As a part of the OCEANS secondment to San Juan, I went to the OCEANS Machine Learning and Astrostatistics School in Valparaíso, Chile. This school offered an amazing curriculum on both theory and practice of tools on machine learning and statistics, all applied in an astronomical context. The school also sparked further collaboration, where I was part of a team that worked on explainable machine learning on stellar spectra. This fits perfectly with a previous secondment I have done in Valparaíso, where I worked on a machine learning project on spectrum emulation and parameter determination. In short, I found the school to be an amazing success, where I got to both widen and deepen my knowledge on artificial intelligence.​

For the second part of the secondment I went to ICATE (Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio) in San Juan, Argentina. There, together with Federico Gonzalez, Ana Collado, Elisa Schösser, and Antonio Alejo, we worked on a project on Wolf-Rayet star binaries: Building on earlier work by Ana and collaborators, we combined new information coming from quantitative spectroscopy with the knowledge and expertise in binary dynamics and analyses of the collaborators at ICATE.

The hospitality and openness of everyone at the institute made me feel at home right away. Next to the work at ICATE, we visited the amazing observings sites at CASLEO and the Félix Aguilar Observatory in the El Leoncito national park. We were guided through the facilities and were acquainted with the research done there. Additionally, our fellow students at the university of San Juan were also so kind to show us the city and the surroundings, showing the beauty of Argentina.​

I completed a four-week secondment at the Universidad Mayor in Santiago. During this period, I participated in the OCEANS Machine Learning and Astrophysics school in Valparaíso. Following this in-depth introduction to modern machine-learning methods and Bayesian statistics, the primary project goal was to test different ML methods for predicting PoWR spectra on sparse parameter grids and to evaluate their performance in comparison to higher-dimensional parameter spaces using the larger ISOSCELES grids. I also gave a presentation on ‘Probing the nearest most iron-poor massive stars’ at the seminar of the Centro Multidisciplinario de Física.

Additionally, I visited the University of San Juan where I also presented my PhD research results, leading to constructive scientific discussions. We also discussed and worked on atmosphere modelling of multiple WR+O star binaries.

Together with Roel Lefever, I also had the opportunity to visit the Félix Aguilar Observatory and the El Leoncito Astronomical Complex, where during guided tours we gained detailed insights into instrumentation and observing techniques. Beyond the scientific exchange, another highlight was the visit to the Andes and views of Aconcagua, the highest mountain of the Americas. Overall, the secondment was highly productive, and I am grateful for the new connections and collaborations established during the stay.

On the occasion of my new project on evolved massive stars, I spent the period from November 4 to January 3, 2026, at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria (UFTSM) in Valparaíso, Chile, where I collaborated with the host professors, Dr. Raquel Pezoa and Dr. Ricardo Nanculef, on machine-learning methodology. This study deals with the time-series variability of an extended sample of blue supergiant stars with data obtained from the TESS telescope. In particular, the aim is to reveal underlying variability patterns using unsupervised learning, and which could be associated with different phases of the stellar evolution. I spent most of my time with the demanding process of extracting features in the time and frequency domain, from a total of ~9000 light curves. I then proceeded to perform reduction of dimensionality using principal components, and discussed the early results on data clustering with my collaborators. We secured our contact beyond the trip, aiming to publish part of the results within 2026.

Highlight of my stay was the attendance to the OCEANS Machine Learning and Astrostatistics school that took place from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5. There, I had the chance to introduce myself in different analysis tools from traditional Machine Learning methods and Deep Learning, to Gaussian Processes and Baysian statistics. The school offered thorough hands-on exercises for our practicing, whereas we prepared and presented along with team mates, a small project for the prediction of stellar parameters of hot stars using convolutional networks, which were trained with observational data.

On December 15, I had also the chance to give a presentation at UTFSM, titled as "A machine-learning approach to untangling the physics of blue supergiants". The talk introduced students and researchers from fields other than astronomy, to the concept of massive star evolution and to our current effort to address open questions on the physics of blue supergiants.

A visit to Valparaiso, a vibrant city by the ocean known for its characteristic landscape and architecture, offers an European citizen the unique taste of the southern, alternative Christmas that is celebrated in the middle of the summer. Along with the warm welcoming both from my collaborators there and the school organizers, I will keep this trip as a life memory. Thanks to actions like OCEANS, we researchers have the opportunity to engage with the scientific world across diverse cultures.

I spent six weeks at IALP–UNLP in La Plata, where I worked closely with the local group led by prof. Roberto Gamen. During the first weeks, I presented my research to several audiences: a small group of Prof. Gamen’s collaborators, a broader massive-star community at the institute, and finally in an open talk aimed also to B.Sc. students. My goal was to explore potential collaborations beyond the OCEANS network. These activities filled the first two weeks and led to promising outcomes, including the interest of Prof. Omar Benvenuto - facilitated by Prof. Gamen and Prof. Gabriel Ferrero. Together we initiated an interesting scientific contact that we plan to develop further in the future.

During the following weeks, I worked closely with Prof. Gamen. We cross-matched the O-type main-sequence stars in the IACOB database with binarity information from OWN, MONOS, and other bibliographical sources. We also examined several new systems using the available observations. Within the framework of my ongoing project, we combined this information with stellar parameters to investigate the evolutionary history of these systems. The results encouraged us to continue developing this line of research, with the aim of preparing a publication and requesting new observations to strengthen our conclusions.

But my visit to La Plata was more than working. During these weeks, I participated in the daily life of the institute. I joined the group’s biweekly meetings, shared lunchtime with colleagues, and enjoyed several moments of spare time together. My interest in the history and culture of the places I visit -and in the connections between Spain and Latin America, which creates strong bonds people- also encouraged me to explore other cities. Besides La Plata, I visited Buenos Aires, Montevideo (Uruguay), and Córdoba. I shared parts of the local culture, such as tango and milongas with my office mate, and an asado with the group. I also had the chance to visit La Plata Observatory, one of the oldest in South America, and even took part in observations with a nineteenth-century telescope. Finally, during Museos a la luz de la Luna, an outreach activity organized by UNLP, I had the opportunity to see a first edition of Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica.

Thanks to the spirit of OCEANS, this experience is neither the beginning nor the end of anything. In La Plata I reconnected with colleagues I had previously met during their visits to Tenerife, and with others I will meet again in conferences, future secondments, etc. The opportunity to work beyond European borders strengthened not only my professional network but also my personal life. I returned with new ideas, deeper knowledge, and -which is more important- new names and shared moments.

During these first secondments, we conducted several productive discussions regarding our mutual collaboration betweeen the groups of X-ray binaries in the UNLP and the IAC. 

Specifically, we have worked on the data reduction and preliminary analysis of a photometric campaign conducted with the Jorge Sahade Telescope at CASLEO observatory in San Juan, Argentina. During that campaign, we performed observations of a black hole X-ray binary along several nights covering its full orbital period during quiescence.

In the coming months, we will continue our collaboration performing the light-curve modelling to infer important orbital, geometrical and physical parameters of the source, including stellar masses, inclination, and properties of the accretion disk. 

In addition, we have worked together in the submission of proposals to observe X-ray binaries both in the optical and near infrared, as well as in the X-ray band with instruments like Gemini, and XMM-Newton.  

Moreover, during this secondment, Dr. García offered a Colloquium at the IAC that has been recorded and published in the online repository of IAC Talks (link to the video is here). The Seminar was entitled "Delving into the state transition in X-ray binaries: an spectral timing perspective" and was attended in person by several members of the IAC.

During the last week of the stay, we had the opportunity to visit the IAC observatory at Izaña. It was a remarkable chance to share the starry night together, and get to know about the different instruments that populate the elevated terrains of Tenerife, at the base of the Teide volcano. 

The excellent scientific discussions were also balanced with warm social activities, as dinners and visits to different wonderful places on the Tenerife island, which helped to reinforce our mutual relationship that will grow and enhance thanks to this OCEANS project. 

My trip to Mexico was very eventful and consisted of three parts: participation in the IAU Symposium 402 “Massive Stars Across Redshifts in the Era of JWST and Large-Scale Surveys”, observations at Mexico’s largest optical telescope at San Pedro Mártir, and my secondment at UANL.

At the conference in Ensenada, I presented a poster entitled “Newly Discovered Nebulae around Galactic B-type Stars and Their Origins”, which summarised results obtained in collaboration with colleagues from ASU, UNLP, and UNRN. The conference was an excellent opportunity to meet with colleagues, including members of the OCEANS consortium, to discuss future prospects, and to be inspired by new ideas.

Immediately after the conference, together with Dr. Marcelo Borges Fernandes (ON, Brazil), I travelled to the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir (OAN SPM) for observations with Dr. Carlos Guerrero Peña (UANL). An observational proposal for speckle interferometry of binary stars, submitted by Carlos, was approved and allocated time on the 2.12 m telescope, the largest optical telescope in Mexico. Speckle interferometry is a relatively rare observational technique, available at only a few telescopes in the world. I had often heard about the technical complexity of such observations, and at San Pedro Mártir I had the opportunity to experience this myself. Ultra-short exposures and rapid telescope repositioning require a high level of concentration. I am very grateful to Carlos for giving me the opportunity to experience such observations. At night, San Pedro Mártir impresses with its incredibly dark sky (it is so unusual to see a star-filled sky without light pollution), while during the day it captivates with its rich endemic species – bighorn sheeps, magnificent Jeffrey pines, and thousands of California chipmunks.

During my secondment at UANL, I learned how to work with speckle data. Dr. Guerrero explained the principles of speckle interferometry to me, while his Master’s and PhD students helped me learn how to use specific programs and software packages. Tania Benadalid showed me how to use a data-reduction pipeline that combines Principal Component Analysis (PCA) filtering with bicubic interpolation. Angel Guajardo Jurado introduced me to ORBIT.pro code for orbit calculations. In addition to learning new software, there was active scientific work on constructing the orbit of the multiple system MT304, which contains one of the most massive stars in the Galaxy. Carlos and I systematised the collected data and discussed the accuracy of orbital parameters obtained using different methods. We also had extensive discussions about preparing new observational projects and proposals.

I gave a seminar entitled “Wolf–Rayet Stars: What We Know and What We Don’t” for Master’s students and faculty members specialising in astrophysics. I also participated in the Fifth Astronomy Week, organised at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, and gave an invited lecture for students about massive stars and the scientific goals of the OCEANS project.

I greatly enjoyed my time in Monterrey, the UANL campus, and the very comfortable office provided to me. Many thanks to Carlos for hosting me, for turning every shared lunch into a small excursion into Mexican cuisine, and for making every Saturday a trip to the amazing Magic Towns (Pueblos Mágicos) surrounding Monterrey and their attractions. I am deeply grateful for the warm hospitality of everyone I met during this visit. And next time, at passport control, when asked, “Do you have friends in Mexico?”, I will definitely answer, “Sí, yo tengo amigos aquí.”

From September 29th to November 22nd, I carried out a research stay at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ASU) in Ondřejov, Czech Republic. During this period, I worked under the supervision of Dr. Michaela Kraus, and in collaboration with Dr. Olga Maryeva. My work focused on analyzing observational data obtained with the 6-m BTA telescope for two Herbig Ae/Be objects, using the SCORPIO-2 instrument in both Fabry–Perot interferometric and long-slit spectroscopic modes.

The Fabry–Perot data allowed me to study the morphology, intensity distribution, and kinematics of the nebulae surrounding the targets through Hα emission, leading to the construction of velocity fields, channel maps, and moment maps. In parallel, I analyzed long-slit spectra for both objects, obtained with the VPHG1200@540 grism, to investigate their spectral structure, emission-line profiles, and physical conditions. Together, these datasets provide complementary spatial and spectral information, helping to characterize the circumstellar environments of the two Herbig Ae/Be stars.

Additionally, I collaborated with Dr. Michalis Kourniotis on the development of a new project aimed at studying LBV stars with shell-like envelopes. This work involves defining the target sample and designing the observational strategy in preparation for a future observing proposal to the Gemini Observatory.

During my stay, I also participated actively in institute activities, including group meetings, seminars, the Joint Journal Club, and the outreach event Researchers’ Night, held on September 26th, 2025.

I also had the opportunity to give a seminar, where I briefly presented both my ongoing research and the project developed during my stay. These activities provided valuable opportunities for scientific discussion, collaboration, and engagement with the public.

Outside the academic activities, I also greatly enjoyed the opportunity to explore Ondřejov, Prague, and their surrounding areas. Discovering the local culture, architecture, and history enriched my experience beyond the scientific work. These experiences made the stay not only academically valuable but also personally memorable.

Overall, this research stay was an extremely enriching experience, both scientifically and personally. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work at ASU Ondřejov and for the support received throughout my stay. I look forward to continuing the collaborations initiated during this period and to further strengthening the scientific exchange fostered by this visit.

During my stay, I collaborated with Dr. Julieta Sánchez on three different projects. We continued an ongoing collaboration on the study of the photometric and spectroscopic variability of the BSG HD 41117, along with colleagues from the Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plata in Argentina. This work is currently being prepared for submission to Astronomy & Astrophysics. I also began collaborating on one of Dr. Sánchez’s papers, which focuses on the application of the EEMD technique and its effectiveness in separating the red-noise component present in real astronomical data, such as those obtained with TESS. For this purpose, I started learning about Gaussian processes and EEMD methods. This work is also being prepared for publication. Finally, Dr. Sánchez joined one of my ongoing PhD-thesis projects, which involves designing an experimental simulation to evaluate the contribution of Rossby waves to the observed red-noise profile in OB-type stars.

I also had numerous discussions on asteroseismology with Dr. Michalis Kourniotis, particularly regarding current tools for distinguishing genuine periodicities in TESS data and statistical methods for evaluating this behavior in large samples of B-type supergiant stars. We plan to continue this collaboration during Dr. Kourniotis’s visit to the Institute of Astrophysics of La Plata in January 2026.

In October, I also participated in the department’s Journal Club, where I presented the paper “Stochastic low-frequency variability of 50 massive stars in the Cygnus OB associations and the Small Magellanic Cloud” by Pedersen & Bildsten (2025). This was a very enriching experience, as it allowed me to interact with many colleagues of the stellar department. Moreover, I participated in the outreach activity Researchers’ Night organized at ASU on September 26th, 2025.

Beyond the academic activities, this secondment also allowed me to explore the Czech Republic and fall in love with its culture and the kindness of its people.

I sincerely thank all the members of the OCEANS project who made this secondment possible for me and all my colleagues at the Institute for their patience and constant kindness. They made my stay very pleasant. I hope to see you all again!

I spent two months in Tenerife with the IAC's Massive Stars group, who shared their knowledge and techniques with me. This was extremely beneficial for my ongoing studies. During this time, I also presented my current work and preliminary results. Sergio Simón-Díaz introduced me to everyone in the group, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to them all. I met with him several times to discuss various aspects of massive star research, and these meetings provided valuable insight into their approaches.

Over the weeks, I participated in the group's meetings, during which I learned about the role of each group member, their working methods, and how they organise their observation campaigns. This gave me a good overview of their dynamics and possible future contributions.

I had some meetings with Gonzalo Holgado, whom I had already met during his visit to the UNLP at the beginning of the year. He gave me a detailed explanation of how IACOB-BROAD and IACOB-GBAT work. These are tools that I could naturally implement in future work and which are excellent candidates for use in collaborative research projects.

I also discussed some aspects of using and interpreting PHOEBE results with Michael Abdul-Masih. PHOEBE is core software for my thesis and Michael is part of the development team, so these technical discussions were particularly valuable. He also introduced me to his SPAMMS code, which combines PHOEBE with FASTWIND models.

Meanwhile, I continued working on my thesis and met doctoral students who introduced me to day-to-day life at the IAC, as well as activities outside the academic sphere. I also had the opportunity to visit the observatory in Izaña, where we observed the fascinating night sky of Tenerife and the impressive instruments located there.

This was my first experience abroad and I am very grateful for it, as I found myself in a spectacular place surrounded by nice people who were always willing to share their experiences. I am particularly grateful to the OCEANS project for making this visit possible.

Together with Gemma González-Torà and Joris Josiek, I completed a secondment at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore where my primary focus was the preparation of multiple JWST observing proposals. During this time, I benefitted from extensive scientific discussions with collaborators at STScI, and participated in a dedicated proposal writing course. I also presented and discussed my PhD research at a meeting of the GREENS (Galaxies at Reionization and Extreme EmissioN Sources) group.

As part of the secondment, we also visited Grace Telford at Princeton University. I presented the results of my recent publication in a local colloquium and discussed my analysis of stellar and wind parameters of extremely metal-poor OB stars in the Magellanic Bridge. We discussed my analysis of stellar and wind parameters of extremely metal-poor OB stars in the Magellanic Bridge and compared these results with novel observations of OB stars in dwarf galaxies from the TEMPOS programme (PI: Grace Telford), providing valuable context for the interpretation of my findings. I addition, I participated in the IAU Symposium 402 and I presented my PhD research results with a poster.

Beyond the scientific program, we also had the chance to discover Baltimore and its surrounding towns, such as New York City, Washington DC and Philadelphia. A particular highlight was visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum in Washington. I am grateful for the opportunity of this highly inspiring and enriching exchange and look forward to future visits and collaborations.

I spent a month in the USA with a secondment at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), including a one week visit to Princeton University, followed by a week-long conference in Ensenada, Mexico.

During my stay, I worked closely with Grace O. Telford and Claus Leitherer on several collaborations: first I submitted a letter now accepted for publication at A&A where we studied the detectability of WN3 stars in the SMC. I received really useful comments and had fruitful discussions with my hosts during the OCEANS program, which helped improve the letter substantially. I also gave a talk on this work first at Princeton University and then at the STScI, which received a lot of interest.

During my secondment, we planned and wrote several JWST observing proposals and also learned a lot about the technicalities of the JWST instruments MIRI and NIRSpec. I was also able to attend a workshop at the STScI on how to write appealing proposals. Afterwards, I presented a poster at the IAUS402 Massive Stars Across Redshifts in the Era of JWST and Large-Scale Surveys in Ensenada about my accepted letter.

I also had time to explore the US and Ensenada together with my colleagues, Elisa Schösser and Joris Josiek. During the weekends, we visited NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC and New Orleans. We got to see really nice places as well as try delicious food, including the famous blue crabs in Baltimore. During the conference, we interacted with many astronomers and triggered new collaborations. I had an amazing time and I am looking forward to more fruitful exchanges and collaborations in the future!

In August 2025, I had the great opportunity to complete a month-long OCEANS visit to the US together with my colleagues Elisa Schösser and Dr. Gemma González-Torà. In collaboration with our hosts Dr. Claus Leitherer and Dr. Calum Hawcroft of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, we learned to design and develop our own proposals for observations with the JWST tailored to science cases arising from our own research.

The goal of my proposal was to gain more insights into the physics of very massive stars in the Galaxy by exploiting JWST’s capabilities in infrared spectroscopy. For this, I was able to strongly benefit from the guidance and expertise of the staff at STScI to navigate through the technical challenges of using JWST’s instruments, which perfectly complemented my own background in numerical modeling and theory.

During our stay, we had many one-on-one discussions with local experts, participated in an internal JWST proposal workshop, and attended various seminars and colloquia that exposed us to the STScI’s vast scientific community. In exchange, we also presented our own research and received valuable new insights to guide our future work.

We also were invited by Dr. Grace Telford for a brief visit to Princeton University, where I had the chance to give a talk with title "Connecting atmosphere models to evolution models of very massive stars" and to network with the local community to gain new perspectives on massive star research.

At the end of our secondment, we attended the IAU Symposium 402 in Ensenada, Mexico along with several other members of the OCEANS collaboration. At this conference I gave a talk about my research with title "Deep atmosphere models of very massive stars" and networked with the broader massive stars community.

Outside of our scientific work, our trip across the ocean was also fruitful in providing a lot of various cultural exchange in and around the US in the form of weekend trips and evening outings, which made this into an overall unforgettable experience! I am very grateful for the opportunity offered by OCEANS and look forward to future collaborations enabled by this program.

From July 29th to September 18th, I carried out a research stay at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center (CAMK) in Warsaw, Poland, under the supervision of Dr. Bogumił Pilecki and in collaboration with Monica Taormina. The main focus of this visit was to strengthen my training in the physical modeling of eclipsing binary systems and to explore the use of machine learning techniques to characterize massive stars in the Magellanic Clouds.

This work contributes to the broader goals of the OCEANS project, which seeks to deepen our understanding of the evolution and nature of massive binary stars.

Beyond research activities, I also had the chance to experience Poland’s cultural and natural richness. I visited both Warsaw and Krakow, exploring their historic landmarks, museums, and green areas, and I enjoyed tasting traditional Polish dishes and the wide variety of seasonal fruits.

Overall, this secondment was an extremely enriching experience, both scientifically and personally. I am very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing the scientific exchange fostered by the OCEANS project.

I had the privilege of working at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) for two months, from 28 May to 30 June 2025, in an enriching collaboration with Sergio Simón-Díaz, Gonzalo Holgado, Artemio Herrero, and the entire massive stars research group based in Tenerife.

Our work focused primarily on several topics in collaboration with Sergio. The main project involved organizing and completing a study we began a couple of years ago on the massive binary system iota Orionis Aa. We had ample time to discuss the structure of the available data, carry out various calculations, develop the necessary scripts to process, analyze, model, and visualize the spectroscopic and photometric data, and begin drafting the upcoming paper. It was particularly important for me to gain a deeper understanding of how the IACOB-GBAT software performs specific calculations and how to properly estimate the associated uncertainties.

Another line of work, more exploratory in nature, involved analyzing the harmonic content of radial velocity measurements for several massive stars, some of which are binaries and others not. This was a new step toward improving the techniques we currently use to characterize both orbital motion and pulsational variability in such stars, while accounting for potential observational biases.

I greatly benefited from participating in the daily life of the research group—learning how they organize their work and weekly meetings, gaining a better understanding of their research topics, scientific goals, and the challenges they face. I was kindly invited to give an open talk on the research being conducted in La Plata on massive stars, particularly in the main areas I’m currently involved in.

One important outcome of my stay in Tenerife was realizing that new, previously unconsidered collaborations are possible. In fact, an exciting opportunity emerged for collaboration with researchers working on interferometry with MAGIC. Additionally, we took steps to strengthen interactions with a group in La Plata focused on stellar evolution modeling.

While in Tenerife, I continued to attend to several responsibilities from La Plata. This made it especially enriching to have in-depth conversations with Sergio about astronomy education and supporting the professional development of students and postdocs in different countries. It was interesting to find that many challenges are shared, and we exchanged views and strategies on how to address them.

A very special moment was the visit to the Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma, where I had the chance to see (and touch!) the Gran Telescopio Canarias, the Isaac Newton Telescope, and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. Each of these instruments is a remarkable piece of technology, scientific history, and astronomical achievement, and getting to know them in person was incredibly exciting.

During weekends and holidays, I had the chance to explore the local culture. As a Uruguayan, it was particularly moving to learn more about the roots of my country —and many others in Latin America— and their historical connection with the Canarian people. It was also wonderful to discover, even briefly, these beautiful islands —their landscapes, geography, unique weather, and fascinating geology.

I spent a month at the Universidad de Valparaíso from the 3rd March until the 2nd April working with Michel Curé and Catalina Arcos. During my stay, we wrote a joint proposal to observe OB stars in a low metallicity environment. In addition, I learned how to use the hydrodynamics code HyDWIND and more about the m-CAK theory for modelling line-driven winds. We tried to mimick the output velocity profile of HyDWIND with PoWR in order to model the spectral lines of OB stars, and compare with other codes synthetic spectra such as FASTWIND. I also actively participated in the group seminars and discussions.

I had time to visit the area and try the delicious Chilean food. During the weekends, we visited the nearby cities such as Viña del Mar and Concón. We also spend some days in Santiago visiting collaborators at ESO Vitacura. I loved the city of Valparaíso and it was a great pleasure to spend my time working there, everyone in the group of Michel was extremely welcome and made me feel like home. Looking forward for more collaborations in the future!

Together with Roel Lefever, I stayed one month at UTFSM in Valparaíso, working with Raquel Pezoa on machine learning (ML) techniques for spectral analysis. We focused on the prediction of spectra within pre-computed model grids from the PoWR stellar atmosphere code and explored various emulation methods to improve both accuracy and efficiency. The collaboration was very enriching, allowing me to deepen my understanding of ML applications. I am looking forward to continue working together and expanding on this work in the future.

Outside of work, I enjoyed discovering the vibrant city of Valparaíso with its many hills, colourful street art, and unique atmosphere. We also had the chance to explore the surroundings, including trips to Viña del Mar, Santiago de Chile and the Andes. Overall, I am super grateful for the opportunity and look forward to future scientific exchange.

From the 3rd of March to the 2nd of April, I have stayed in Valparaíso (Chile) to directly collaborate with Prof. Raquel Pezoa at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (UTFSM). There, together with Elisa Schösser, we worked on a project to apply machine learning algorithms to the emulation of stellar spectra. More specifically, we applied these algorithms to O-type spectra where we used the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code and the existing O-star model grids. With Raquel’s crucial input and knowledge, we made great improvements in several key sections of our project: dimension reduction, selection of efficient regression algorithms (e.g. random forest, gradient boosting, Bayesian neural networks, …), optimisation of hyperparameters, and so forth.

Aside from the charming campus of UTFSM Valparaíso, where Raquel made sure we felt at home, I also had the chance of seeing Chile outside of my scientific work. The city of Valparaíso certainly earns its name as the Jewel of the Pacific, with a multitude of gorgeous places to visit. Travelling to other parts of Chile and seeing some amazing places, like the natural parks on the Isla de Chiloé and the Embalse El Yeso in the Andes close to Santiago, were experiences that only confirm how beautiful Chile is. Getting the opportunity to work in Chile during the Secondment was very enriching to me, both as a scientist and on a personal level.

From 23 February to 16 May, I visited the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASU) in Ondrejov. During my stay, I worked with Dr. Pavel Jachym and the Czech ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) in Prague, deepening my understanding of ALMA and preparing an observational proposal to study a massive young stellar object of great interest. I also attended the Pre-Cycle 12 ALMA Workshop held at the Astronomical Institute of ASU, in Spořilov, Prague. The proposal was successfully submitted for Cycle 12.

Additionally, I collaborated with Dr. Michalis Kourniotis assessing the possibility of preparing a proposal for observing with the Gemini South telescope for future calls. I also had the privilege of visiting the Perek 2-m telescope in Ondrejov, the largest optical telescope in the Czech Republic, and join Dr. Julieta Sanchez during some of her observation nights.

Furthermore, I actively participated in group meetings and discussions at both the Ondrejov and Prague institutes, as well as in the Joint Journal Club between both groups. 

Outside of work, I enjoyed exploring the surrounding nature through hiking trails in Ondřejov, witnessing the beautiful transition from winter to spring, and experiencing both snowy landscapes and blooming forests.

I also spent time in Prague, discovering its stunning architecture and taking part in local traditional celebrations.

Getting the opportunity to work in the Czech Republic during the secondment was very enriching to me, both as a scientist and on a personal level, and I am truly grateful for the experience. I look forward to future scientific exchange.

During my one-and-a-half-month stay at the Faculty of Astronomy of the National University of La Plata and the Institute of Astrophysics of La Plata (IALP), I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with their research teams on two key objectives.

The first was to work with Roberto Gamen and his team to learn and apply techniques for generating orbital solutions by combining photometry and spectroscopy. The second was to initiate coordination with the La Plata team for the quantitative spectroscopic analysis of a sample of SB2 stars that the IACOB project intends to start exploiting.

For the first objective, Roberto’s group was incredibly helpful. Tomás Ansín guided us through orbital analysis using PHOEBE II, while Gabriel Ferrero provided valuable insights into the usefulness of available photometric data for my personal project, MUDEHaR. Working alongside Roberto, we analyzed ten binary systems and derived new orbital solutions for six. After an extensive literature review, the paper is now in an advanced stage of writing.

For the second objective—conducting quantitative spectroscopic analysis (QSA) on the SB2 systems now proritized by IACOB—we established a strong synergy with Roberto’s team. Cristina Putkuri led the disentangling process and individual analysis, while Jordi Eguiren focused on modeling the combined spectra and fitting them. We are now halfway through our target sample, and the manuscript for the final paper is already started. These results will be crucial for testing theoretical models, a topic I had the chance to discuss in a fascinating conversation with Professor Omar Benvenuto.

Additionally, the public release of MUDEHaR’s data coincided perfectly with my stay, allowing me to present a seminar on the project to the faculty personnel. This sparked an engaging discussion with Lydia Cidale’s group about potential applications of the dataset.

Beyond the academic collaboration, my time in La Plata was enriched by the warm hospitality of the team, with many opportunities to enjoy social gatherings and explore different parts of the country. A fantastic experience!

During my one-month secondment in the Canary Islands, I had the opportunity to spend time in La Palma and at the IAC in Tenerife.

While in La Palma, I worked closely with my colleague Cecilia Fariña to develop a proposal for observing stellar clusters using the WEAVE instrument once it becomes operational. This project, in collaboration with Andrea Ahumada, Yael Aidelman, and Martina Tapia, aims to explore how Be stars influence the integrated spectrum of intermediate-age open clusters. Cecilia kindly organized a visit to the Roque de los Muchachos site, where we had the incredible opportunity to see both the William Herschel Telescope, where WEAVE is installed, and the Gran Telescopio de Canarias. It was great to see the instrument up close and assess its strengths and challenges. I appreciated the breathtaking landscapes of the island very much! During this visit, I also gave a seminar to a group mainly composed of students and instrumentation experts.

At the IAC, I continued refining the scientific justification for our proposal and had the opportunity to interact with Sergio Simón-Díaz about the OCEANS collaboration. As the first person from OCEANS to visit the IAC, there was much to learn, especially regarding the paperwork and bureaucratic processes. Fortunately, we also had time to discuss our own research and explore potential future synergies. I participated in a group meeting with Sergio's team, as well as with another OCEANS group led by Montserrat Armas Padilla and Teodoro Muñoz Darias, who are working on compact objects. Coming from a small lab like the one at UNRN, it was incredibly inspiring to be immersed in such a vibrant and collaborative environment, attending seminars and contributing to discussions.

I also had the chance to explore the beauty of Tenerife beyond the magnificent San Cristóbal de la Laguna, where the IAC is located, including an unforgettable visit to El Teide, where I experienced its stunning volcanic landscapes.

It was a fantastic and enriching experience!