SETI Forward

Unveiling Megastructures with Machine Learning

Dana, a student at the University of Florida, conducted her internship at the University of California, Berkeley. Advised by Dr. Ann Marie Cody and Dr. Daniel Giles, Dana developed a machine learning-enabled pipeline to detect anomalous patterns that could indicate the presence of megastructures around stars. Her findings have unveiled the detectability of megastructures in various shapes, providing valuable insights for ongoing research.

"I am truly honored to be recognized for my work in SETI," said Dana. "This scholarship provides an incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring researchers around the world. I am grateful to be part of this wonderful community dedicated to exploring humanity's intrinsic questions."

Decrypting the Secrets of Adenosine Isomers

Róża, a graduate of the University of Warsaw, Poland, currently pursuing her master's at the University of Barcelona, delved into the photochemical differences between two isomers of adenosine during her project at Harvard University and Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Awarded the 'Gold Medal of Chemistry' in Poland, Róża demonstrated the higher photostability of the biological isomer, shedding light on the potential role of UV light in molecular evolution on early Earth.

"Working on this project was fascinating, not only in terms of discovering the unknown but also due to the opportunity to meet people of science from around the world," says Róża. "Every opportunity to meet people from the field opens a new door for a young researcher and eventually creates a unique set of experiences that build us as future scientists."

Benjamin attends Wheaton College and did his internship at Wheaton. His research focused on archival data Optical SETI. Specifically, he surveyed spectra taken by the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph to see if it may have captured evidence of laser communications from extraterrestrial civilizations. Since HARPS is not primarily used to look for intelligently produced signals, there may be unnoticed technosignatures in the archived data. Ben wrote an algorithm that searched for anomalous energy spikes in the spectra of 2,821 stars that flagged candidate signals for follow-up investigation. He compared these strange energy spikes to natural stellar emission lines, signatures of the Earth's aurorae, and cosmic rays bombarding the CCD to ascertain whether they are natural or potentially extraterrestrial in origin. Ultimately my goal is to share it with the technosignature research community, and the SETI Forward Award gives me an excellent opportunity to do so!

“The search for extraterrestrial life is my greatest passion and has been for as long as I can remember,” said Fields. It remains one of the biggest fundamental questions we might answer with the tools of science, and one which I hope to dedicate myself to advancing. The SETI Forward Award represents an unparalleled opportunity to carve out this path, and I am honored to receive it.”

Ze-Wen attends Cornell University and did her internship at Cornell. The main idea driving her work is that Europa's seafloor topography could reveal information about the nature of Europa's geologic activity, which may manifest in the form of active volcanism or hydrothermal circulation at its seafloor. Ze-Wen created a suite of models to determine whether the topography of Europa's seafloor will be detectable from the upcoming Europa Clipper mission's gravity science experiments. She also modeled Europa's seafloor scaled from other geologically active bodies such as Earth, Venus and Io to determine how detectable volcanism and plate tectonics would be at Europa. The team found, in general, that the coarse style of Europa's seafloor topography is indeed detectable from a gravity science experiment of Clipper's resolution and published the results in their paper.

“Working on this project and receiving the SETI Forward award has affirmed that I'm working on valuable science in the search for life and that I have a place in this field,” said Koh. “I'm excited to contribute to a growing diversity of perspectives in astronomy and continue pursuing the question of dynamic habitability: how planetary surfaces, atmospheres and interiors evolve, and their resulting viability as hosts for life. After graduation, I hope to pursue a PhD in Planetary Science to further explore these research interests, followed by a career in academia or research.”

Lana attends Connecticut College and did her internship at the University of California, Berkeley. She was mentored by Dr. Steve Croft and the SETI Institute’s Dr. Ann Marie Cody. Her research involved conducting machine learning-enabled follow-up on TESS data to search for anomalies potentially indicative of technological megastructures.

“As a lifelong science fan, both factual and fictional, working in the field of SETI has been a goal of mine ever since I participated in Zooniverse’s Kepler Planet Hunters campaign as a child,” said Tilke. “I am honored for the support I have received from the SETI Institute and am eager to see where my career takes me, whether I become a research scientist, professor, science communicator, or all of the above!”