SETI Institute Awards $1 Million in STRIDE Grants to Advance Astrobiology, Exoplanet Science, and Public Engagement

June 2, 2026, Mountain View, CA -- Today, the SETI Institute announced the second round of grants it will fund with its Support Technology, Research, Innovation, Development, and Education (STRIDE) program. The SETI Institute established the STRIDE fund to support SETI Institute researchers and EOC (Education, Outreach, and Communications) professionals in developing innovative research and education proposals. After funding the first round with $500K, this year’s program will award $1M to fund 10 projects. This year’s awards will support projects that:

• Assess whether the particles found in Venus’s clouds are generated by biological processes or result from non-biological chemistry, through the use of a compact, multi-instrument detection system designed for a prospective Venus mission.
• Investigate if humpback whale exhalations produce detectable electrostatic or electromagnetic signatures that correlate with acoustic activity.
• Develop advanced exoplanet climate models to enhance the interpretation of JWST observations and improve the assessment of Earth-sized planet habitability.
• Advance understanding of the impact of stellar winds and magnetic fields on atmospheric loss in exoplanets and their implications for planetary habitability.
• Refine protein modeling methodologies to incorporate temperature-dependent structural changes, enhancing AI prediction and drug discovery tools.
• Explore how stellar chemistry and planetary geology determine rocky exoplanet composition to improve habitability assessments.
• Establish a collaborative plan linking exoplanet observations with theoretical models to accelerate scientific discovery and maximize mission outcomes.
• Enhance flare-prediction capabilities by coupling AI with ultraviolet spectral data to improve forecasting of stellar activity and its effects on planetary atmospheres.
• Expand public engagement at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory through educational programs, enhanced visitor experiences, and digital media initiatives focusing on SETI and radio astronomy.
• Deepen citizen science and culturally grounded astronomy engagement through collaborations with Indigenous communities in Australia and Mexico that will integrate Indigenous sky knowledge, telescope-based observing, and creative outputs.

"This year’s STRIDE selections showcase ambitious, cutting-edge work across astrobiology, intelligence, planetary science, AI, and public engagement,” said Nathalie Cabrol, Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute. “These projects push the boundaries of how we explore life, intelligence, habitability, and our place in the universe while fostering innovation that can shape future scientific breakthroughs."

"Alongside cutting-edge science has to be innovative education and public engagement, said Simon Steel, Deputy Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute.  “I am very excited that STRIDE has also given SETI Institute educators the opportunity to share our science in new ways and with new audiences." 

STRIDE grants include funding for basic research, technology development, prototyping, equipment and instrumentation, field expedition work, education program development, materials, hardware, software, and more.

Science

Yes/No Venus: Tri-Modal Spectroscopy Feasibility for Definitive Cloud Life Detection

Principal Investigator: Pablo Sobron (SETI Institute), Collaborator: J. Atkinson (Morning Star Missions – Venus).

This project tests whether a combined LIBS/UVF/SERS instrument can determine if Venus’s cloud particles are from biological or non-biological sources. These complementary tools offer a practical way to analyze Venus’s cloud chemistry for a planned future mission, presenting a focused, high-impact approach for life detection.

Characterizing Multimodal Environmental Signatures of Humpback Whale Exhalation Plumes

Principal Investigator: Vishal Gajjar (SETI Institute), Co-Is: Isabel Gerrard (University of Oxford), Fred Sharpe (SETI Institute Affiliate), Don Drury (Aerial Signals Project), Joe Olson (Cetacean Communication), Bill Burgess (Acoustimetrics), Rachel Meade (Cetacean Institute).

This project investigates whether humpback whale exhalations produce detectable electrostatic or electromagnetic perturbations that have been overlooked in previous studies. Inspired by the discovery of a conspicuous but previously undocumented humpback aerial sound (a “thrum”), the project highlights an important SETI lesson: signals can be overlooked when our instruments and assumptions are tuned only to familiar modes of detection.

Next Generation Climate Modeling: Spectral Fidelity Meets 3D Dynamics

Principal Investigator: Andrew Lincowski (SETI Institute); Co-I: Victoria Meadows (SETI Institute); Collaborator: Eric Wolf (SETI Institute Affiliate/CU-Boulder/LASP).

This project is developing a new generation of exoplanet climate models to better interpret data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on Earth-sized planets with potentially habitable climates. By combining highly accurate atmospheric physics with advanced 3D climate simulations, the project will enable more reliable analysis of planetary atmospheres and surface conditions. The work addresses a major limitation in current exoplanet modeling and will improve scientists’ ability to detect atmospheres and assess whether distant planets could support life.

Stellar Activity Erosion of Exoplanet Atmospheres: Impact on Habitability

Principal Investigator: Fulvia Pucci (SETI Institute); Co-Is: Tong Shi (SETI Institute), Collaborator: Marco Velli (UCLA).

This project is developing a new framework to better understand how exoplanets lose their atmospheres over time by studying the interaction between stellar winds and planetary magnetic fields. Using data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe along with advanced stellar wind models, the project will create more accurate predictions of whether planets can retain atmospheres capable of supporting life. By improving a major weakness in current habitability models, the work will help scientists better interpret exoplanet environments and identify the most promising targets in the search for life beyond Earth.

Enabling Technology for a “HotAlpha” Protein Structure Database and Algorithm

Principal Investigator: Steve Cramer (SETI Institute); Collaborators: Tzanko Doukov (Stanford University); Francis Jenney Jr. (PCOM); Post-doc Graduate; Undergrad research: Kat Drumright (UC Davis).

This project examines how protein structures change at temperatures more similar to living organisms, using new X-ray data and advanced computational methods. The goal is to reduce temperature-related bias in protein models used by AI and drug design tools, promising better biological research and medicine.

How Strange Are Rocky Exoplanet Crusts Really?

Principal Investigator: Aaron Wolf (SETI Institute); Co-I: Kayla Iacovino (SETI Institute) Collaborator: Brad Foley (PSU).

This project explores how geological processes that generate rocky planet compositions are influenced by differences in stellar chemistry. By combining composition data from stars with lab experiments and geochemical modeling, scientists will critically assess the diversity of rocky exoplanet crusts and their potential for habitability. 

A Think Tank on Developing and Enhancing Small Exoplanet Data/Model Collaborations

Principal Investigator: Victoria Meadows (SETI Institute). Collaborators: Natalie Batalha (UCSC); Hannah Dawson (SETI Institute); Andrew Lincowski (SETI Institute); Nick Wogan (SETI Institute); Natasha Batalha (NASA Ames).

This project is developing a collaborative roadmap to connect exoplanet observations and theoretical models. By boosting coordination, it will speed up discovery, and maximize the science return from current and future exoplanet missions.

Predicting Flares from Mg II h & k and M II UV Triplet lines Observed by IRIS

Principal Investigator: Alberto Sainz Dalda (SETI Institute); Collaborator: Bart De Pontieu (Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory).

This project combines UV spectral data with machine learning to improve predictions of solar and stellar flares that affect planetary atmospheres. It aims to improve flare warning times and support both space weather forecasting and habitability research.

Education & Outreach

Modernizing Public Engagement at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory

Principal Investigator: Joel Earwicker (SETI Institute); Co-Is: (all SETI Institute): Sofia Sheikh, Alex Pollak, Ian Weaver, Blayne Griffin.

This project is updating the Hat Creek Radio Observatory’s outreach by creating new visitor experiences, educational programs, and digital content about the Allen Telescope Array and SETI research. This will expand public access, encourage community support, and increase the observatory’s long-term impact.

Celestial Harmonies: Connecting Skies, Cultures and Communities

Principal Investigator: Lauren Sgro (SETI Institute); Co-I: Dan Peluso (SETI Institute). Collaborators: Djaara Nation & Aunty Kerri Douglas (Victoria, Australia); Sanctuary for the Sacred Arts & Stephanie Manrique (Yucatán, Mexico) & Muul Paax youth musicians.

This project will partner with Indigenous communities in Australia and Mexico to expand participation in citizen science and astronomy through culturally grounded engagement. Using a Two-Eyed Seeing framework that brings Indigenous knowledge and Western astronomy into respectful dialogue and practice, the team will provide training with Unistellar telescopes and SkyMapper tools while co-creating community-based science and outreach programs. The collaboration aims to build long-term pathways for shared learning, cross-cultural exchange, co-production of music and/or art, and sustained participation in astronomy and SETI-related citizen science across diverse communities.

About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity's quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.

Contact information
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
[email protected]

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