Glaciologist Gino Casassa took over as new director of INACH – 2024-07-23 17:58:11

In front of almost a hundred people, including local and national officials and authorities, he Dr. Gino Casassa Rogazinski took over as the new national director of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH). In his first impressions, he Dr. Casassa, sir.alor that “we have many challenges and we are at an important moment for Chile and for he world in general. As a signatory country we have a lot to say and Antarctica is a crucial part of our foreign policy, so from that point of view we are going to strengthen he “National Antarctic Science Program”.

“Being director of INACH is a dream come true. Having known this institution for 42 years when it was my first Antarctic campaign, it puts me in a favorable position because I know he “I am very excited about the past and also the future challenges to undertake this work. Here in Magallanes I feel almost like coming home, since I lived here for ten years with my family as a professor at the University of Magallanes. This is a new stage in my life in which God has given me the opportunity to live it and I am going to do it with the best energy, strength and collaboration with everyone,” added Casassa.

At the same time, he Presidential delegate of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region, José Ruiz, pointed out that “INACH plays a fundamental role as our president Gabriel Boric has said, who pays special attention to sovereignty and our position as a country in he Antarctic territory. We wish you all the best he success al new director and I have no doubt that with he team that composes he Chilean Antarctic Institute will do an excellent job.”

Gino Casassa is a hydraulic civil engineer from the University of Chile, with a master’s degree in the Geophysics Division from Hokkaido University in Japan and a PhD in Science from Ohio State University in the United States. He has more than 100 specialized publications in glacier geophysics, snow avalanche studies and debris flow. He began his career as director of Antarctic Programs and Associate Researcher at the University of Magallanes. He was co-founder of the Glaciology Laboratory and Senior Researcher at the University of Magallanes. he Center for Scientific Studies (CECs). Between 2013 and 2017 he workedfrom as executive director of the Mineduc Agreement “Gaia-Antarctica: Knowledge and Antarctic Culture”, at the University of Magallanes and then served as Research and Development Manager for the consulting firm Geoestudios SA

He INACH is a technical body of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with full autonomy in all matters related to Antarctic matters of a scientific, technological and dissemination nature. He INACH complies with the National Antarctic Policy by encouraging he development of research excellence, participating effectively in he Antarctic Treaty System and related forums, strengthening Magellan as a gateway al White Continent and carrying out actions to disseminate Antarctic knowledge among citizens.