Hallberg was born in Rosario, Argentina.[5] When she was two years old she moved with her family to San Salvador de Jujuy, where she received public education at the Belgrano School, the Escuela Normal and the Colegio Nacional de Jujuy.[6] She was known as “señorita por qué” ('Miss why'), and started an all-girls science club.[4] As a teenager Hallberg was a competitive tennis player.[7][8]
She began her studies in electronic engineering at the National University of Rosario. Hallberg earned a scholarship of the National Atomic Energy Commission to study at the Instituto Balseiro, National University of Cuyo, where she earned a degree in physics.[6] She worked alongside Francisco de la Cruz on the emerging field of superconductivity.[6] After completing her graduate degree, she started a doctorate in physics at the Balseiro Institute[9] under the supervision of Dr. Carlos Balseiro. For her doctoral studies Hallberg worked on computational models of quantum materials that demonstrate low dimensional magnetism and superconductivity.[6][10] When Hallberg arrived at the Bariloche Atomic Centre only 8% of the students were women.[5][11]
Hallberg has spoken for the need eliminate institutional barriers for women scientists, and for more support to be given to women.[6] She was awarded the 2019 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award.[22] She has also discussed the need for improved access to science for people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as more recognition for teachers.[23] Hallberg is committed to nuclear disarmament, and is a council member of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs[24][25][26] and member of the Advisory Board of International Student Young Pugwash (ISYP). She is also committed to ethics in science and is a member of the Argentine Committee on Ethics in Science and Technology (CECTE). She currently is an International Councilor and Board Member of the American Physical Society (APS), member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Quantum Applications, member of the advisory board of the International Institute of Physics (Natal, Brazil), member of the Advisory Board of Papers in Physics and member of the Board of Directors of the Bunge and Born Foundation, and member of the Editorial Board of Physical Review Research (APS). She was Director of the Condensed Matter Department at the Atomic Center in Bariloche, editor of the journal Europhysics Letters,[27] member of the Board of Directors of the Aspen Science Center, Argentine representative and Board Chair of the Latin American Center of Physics (CLAF), Vice Chair of the Low Temperature Commission of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), member of the Argentine Physical Association (AFA) Steering Committee and coordinator of the Women in Physics and Ethics subcommittees and the representative of the Argentine Branch to the International Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter (ICAM).
Awards and honors
Her awards and honors include:
Chair, Council of the Pugwash Conferences for Science and World Affairs
