Noticias en español
The Principal Investigator at the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) and Profesor Titular at the Department of Mathematical Engineering of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Chile, Maass was officially named recipient of the 2025 National Prize for Exact Sciences by the Ministry of Education. Granted under Law N° 19.169, the award highlights the excellence of his work in pure and applied mathematics, as well as his ability to transcend disciplinary boundaries.
The Minister of Education, Nicolás Cataldo, explained that the jury based its decision on his distinguished career: “with a very relevant multidisciplinary development, widely recognized not only in Chile but also abroad, where his science has not only impacted mathematics but has also gone further, in collaboration with biology and ecology, which is unusual in the academic development of an individual.”
Regarding the distinction, Maass stated: “I want to thank the jury, but above all thank all those who create a scientific work environment that makes it possible to pursue dreams in Chile. Doing mathematics is a dream, but being able to apply it is an even more difficult dream. I am grateful to all my undergraduate and graduate students who believe that one can be a professor for them and grow from those small seeds of learning that one can provide,” he said in an interview with Prensa U. Chile. He also highlighted the Center for Mathematical Modeling and the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Chile, “for having given me, over these 30 years, the environment that allowed us to develop what we have achieved to this day.”
The academic serves as an ambassador for the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, a distinction that recognizes his role as a bridge between Chilean science and international networks of research excellence. In addition, he is a Principal Investigator at the Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (IM-CRG), where he leads more than ten projects and multiple collaborations that have positioned Chile as a global reference at the intersection of mathematics and the life sciences.
Throughout his career, he has shown how equations and mathematical models can become key tools to understand the relationships between species coexisting in an ecosystem and how this knowledge can help address climate change. Along these lines, he was co-coordinator of the Tara Oceans mission in Chile, an international scientific expedition that combined science, art, and education to disseminate knowledge about the oceans and their role in the climate crisis.
“The awarding of the National Prize in Sciences to our colleague Alejandro Maass is a source of great pride for the CMM. His leadership has been fundamental, from his time as director to his current role as Principal Investigator and Director of International Relations,” said Prof. Héctor Ramírez, Director of CMM.
“Today, among his many virtues, his world-class research is recognized — both in fundamental and applied fields — with special emphasis on the study of oceans and genomics. His work makes him a global reference and has led him to represent Chile in multiple international stages,” Ramírez added.
For his part Sebastián Mendoza, CMM researcher who works closely with academic Maass, commented: “It is a great source of pride for those of us working under Alejandro’s direction to see his career so deservedly recognized. On behalf of the entire Climate and Biodiversity line, we thank him for his daily dedication, his passion for science, and his leadership.”
Undoubtedly, this is a day in which the country recognizes one of its leading researchers, and the CMM takes pride in seeing his work reflect the center’s mission: addressing highly complex problems with a local perspective and an impact that transcends borders.
By Cintia Beltrán Gómez, CMM Communications.
Photos: Ministry of Education
Posted on Sep 5, 2025 in News
