A second-year PhD student at George Mason University is working on a project that could help safeguard astronauts and technology in space, as well as prevent widespread blackouts on Earth. João Felipe Sousa Pereira’s research focuses on understanding the precise triggers of solar flares, which are often associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that can cause geomagnetic storms and radiation.
Pereira believes that predicting solar flares is crucial, as these events can affect satellites and disrupt GPS systems. He aims to use machine learning techniques to identify new patterns in solar data that may have been missed by current prediction models.
The PhD student has received funding through the Graduate Inclusion and Access scholarship program, which supports underrepresented students in their doctoral studies. Pereira credits his advisor, Jie Zhang, with helping him set up the possibilities for his research project.
Pereira advises other students to talk to as many people as possible when considering a PhD program. He believes that everyone’s path is unique and that it’s essential to find the right fit. His own passion for physics is driven by the desire to understand how things work, and he finds reward in the “aha moment” of discovering something new.
Pereira’s research has the potential to make a significant impact on space weather forecasting, and his dedication to his field is inspiring to those around him.
Source: https://www.gmu.edu/news/2025-01/physics-phd-student-using-machine-learning-techniques-unlock-key-predicting-solar