Urban Ecology, Landscape Ecology, Urban Sustainability, Landscape Sustainability, Ecosystem Services, Land-use land-cover, Remote Sensing, Environmental Justice

As 2023, Dr. Fernández has guided 8 undergraduate level thesis, 7 professional degree projects and 1 master level thesis. He is currently guiding 4 undergraduate level thesis, 1 Master level thesis and 1 PhD dissertation. He has been also very active training school-age children and adolescents through the ANID Explora Program.

PhD
2021-current: Cynthia Córdoba, Universidad Mayor

Master
2021-2021: Simón Devia, Universidad Mayor
2023-current: Nicolás Galaz, Universidad Mayor

Undergraduate degree
2019-2019: Ignacia Contador, Universidad Mayor
2020-2020: Joaquín Merino, Universidad Mayor
2022-2022: Javiera Soto, Universidad Mayor
2022-2022: Mariana Homberger, Universidad Mayor
2022-2022: Alejandra Astete, Universidad Mayor
2023-2023: Benjamín Cid, Universidad de Chile
2022-2023: Luis Iriarte, Universidad de Chile
2022-2023: Samuel Guerrero, Universidad de Chile
2022-current: Nicolás Toro, Universidad Mayor
2022-current: Benjamín Peet, Universidad Mayor
2022-current: Jaime Guzmán, Universidad Mayor
2023-current: Catalina Martínez, Universidad de Chile

Professional degree
2010: Max Blondel, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2011: Maricarmen Ibáñez, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2021: Marcela Huenumilla, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2022: Claudia Mardones, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2022: Luis Espinoza, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2022: José Rubilar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
2022: Micaela Poutay, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Dr. Fernández research is largely focused on generating actionable knowledge to help informing decision-makers on how to develop solutions for environmental-related issues. This can be directly seen in his PhD dissertation title "Planning for Urban Ecosystem Services: Generating actionable knowledge for reducing environmental inequities in Santiago de Chile", and in his recently finished Fondecyt project, titled "Effects of vegetation spatial patterns on urban environmental quality: A multiple scale assessment". Also, many of his published articles provide direct information for urban planning policies. He is actively participating in outreach activities, including talks to non-experts, collaborating in environmental policy-making, and interviews and coverage of his research in radios, television and newspapers. He also frequently publishes outreach articles and letters in local media to transfer knowledge to a broader audience, and has provided free assistanship to local municipalities to improve the planification of urban vegetation. In additiion, Dr. Fernández is currently leading and co-leading two research projects funded by the Chlean National Forest Service that will provide key information for improving the forest policy in Chile.

Conference Presentations (Last 5 years):

-Fernández, Ignacio C.; Maldonado, Karin; Koplow-Villavicencio, Thomas; Troncoso, Alejandra; Sabat, Pablo; Ricote, Natalia; Newsome, Seth D.; Kartzinel, Tyler R.; Kelt, Douglas A.; Meserve Peter L. Differential response of small mammals´ species to interannual variability of vegetation biomass in a semiarid ecosystem of Chile, ESA Anual Meeting, 2023, Portland, USA.

-Espinosa, Mara; Weinberger, Constanza; Maldonado, Karin; Sabat, Pablo; Fernández, Ignacio C.; Newsome, Seth D.; Kartzinel, Tyler R.; Troncoso, Alejandra; Kelt, Douglas A. Niche partitioning among populations of small mammals in stochastic semi-desert environment, ESA Anual meeting 2023, Portland, USA

-Fernández, Ignacio C.; Koplow-Villavicencio, Thomas; Merino, Joaquín. Effects of the distance to canopy cover and tree trunks on the spatial patterns of temperature and humidity in forest patches in an urban park of Santiago. Biannual metting of the Chilean Chapter of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, 2023, Concepción, Chile.

-Fernández, Ignacio C. Role of urban vegetation composition and configuration on particulate matter regulation at local scale: A study in four neighborhoods of Santiago. Biannual metting of the Chilean Chapter of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, 2023, Concepción, Chile.

-Fernández, Ignacio C. Inequality, urban vegetation and climate change: A challenge for Santiago. Regional Conference of the International Federatio of Landscape Arquitecture, 2019, Santiago, Chile.

-Fernández, Ignacio C. Ecosystem services spillovers from trees could reduce or increase urban heat inequities depending on the spatial patterns of residential segregation. X Conference of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, 2019, Milan, Italy.

-Fernández, Ignacio C.; Morales, Narkis S. Urban vegetation classification from satellites images by using a maximum entropy method. Biannual metting of the Chilean Chapter of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, 2019, Santiago, Chile.