7 MHz (FM). You can also listen online.

University Chamber Choir

The Chamber Choir of UTFSM was founded on August 4, 1951. It is the second oldest choir in Chile that has been active continuously. For over 60 years, the choir has performed many types of music. Their first performance was in December 1951.

Folklore Ensemble "Alimapu"

The university also has a long history of music through its folkloric group, "Alimapu".

Famous Alumni

Many groups for former students, called AEXA (from "Asociacion de EX Alumnos"), have been created.

• AEXA Valparaiso was started in 1939.
• AEXA Santiago was started in 1941.
• AEXA in the United States was started in 1995.

These groups are run by the alumni themselves. They work with the university through the UTFSM Alumni Network office.

Notable Alumni

Here are some notable people who studied at UTFSM:

• Homero Capona: The first engineer to graduate from the university (1939).
• Abelardo Quinteros: A composer known for his unique music (1941).
• Carlos Ceruti Gardeazabal: The first Chilean to receive an honorary doctorate from an international university (1941). He was also a UTFSM rector.
• Mario Luxoro Mariani: The first Chilean to earn a PhD degree abroad. He won the National Sciences prize in 2000 (1948).
• Boris Rotman: The first UTFSM alumnus to become a professor at an Ivy League University (Brown University). He was recognized for doing the first single molecule experiment in biology (1948).
• Sergio Contreras Navia: A Bishop who led the building of the new Temuco Cathedral (1957).
• Miguel Kiwi: Won the National Sciences Prize in 2007 (1963).
• Patricia Guzman: The first woman to graduate from this university (1964).
• Graciela Muñoz: The first woman to graduate as an engineer at this university (1965).
• Raul Zurita: A famous poet who won the National Literature Prize in 2000 (1967).
• José Rodríguez Pérez: Won the National Applied Sciences and Technology Prize in 2014. He was also a UTFSM rector (2006–2014) (1977).
• Armin Kunstmann: The founder and CEO of "Kunstmann", a well-known Chilean beer brand (1977).
• Ricardo Meruane: A comedian (1981).
• Charles Menevau: A member of the Chilean academy of sciences (2006). He is a professor at Johns Hopkins University (1985).

Notable Faculty

Some important professors who taught at UTFSM include:

• Robert Frucht: A German-Chilean mathematician known for his theorem (1948-1968).
• Robert Breusch: A mathematician known for his new proof of the prime number theorem (until 1939).
• Herbert Appel: Won the National Sciences Prize in 1971 (1937-1981).
• Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure: He was in charge of Federico Santa María's will. He also held many important government positions.
• Francisco Cereceda Cisternas: A government minister and UTFSM rector (1936-1958).
• Juan Garbarino: Won the Natural Sciences National Prize in 1998 (from 1981).

Notable Alumni in Politics

Some alumni have also become important figures in politics:

• Eduardo Esteffan: Governor of Copiapo Province (2012–2014).
• Jorge Brito Hasbún: President of the Federation of Students of UTFSM and a Chilean Deputy since 2018.
• Gaston frene Saavedra Chandia: A Chilean Deputy since 2018.
• Liliana Kusanovic: Governor of Magallanes and Antarctica Province (2010–2011).
• Marino Penna: A Chilean Deputy (1969–1973).
• Miodrag Marinović Solo de Zaldívar: A Chilean Deputy (2010–2014).

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María para niños