2023-09-19 10:40:25
image source, Courtesy
Caption,
Astronomers Laura Pérez (Chilean, on the left) and Paola Pinilla (Colombian, on the right).
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When they were little, they looked at the starry skies of Chile and Colombia with fascination.
Laura Pérez and Paola Pinilla always dreamed of being astronomers. What they never imagined was that their lives would intersect and that they would go far. Very far.
Thanks to their prominent studies on planetary formation, Latin American researchers recently won the New Horizons Prize in Physics, from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, one of the most prestigious in the world.
The recognition – known as the “Oscar of science” – comes following both spent years observing the universe.
But how did these two Latin American women manage to carve out such an important space among the major leagues of world science?
Why did they win the award?
Laura Pérez and Paola Pinilla – 39 and 37 years old, respectively – were recognized for their contributions to studies on the formation of planets along with two other scientists, Tilman Birnstiel (from the Ludwig Maximilian University, in Germany) and Nienke van der Marel (from the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands).
Particularly, they are valued for their prediction, discovery and modeling of “dust traps”, which are key when studying the first steps of planetary formation.
image copyrightNASA
Caption,
In the protoplanetary disk there is dust and gas.
To understand this complex phenomenon, we must go back to the moment when a star is forming: around it there is dust and gas, a material called a “protoplanetary disk”.
In the scientific field there was a great mystery regarding how planets were created from this dust because, according to what researchers had observed, when it grew, the star “engulfed” it in a process called “radial sliding.”
However, scientists discovered the existence of these “dust traps,” which are regions located within the protoplanetary disk where particles can accumulate and continue to grow, surviving radial sliding.
“This is where the solid material concentrates and allows planetary formation. If they did not exist, this material would end up being absorbed by the star,” Laura Pérez explains to BBC Mundo.
“There are still many open questions,” adds Paola Pinilla, “but today we know that these structures are critical to understanding the first steps of planetary formation.”
“If possible”
In an interview with BBC Mundo, both scientists said they felt “honored” that the impact of their work was recognized.
“It was very exciting… this award shows that impact science can be done from Latin America,” says Laura Pérez.
The Chilean – who normally does her research from the Alma Observatory, located in the Atacama region, in northern Chile – affirms that on the Latin American continent there is a “natural laboratory” that “we must protect.”
image copyrightGetty Images
Caption,
The Alma Observatory, in northern Chile, has the best telescopes in the world.
“In the past, astronomers have managed to take care of access to our skies and this award is the result of that, it is what has allowed us to be in the big leagues today,” he indicates.
For Paola Pinilla, it is crucial to highlight the importance of more and more women getting involved in the field of science.
“Unfortunately, it is a sector that continues to be dominated by men. In the books, most of the protagonists are men, the teachers are also men, so one, as a woman, does not imagine oneself in that role. But if we give girls more roles, they will be excited,” she says.
Both Pérez and Pinilla are mothers and recognize that this has hindered their professional development.
The Colombian even wrote a book regarding it, called “Mothers in Astronomy”, where she addresses the difficulties of having children for researchers, sharing experiences and offering recommendations.
Pérez remembers that when the news of the award came to light, “a very beloved scientist wrote to me and said: ‘I am very proud to see you and Paola in this because they are women, they are mothers and Latin Americans.’ I had not taken her weight and then I realized… it is a very nice feeling,” she says.
For astronomers, the key is to aim high to fulfill your dreams.
“Effort and work are always rewarded,” says Pérez.
“I remember an office mate who had a mug that said, ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars.’ I mean, You have to bet high even if you don’t know where you are going to end up,” says the Chilean.
Pinilla concludes: “I would only say to Latin American girls: yes you can.”
“Meteoric” career
These two Latin American astronomers have vast experience in the scientific field.
Laura Pérez graduated from the University of Chile, where she completed a master’s degree in astronomy.
image copyrightGetty Images
Caption,
Latin American astronomers have dedicated their careers to studying the formation of planets.
He studied for a doctorate at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He later worked at the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and at the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, in Germany.
Since 2017 she has been an academic at the University of Chile, where she leads an astronomical research group. She also participates in collaborations with international teams.
Paola Pinilla, for her part, studied at the University of Los Andes, in Bogotá. At 24 years old she decided to move to Europe, where she worked at the European Southern Observatory.
He later completed doctoral studies in astrophysics at the University of Heidelberg (Germany), and has a postdoctoral degree at the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands.
At the end of her training, she became the first Colombian to obtain the Hubble scholarship, which NASA grants to scientists who want to continue their studies at an American university that works with the space agency.
Currently, both Pérez and Pinilla continue trying to resolve unknowns related to planetary formation.
The Colombian does so from University College London, in the United Kingdom, where she leads a research team related to the topic, while the Chilean observes the phenomenon through telescopes located in the north of her country.
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