The center hosted the director of the National Science Foundation’s Division of Chemistry. Director Rodrigo Palma, along with associate researchers and María Eugenia Camelio, director of the CONICYT FONDAP program, shared recent advancements in Chile's solar energy sector with Patten.

On August 14, a high-level meeting was held at SERC Chile. The guest was Timothy Patten, director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation, who was received by the center’s director, Rodrigo Palma, researchers Rodrigo Román, Pablo Estévez, and Carlos Silva, and the director of the CONICYT FONDAP program, María Eugenia Camelio.

The meeting, which began at 11:00 a.m., was led by Rodrigo Palma and opened with a brief overview of the research conducted by SERC Chile, followed by an analysis of the national energy landscape.

The conversation focused on Chile's capacity for non-conventional renewable energy and the sustained collective efforts of SERC members to advance solar energy development.

Timothy Patten expressed a keen interest in the work achieved by SERC, particularly regarding the challenges addressed in solar energy production projects in strategic locations, including those involving local communities.

One of Patten’s primary interests was SERC Chile’s global connectivity. He proposed a researcher exchange through CONICYT to share knowledge and perspectives. This proposal was praised by our director, who remarked that “the only way to address the solar energy challenge—and the opportunities it presents—is through collaborative work.”

Following the meeting, Rodrigo Palma and María Eugenia Camelio guided Timothy Patten through the facilities of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Chile, including the workshop housing the solar car developed by the university's students.