Prof. Stefan Vogt-Geisse completed a six-month research stay at the University of Leeds, collaborating with Dr. Catherine Walsh to integrate high-quality binding energy data into world-leading astrochemical models of protoplanetary disks. His stay led to new collaborations and the finalization of an updated Binding Energy Evaluation Platform (BEEP), now available on GitHub, providing a valuable tool for astrochemistry research.

Dr. Namrata Rani toured India, presenting her work on interstellar reaction mechanisms at major institutions and the ASI Conference. She engaged in research talks, outreach activities, and collaborations, strengthening ties between theoretical and experimental astrochemistry.

Gabriela Silva attended the IV Chilean Astrochemistry School at Universidad Autónoma de Chile, where she presented her research on interstellar amide formation. The event allowed her to engage with leading astrochemists, fostering discussions and potential collaborations.

Professors Paul W. Ayers and Farnaz Heidar-Zadeh visited Prof. Esteban Vöhringer-Martinez’s lab at Universidad de Concepción for two weeks. They collaborated on quantum chemistry software and multireference techniques, presented a seminar on electronic structure advancements, and strengthened global research ties.

Juan Garcés, from the Vogt-Geisse Lab, is conducting research on ring-opening polymerization at the Rennes Institute of Chemical Sciences, focusing on biodegradable plastics and catalyst design. His work integrates theoretical and experimental approaches to advance polymer synthesis.

Dr. Namrata Rani presented her research on thioacetaldehyde synthesis in the interstellar medium at the XIX SOCHIAS Meeting in Arica, Chile, showcasing its viability for future detection. Her talk resulted in discussions, fostering new collaborations with the Chilean astronomy community.

With the support of Prof. Grubmüller from the Max-Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen and Prof. Erb from the Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg  the associated Max-Planck Laboratory lead by Prof. Vöhringer-Martinez will use computer simulations to improve CO2 fixation in photosynthesis.

Prof. Rodrigo Recabarren conducted a one-month research stay at the University of Oxford, focusing on supramolecular catalyst simulations for the Diels-Alder reaction. He also visited the University of Bristol, gaining insights into virtual reality techniques for molecular simulation. This collaboration enhances the QCMM research group by integrating new computational tools for catalyst design and reaction modeling.