Dr. Steren Chabert is honored by Mujeres Ingenieras and Metro de Santiago renaming Rodrigo de Araya station in her name
This Sunday, June 23, in celebration of International Women in Engineering Day, the Rodrigo de Araya metro station in Santiago was symbolically renamed Dr. Steren Chabert, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to biomedical engineering in Chile. The tribute is part of the national campaign The Journey of Being Women Engineers, led by Mujeres Ingenieras de Chile, in collaboration with Metro de Santiago, Antofagasta Minerals, CONDEFI, and Fundación Telefónica Movistar.
Dr. Chabert is a Full Professor at the School of Biomedical Engineering at the Universidad de Valparaíso and a Principal Investigator at the Millennium Institute iHEALTH, where she leads cutting-edge research in medical imaging, with a focus on functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Her work stands out not only for its scientific excellence but also for its strong emphasis on clinical relevance and social impact.
“With patience, by showing you know how to do things well and working as a team, you move forward successfully”, says Dr. Chabert in her campaign profile, which aims to highlight inspiring women engineers across Chile.
From her early training in France to her current work in Chile, Dr. Chabert has consistently combined scientific rigor with public service. In addition to developing advanced MRI methods to observe brain function noninvasively, she has worked closely with physicians at the Valparaíso Public Hospital to bring these technologies to patients in the public health system. She also leads safety evaluations for medical devices at Certemed, a specialized laboratory she helped establish at the Universidad de Valparaíso.
The Journey of Being Women Engineers celebrates stories like Dr. Chabert’s—women who have pushed boundaries, led transformative projects, and opened doors for the next generation of women in STEM. The initiative includes large-format portraits at metro stations, a dedicated website, a free digital book, and regional events to expand the national conversation on gender equity in engineering.
According to Chile’s Higher Education Information Service (SIES, 2023), only 19.7% of students in STEM programs are women, reflecting persistent structural barriers, gender stereotypes, and a lack of visible role models.
At iHEALTH, we proudly celebrate this recognition of Dr. Chabert and reaffirm our commitment to interdisciplinary, inclusive, and socially impactful science for the major health challenges of the 21st century.
