claudio bunster weitzman is a chilean theoretical physicist who was born in santiago on april 15 1947 until 2005 his name was claudio teitelboim weitzmaneducated at the university of chile and princeton university where he earned his doctorate in physics in 1973 bunster has conducted frontier research and taught at princeton university and at the university of texas at austin he has also been long term member of the institute for advanced study at princetonbunster has been director of the center for scientific studies cecs from its inception in 1984 originally operating from santiago in 2000 this autonomous institute moved south of chile valdivia in the 40s parallel where the search has expanded and deepened in the areas of life our planet and the cosmosin addition to his research in theoretical physics and his work as director of cecs bunster has engaged in public service he was scientific adviser to the president during the administration of president eduardo frei ruiztagle 19942000 during his tenure as presidential adviser the presidential chairs in science and the millennium science initiative were established he was also a member of the panel on human rights established by the government and involving both the civilian and the military to address outstanding human rights issuesbunster has been especially involved in incorporating the armed forces in the scientific endeavor as a way of strengthening democracy through science this interest has led to joint work in science among cecs the army navy and air force of chile and distinguished foreign institutions among the fruits of these collaborations are several unprecedented expeditions to antarctica where bunster has been directly involvedhe received the national prize of sciences of chile in 1995 and was elected to the academy of sciences of the united states in 2005 and was made honorary member of the solvay institutes in brussels in 2007 the world academy of sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries awarded bunster in 2013 with the twaslenovo prize