I am an astrophysicist working in stellar and solar physics at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) in Barcelona, where I study theoretical models of stars, with a strong focus on the Sun. Since 2024 I serve as Director of ICE-CSIC. 

I was born and educated in Argentina and received my PhD in astrophysics, on the topic of cooling of low- and intermediate-mass white dwarfs, from the National University of La Plata in 2002. After a short spell at SRON in Utrecht, and at the Max Planck for Astrophysics (MPA) in Garching b. München, I moved in 2003 to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton to work with John Bahcall. This strongly influenced my approach to precision stellar modeling and close interaction between theory and observations. In 2008 I moved back to MPA, and in 2010 I joined ICE-CSIC, intially as a Ramón y Cajal Fellow, and then as a tenured scientist since 2018.

My research focuses on the structure of stars and their evolution, using stellar evolution models tested against observations. Much of my work has been devoted to standard solar models, helioseismology, and solar neutrinos. I also work on the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars, using stellar models to interpret asteroseismic and spectroscopic observations and to improve estimates of stellar ages and fundamental parameters needed for galactic, stellar and exoplanet research.

My work aims at keeping stellar models as simple as possible, while remaining consistent with the quality and precision of modern data.