The application portal will launch on June 1st, 2025. Learn more about application requirements and peruse exchange program hosts below. If you do not see a host listed that you are hoping to work with, please reach out!
SZNet Chile & US Exchange Program
A research opportunity to build international collaboration
USA and Chile
The participant application for the 2026 iteration of this program will open in the summer 2025.
OBJECTIVES
To foster international collaboration and provide critical research opportunities for students and early career scientists
Description
DATES: Up to 31 days, between January and December 2026
WHAT: A month-long independent research opportunity for US and Chilean based students or early career scientists (within 3 years of receiving last degree) with labs, observatories, field sites, or other scientific institutions with similar research interests goals in the partner country. This exchange will provide funds for these scientists to visit the host institution in partner countries for up to 31 days.
FUNDING: Participant support for travel, food, and lodging is available through SZNet which is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation AccelNet program under award 2301732. Funding is limited to 5 participants.
Regardless of whether an applicant is selected to receive funding, SZNet believes that meaningful collaborations between interested hosts and participants are still possible. After decisions are sent out we recommend that hosts and applicants discuss potential other funding options or collaboration opportunities.
GOALS: To develop and nurture an international and diverse network of early career scientists that is equipped to make the necessary breakthroughs in the study of subduction and foster international collaboration.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Open to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as early career scientists (within 3 years of receiving your last degree) based or currently enrolled in US and Chilean institutions at the time of application and are interested in subduction zone science. This exchange is intended to fund projects related to subduction zone geohazards, but do not need to be limited to fundamental physical science. Projects related to social sciences, education, monitoring, or other aspects of subduction zone geohazards are welcome as well. Successful applicants remain eligible even if their institutional affiliation changes between the time of application and the start of the exchange. US based applicants are invited to apply to Chilean institutions, and reciprocally, Chilean based applicants to apply to US institutions.
HOST AND PROJECT SELECTION:
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Please review the timeline below for information about the application process.
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Researchers and institutions interested in hosting participants as part of this exchange can register and will be highlighted below. If you do not see a host listed below that you were interested in working with, please reach out. We are happy to facilitate introductions if necessary.
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Applicants have two options for selecting a host:
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Applicants without existing research contacts in the partner country can use the list of registered host below to find a potential collaborator who aligns with their research interests. Participants should reach out to this prospective host to define a project.
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Applicants with an existing contact in the partner country are welcome to apply to work with that scientists/institution, regardless of whether that scientists has registered as a prospective host. Applicants should work with their host to define a project and fill out the participant application as normal.
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Each applicant must submit a letter of collaboration from their chosen host indicating that they have discussed potential projects together. Discussing the potential projects with hosts prior to submitting the application helps build a stronger application and ensures that the host and participant research goals are aligned.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: The application will be published in June and will be accessible through the SZ4D website. The application portal will prompt applicants to discuss their proposed project, scientific interests, and their career trajectory and goals. The form will also require applicants to upload a CV (in a .pdf format) and a letter of collaboration from their chosen host institution.
Applicants can review the application questions and rubric prior to the application period here.
VISA GUIDANCE: Participants are responsible for applying for the appropriate visas and ensuring they meet all entry requirements for the host country. The SZ4D Office can provide general guidance and any required or supplementary documents during the application process. Please review our Visa Guidance Document for a starting point to assist program participants research visa requirements for their exchange
2025 - 2026 Timeline
April 1 - June 1
Host Registration Period
Hosts without an identified participant can register to be highlighted on the website prior to the start of the participant application period. Participants should peruse this list periodically and reach out to hosts they would like to work with.
June 1 - Oct 1
Participant Application Period
Participants can apply to work with a host they have identified from the list below, or can apply to work with a host they already know.
October
Review Period
Participant applications are reviewed by the Exchange Program Subcommittee. Hosts and participant pairs will be notified of the outcome of their application.
2026
Exchange Period
SZNet will provide funding for lodging, food, and travel for to 31 days anytime in 2026. SZNet will also provide logistical and administrative support.
2026 Host Institutions
Host registration for the 2026 Exchange is open from April to June 2025. Registered hosts will be added to this page on a rolling basis. Learn more about the process on our host information page.
Click on each host to see more information about their research interests and current projects. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to registered hosts to discuss potential projects.
If you do not see a host listed below that you were hoping to work with, please reach out to the SZ4D Office. We are happy to reach out to scientists to encourage them to host.
Program Participants
Leoncio Cabrera
Home Institution: Universidad de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. William Frank, MIT
Leoncio is a Chilean seismologist working on the study of fault mechanics, volcanic processes and glacier dynamics. He earned his PhD at the Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre) in France, and, after graduating in 2023, he joined as a researcher at the Department of Geophysics of the Universidad de Chile. In his free time, he enjoys mountaineering and climbing.
Nate Klema
Home Institution: Fort Lewis College
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Cristian Escauriaza - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Nate Klema grew up in southwest Colorado where he developed an early interest in landscapes and their formation. He has an undergraduate degree in physics from Fort Lewis College and worked full time for 13 years as a guide on rafting trips through Grand Canyon National Park where he first realized how physics can be used to understand natural landscapes. He went on to pursue a PhD from University of Oregon studying volcanic landscape evolution with Dr Leif Karlstrom, which he completed in 2023. He has now returned to Fort Lewis College where he is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Engineering.
Stephanie McNamara
Home Institution: The University of Colorado at Boulder
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Tomas Alfredo Trewhela Palacios - Universidad Adolfo Ibañez
Stephanie McNamara is a rising second-year geophysics graduate student working with Dr. Nathalie Vriend at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is passionate about the intersection of natural environments and human infrastructure and her thesis work will be on dune migration. In addition to (geo)physics, Stephanie loves art, animals, and the great outdoors.
Javier Ojeda
Home Institution: Universidad de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Roland Bürgmann - UC Berkeley
Javier Ojeda is a Geophysicist with a BSc and MSc degree, currently pursuing a PhD in Earth Sciences at the Universidad de Chile and the Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris. His recent research focuses on understanding fault slip dynamics, leveraging seismological and geodetic observations. In his spare time, he loves playing basketball, going to the sea, and volunteering with the NGO Fundación Geonautas. More info can be found at his research site.
Flavia Rojas Guzmán
Home Institution: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Ashley Griffith - Ohio State University
Flavia Rojas Guzmán is a Geotechnical Civil Engineer who recently finished her Master's in Geosciences, where she worked researching the processes that trigger changes in eruptive styles in one of the many active volcanoes in the Andes: Nevados de Chillán. Now she is still working on this volcano, as a research assistant for a FONDECYT project that addresses the nature of fault intersections and their role in magma migration within the shallow crust during the different stages of the subduction seismic cycle. One of the ways they are studying this is through numerical modelling, which she came to learn on his exchange at The Ohio State University, working with Ashley Griffith. She is very happy and grateful for the opportunity. She strongly believes that international collaboration is key in scientific research, as it allows scientists to produce better results and move forward more creatively in answering our scientific questions.
Alexandra Daniels
Home Institution: Boise State University
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Ivo Fustos Toribio - Universidad de la Frontera
Alexandra Daniels is a first year PhD student at Boise State University, Idaho. Her research investigates lahar and pyroclastic flow hazard at Mt Hood volcano, Oregon, combining numerical modeling outputs with field observations to understand these flow dynamics and the hazards they pose to communities around Mt Hood. In her spare time, Alex loves getting outdoors, going hiking, skiing and camping.
Camila Monge
Home Institution: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Rowena Lohman - Cornell University
Camila is a geophysicist and PhD student at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, with a strong passion for space geodesy and understanding the deformation processes that shape our planet. Her research focuses on the use of InSAR and GNSS observations to understand how subduction zone dynamics, including the seismic cycle, volcanic activity, and human-driven processes, drive crustal deformation over time. Outside of research, Camila enjoys books, photography, climbing, and exploring the outdoors—always seeking new landscapes to discover.
Zulay Micaela Villarroel Barreno
Home Institution: Universidad de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. Rowena Lohman - Cornell University
Micaela Villarroel is an Ecuadorian geologist who graduated from Yachay Tech University in Ecuador. She is currently a PhD candidate in Geological Sciences at the Universidad de Chile . Her research focuses on understanding a hydrothermal system hosted within a caldera and how nearby active volcanic edifices are related to its activity. To achieve this, she employs various techniques, including mineralogical, geochemical, and remote sensing analyses. Her main research interests include volcanism, hydrothermal - geothermal systems and fluid geochemistry.
Lucas Crisosto
Home Institution: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Host PI and Institution: Dr. David Schmidt - University of Washington
"Lucas Crisosto is a Chilean geologist with an MSc in Geophysics, currently pursuing a PhD focusing on the impact of the rheological structure of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system on the coupling degree in the Chilean margin. His research integrates offshore and onshore observations with forward modelling to better understand subduction zone dynamics. In his free time Lucas is passionate about the outdoors and enjoys swimming, biking, and hiking. He is also a music enthusiast for diverse genres.
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Karissa Vermillion
Home Institution: University of Houston
Host PI and Institution: Dr. María Pía Rodríguez Montecinos - Universidad de Atacama
Karissa Vermillion is a third year Ph.D. geology candidate working with Dr. Peter Copeland at the University of Houston. She has previously obtained her BS from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and a MS from New Mexico State University. For her doctoral dissertation, she has returned home to the San Gabriel Mountains in southern California to investigate tectonic processes spanning the Proterozoic to the Cenozoic utilizing a variety of geochronology techniques. She is passionate about integrating geochemistry, geochronology, and other geologic disciplines to better understand large-scale tectonics. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing with her cats, scuba diving, and learning Spanish.
Map of registered host institutions for the 2026 Exchange year.