The “la Caixa” Foundation has awarded 105 new doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships within its INPhINIT 2024 and Junior Leader 2024 programmes—65 and 40, respectively—six of which have been granted to individuals in the field of theoretical physics and mathematics. Among them are José Antonio Castro Moreno and Pablo Alberto Alvarado Seguel, who will carry out their doctoral studies at ICMAT over the next four years.
Castro chose his thesis topic, fascinated by the use of elliptic curves and modular forms to solve Diophantine equations, as Andrew Wiles did to prove the famous Fermat’s Last Theorem. For his part, Alvarado Seguel turned from physics to mathematics, attracted by the mathematical structures that support physical theories. The area in which his thesis is framed, complex geometry, will allow him to combine his two interests: physics and mathematics.
The fellowships award ceremony took place last Tuesday, 18 March, at the CosmoCaixa Science Museum in Barcelona.
Laura M. Iraola (ICMAT)
Pablo Alberto Alvarado Seguel, INPhINIT “la Caixa” 2024 Scholarship
Pablo Alvarado is pursuing his PhD at ICMAT in the field of complex geometry. Image courtesy of the researcher
Pablo Alvarado Seguel (Viña del Mar, Chile, 1996) is undertaking his PhD at ICMAT in complex geometry, under the supervision of Luis Álvarez Cónsul, a senior scientist at CSIC at ICMAT. With his predoctoral project, “Moduli spaces of geometric structures and stability,” he has been awarded an INPhINIT “la Caixa” scholarship in the 2024 call, which will allow him to work on geometric structures for the next four years.
Alvarado Seguel graduated in Physics in 2018 from the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (Chile), where he also completed a master’s degree in the same discipline in 2022. After obtaining a Master’s in Mathematics from the Universidad de Chile in 2024, he moved to ICMAT to begin his PhD.
What is your thesis topic?
My thesis is about Kähler geometry. Specifically, following the work of Simon Donaldson, I will study moment maps and the stability of certain geometric structures. It was a proposal from my supervisor, Luis Álvarez-Cónsul (ICMAT-CSIC).
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD?
I am drawn to the idea of spending my days studying various topics in depth and sharing them with other people who have similar interests, so an academic career seems like the natural path to follow.
Why at ICMAT?
Because it has a strong geometry and mathematical physics research group, which aligns with my main interests.
When did you start liking mathematics?
My interest in mathematics is quite recent; for instance, in school, I was not particularly enthusiastic about it. However, while studying Physics, I discovered the mathematical structures underlying physical theories, which fascinated me, and that is where it all started.
Was there anything specific that led you to choose this discipline?
A teaching assistant in a mathematical methods for physics course recommended several books to introduce me to the world of pure mathematics. These readings ultimately led me to change disciplines.
Have you had any mathematical role models throughout your career?
Yes, Emmy Noether, who, despite the obstacles to her academic career due to the prejudices of the time, left a profound mark on the history of science. In physics, she established a correspondence between symmetries and conserved quantities, a result that has significantly influenced my understanding of the natural world. As a mathematician, she played a fundamental role in our modern conception of algebra.
What milestone would you like to achieve as a professional mathematician?
I am more motivated by enjoying the process rather than focusing on where I will end up. Perhaps securing a permanent position.
In your free time, what do you like to do?
I enjoy reading, especially history and fiction books. I also like listening to music and discovering new albums in my spare time.
What book, film, or album would you recommend?
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. It is a science fiction book written in the form of an epistolary exchange. I was drawn in by the parallel timelines and stayed for the romance—it is a pleasure to read.
How do you see yourself in the future?
I would like to maintain a healthy balance between academic, social, and private life.
Meet the ICMAT Fellows
INPhINIT & Junior Leader “la Caixa” Fellowships
The fellowships are awarded annually to outstanding researchers to carry out research projects at universities or research centres in Spain and Portugal. Thus, the organisation “aims to both retain and attract talent to promote research excellence in these countries.”
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