I am interested in how phenotypic evolution proceeds in natural as well as artificial populations. To address these problems I have been involved in physiological measurements, quantitative genetics, and molecular ecology in range of organisms.

1.- Thesis Directed
Undergraduate students:
Pablo Cortés (Bs. Biology, UACH, 2010).
Andrea Bruning (Bs. Biology, UACH, 2012).
Carolina Contreras (Bs. Biology, UACH, 2012).
Julio Figueroa (Bs. Biology, UACH, 2017)
Pablo Quintrel (Ing. Biotechnology, USACH, 2019)

Past graduate students:

Master

Julian F. Quintero Galvis (Msc science mention Genetics, UACH, 2014-2016)
Pedro Ratamal (Msc science mention Ecology, UACH, 2015-2017)
Rocio Paleo (Msc science mention Genetics, UACH, 2016-2018)

Doctorate
Pablo Cortés (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2011-2014).
Paulina Artacho (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2005-2008).
Luis Castañeda (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2006-2009).
Juan Diego Gaitan (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2010-2012).
Rodrigo Scheihing (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2008-2011).
José Luis Bartheld (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2011-2013).
Pablo Cortés (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH, 2011-2014).

Post-doc advisoring:
Marcela Franco (funded by FONDECYT)
Luis Castañeda (funded by FONDECYT)

2.-Membership thesis comitees
Cecilia Norambuena (PhD in Agricultural Sciences, P. Universidad Católica de Chile)
Eduardo Soto (PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Universidad de Chile).
Paula Gadicke (PhD in Veterinary Sciences, UACH)
Tamara Tadich (PhD in Veterinary Sciences, UACH)
Mauricio Carter (PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Universidad de Chile)
Marcela Franco (PhD in Systematics and Ecology, UACH).

3.- Undergraduate and Graduated Teaching
RESPONSIBLE
Evolution, ECEV 434. Evolution course for PhD students

COLABORATIONS:
Advanced Biostatistics, ECEV 424. Graduate Students, First Year.
Advanced topics in Ecology and Evolution. Graduate Students, First Year.
Biometrics, ECEV 208. Biology Undergraduate Student.
Evolutionary Physiology, Graduate Students, First Year.
Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Students, First Year.
Evolution, Undergraduate Students, Fourh Year.
Ecology, Undergraduate Students, Fourh Year.
Genetics, Undergraduate Students, Fourh Year.

In order to reach the public, I have done lectures in high schools, press releases and interviews in magazines and newspapers related with my results. Also I have been performing summer courses in topics of evolutionary biology for high school teachers and “Explora-Conicyt” experiences in which students get involved with the research a the laboratory.

2009. News article featuring our research regarding the marsupial Monito del Monte, including photo, map and figure of marsupial evolution. http://noticias.uach.cl/uachmedios/2899.pdf

2009. May. News at a local newspaper (“El Mercurio”) relating one of our findings regarding natural selection in land snails, including a photo with a PhD student
http://diario.elmercurio.com/detalle/index.asp?id={1b8d248d-b3e7-4db7-9231-75c878bb98ed}

2009. Lecture to students of the “Windsor School”, Rodrigo Scheihing (PhD student) and Marcela Franco (postdoc): “The science of ecology and evolution: lessons from native Chilean animals”. The lecture included demonstrations of native living animals such as degus (Octodon degus, a rodent), monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides, a marsupial), a terrestrial snail (Helix aspersa) and copepods (Tigriopus californicus) in a glass with salt water.

2010. Explora club, project code 8CR/11/1-02-BC. An outreach program coordinated by Explora (www.explora.cl), where two or three school students participate in research, joining to a scientific team. In this case, two students from “Maria Degracia” school at Futrono developed a research in our lab, regarding terrestrial snail functional ecology, that was presented at the Explora meeting this year.
2010. Research note as “Characters and Nature: Roberto Nespolo, biologist” http://www.revistabioma.cl/roberto_nespolo.html A short note directed to childrens, describing the personal story of how to become a scientist of nature.

2011. (Jan, 14) Lecture: “Natural selection: modern methods of research and its role on evolution”. In “First Outreach Course for Secondary Teachers of Valdivia”, organized by Erwin González (Biology Lic.) and sponsored by Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Austral de Chile.

2011. Outreach article (Spanish) “The evolution of warm-blooded animals” http://www.revistabioma.cl/evolucion_de_los_endotermos.html An outreach article about the evolution of endothermy, based on our review in Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

2011. Interview at “Sociedad de Biologia de Chile” website, talking about science, ecology and society: http://www.biologiachile.cl/blog/?p=1683.

2012. Lecture: “How research in natural selection and microevolution is done”. In “Second Outreach Course for Secondary Teachers of Valdivia”, organized by Andrea Silva (PhD) and sponsored by Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile.