Sebastián Saavedra Portales

 2023 - Present

Student Welfare Professional

Support the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of nationwide student support programs, including the National Student Card (TNE), Beca TIC, and the School Supplies Program. These initiatives provide transportation subsidies to 2.7 million students, distribute 120,000 laptops annually, and deliver school supplies to nearly 3 million students across Chile.

2023

Line Professional

Supported the planning of security and access control improvements in juvenile detention centers across the Metropolitan Region. The work focused on infrastructure and operational upgrades in CIP, CRC, and CSC facilities.

2023 - 2021

Planning and Budget Manager

Led planning, monitoring, and financial oversight processes for more than 15+ national education technology projects, managing an annual budget of approximately USD 21 million. The initiatives focused on expanding digital infrastructure and technology access in schools across Chile.

2022 - 2023

Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistant for Microeconomics and Project Evaluation courses in the Faculty of Administration and Economics. Supported lectures, assisted students with analytical concepts, and participated in the evaluation of coursework.

2023 - 2022

Consultant

Provided implementation and analytical support for national education technology initiatives, including Connected Classrooms and Universal Access Technologies for Education, implemented in hundreds of schools nationwide.

2018 - 2020

Legislative Advisor

Prepared policy briefs, reports, and technical inputs for members of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies. The work focused on legislative initiatives related to gender equality, environment, public health, and family policy.

2018 - 2021

Project Coordinator

Coordinated research and project design initiatives related to gender, education, and health policy. Supported the development of research outputs and contributed to project management and dissemination activities.

2015 - 2016

Research Assistant

Supported qualitative research activities for the “Deep Chile II” projects, including interviews, data processing, and preparation of research presentations. This role marked my first involvement in academic research and policy analysis.

Digital Technology and Educational Outcomes

My master’s thesis examines the relationship between the implementation of digital technology initiatives in schools and student performance in Chile between 2016 and 2019. Using quantitative evaluation methods, the research analyzes how technology access and digital infrastructure may influence educational outcomes and school attendance.

Gender Equality and Labor Market Inequality

My undergraduate thesis analyzed public policies related to parental co-responsibility and their relationship with reducing the gender wage gap, comparing institutional frameworks and policy approaches in Chile and Iceland. The study explored how family policy design can influence gender equality in labor markets.

Gender Violence and Public Health Research

I have participated in research examining the determinants and risk factors of femicide in Chile, contributing to interdisciplinary work that combines public health and social policy perspectives to better understand gender-based violence and its structural drivers.

Environmental and Socioeconomic Dynamics

My early research collaborations explored the socio-environmental impacts of mining activity in northern Chile, including its effects on migration, demographic change, and water consumption in the Tarapacá region. These studies examined how economic development processes interact with environmental sustainability and regional development.