This summer, nine students from colleges and universities across the U.S. have come to the University of Colorado Boulder to participate in the 2025 Boulder Solar Alliance Research Experience for Undergraduates (BSA REU) program. The cohort arrived on campus in May ready to launch into a summer of research and discovery.
During their 10 weeks on campus, they will work on a research project with a mentor from one of the BSA institutes, which include the University of Colorado Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), National Solar Observatory (NSO), High Altitude Observatory (HAO), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), NOAA/CU Boulder Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), and NorthWest Research Associates (NWRA).
The students will engage in research on topic areas spanning the field of solar and space physics, from instrument hardware to data analysis to modeling of the Sun, the Sun-Earth system, the near-Earth environment, or the heliosphere.
The program kicked off last week with a summer school, or “boot camp,” focused on solar and space physics, which will be followed by hands-on research in one of our participating laboratories. Students will engage in seminars and discussions, fostering collaboration with peers. By the end of the summer, the students will be prepared to present their research findings in both a professional scientific talk and in a poster session.
Let’s meet the 2025 BSA REU cohort and learn more about their research projects and what they’re looking forward to this summer!
Jaylem Cheek, Elon University (North Carolina), Astrophysics
Mentor: Xuguang Cai, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Even when the Earth is not impacted by geomagnetic disturbances, the ionosphere—the layer of the atmosphere containing charged particles—can show significant daily changes. Previous studies have shown that these changes can be as much as 200%, either increasing or decreasing. Such variations during quiet times are a key part of how the upper atmosphere (thermosphere and ionosphere) behaves overall. However, scientists still don’t fully understand how these changes evolve over time or how they vary across different locations. This project aims to fill that gap by using data from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers to create detailed maps of the daily changes in the ionosphere.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to bond with the rest of the cohort this year over our mutual interests in solar physics and space sciences.”
Antonio Hernandez Torres, Front Range Community College (Colorado), Engineering
Mentor: Jordi Vila-Perez, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) High Altitude Observatory (HAO)
Satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) are crucial for applications like communications, navigation and Earth observation. However, as the number of satellites increases, ensuring they do not collide and operate effectively becomes more challenging. One major factor affecting satellite orbits is atmospheric drag, which is influenced by changes in the upper atmosphere caused by solar activity, chemical composition and electromagnetic interactions.
To better predict how the atmosphere impacts satellite trajectories, scientists use advanced computer models. These models simulate the behavior of the upper atmosphere, accounting for various physical processes. This project aims to evaluate how well these models predict atmospheric density, a key factor in determining drag.
“Through this program, I hope to gain valuable research experience, make new friends, and enjoy a summer full of new experiences in Boulder.”
Alexander (Alex) Moncello, Chatham University (Pennsylvania), Mathematics and Chemistry
Mentor: Lekshmi Biji, National Solar Observatory (NSO)
The Sun does not rotate as a solid body; instead, its equator rotates faster than its poles, and the rotation rate at each latitude changes over time. This variation in rotation, known as torsional oscillation, appears as bands of faster and slower rotation that migrate from mid-latitudes toward the equator and poles. The band moving toward the poles appears around the peak of the previous solar cycle when sunspot numbers are at their highest. In this study, we will analyze data from space- and ground-based solar observatories to examine how the poleward-moving band evolves over time. We will also investigate whether the strength of these bands can help predict the intensity of future solar cycles.
“I’m looking forward to expanding my current knowledge of astrophysical research and possibly presenting what I’ve learned at a conference.”
Chloe Pistelli, Taylor University (Indiana), Physics
Mentor: Momchil Molnar, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
This project aims to explore the database of the UCoMP (Upgraded Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter) telescope for erupting solar prominences. Prominences are important for space weather, as when they are tracers of larger plasma systems that create space weather effects on our planet. The project will create a catalogue and observational database of those observed events, and study the properties of those erupting structures. This is an important study for improving the predictability of the space weather impacts from such eruptions.
“I’m looking forward to being able to actually contribute to science through my work on analyzing and cataloging data from the Sun. I hope to gain a better understanding of what heliophysicists do as well as a better understanding of what I want to do.”,
Stephanie Puckett, Colorado State University (Colorado), Electrical Engineering
Mentor: Bibhuti Jha, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
The Sun goes through an 11-year cycle in which the number of sunspots—dark spots appearing on its surface—increases and decreases. When the Sun is covered with many sunspots, we also see more solar flares (sudden bursts of electromagnetic energy) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are eruptions of highly magnetized plasma from the Sun. These events can create beautiful auroras but can also harm satellites, power grids, and communication systems on Earth. Since the frequency of these events is proportional to the strength of the solar cycle—measured by the maximum number of sunspots—scientists work to predict how strong future solar cycles will be. However, this remains a major challenge. One of the best indicators is the strength of the Sun’s polar magnetic field, known as the polar field, especially when solar activity is at its lowest.
For nearly 50 years, the Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO) has been observing the Sun’s polar magnetic field, providing valuable long-term data for solar cycle predictions. A more recent instrument, the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), captures much clearer images, leading to more precise measurements. However, since WSO and HMI operate at different resolutions, their measurements don’t always match, making it difficult to compare past and present data to extend long-term records. In this study, we developed a new method to align WSO data with HMI data (or vice versa) to make the two datasets more compatible. This will provide scientists with more consistent data, leading to better solar cycle predictions and a clearer understanding of the Sun’s magnetic behavior.
“I’m excited to get some first-hand experience in a research environment this summer, and connecting with professionals and other students that share similar interests in space and physics. I’m hoping this experience will allow me to become more involved in the engineering/research community here.”
Kieran Russell, Michigan State University, Mechanical Engineering
Jack Vogel, University of North Georgia, Physics
Mentor: Craig DeForest, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Both Kieran and Jack will be working with Craig DeForest, principal investigator of the PUNCH mission. Launched in March 2025, PUNCH will be taking the world’s first sequence of polarized images of the solar wind itself — the tenuous material that continuously departs the top of the solar corona. The polarization aspect is to track extremely faint features in 3-D as they cross the solar system. This project is to test the actual process, by tracking in 3-D (for the first time) clouds of electrons and protons out to apparent distances of 20° or more from the Sun itself.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to grow my network and learn about what scientists do and what they like about it. This knowledge will definitely help me make better career choices and learn overall what type of work I want to do,” said Kieran.
“I look forward to meeting all sorts of new people and making connections at the facilities I’m working at,” said Jack.
Raven Stribling, Northwest Vista College (Texas), Computer Science
Mentor: Odele Coddington, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
The Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) on the Total and Solar Spectral Irradiance Sensor-1 (TSIS-1) measures sunlight from 200 nm to 2400 nm. This information helps scientists understand how solar energy affects the Earth’s climate and is used to develop models of solar spectral irradiance variability that extend the measurements to wavelengths and time periods not currently observed. The variability of the solar energy is a strong function of wavelength. Tracking this variability at wavelengths is difficult because the variability is small and requires extremely precise measurements. Since September 2024, new SIM scans have focused on measurements in this challenging region of the spectrum, using a longer integration time to improve the measurement signal. This project analyzes the new data to better understand the variations in these infrared wavelengths and their impacts on models of solar variability.
“I’m looking forward to learning more about space and getting experience of what it’s like to work in the field and apply it to my future academic and career path.”
Lucy Williams, Smith College (Massachusetts), Physics and Astronomy
Mentor: Lauren Blum, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
The goals of this project are to apply a new technique to identify and study fluctuations in the magnetic field about the Earth. While scientists often make plots of magnetic field measurements to identify various features by eye, here we aim to explore “sonification” techniques (listening to the data rather than looking at it) to better identify and study the complex space environment about the Earth. This new way of “looking” at the data may reveal different types of magnetic fluctuations than previously studied and will also enable long duration historical data sets (such as that from the GOES spacecraft) to be mined in a way that hasn’t been possible with current visual inspection analysis approaches.
“I am looking forward to studying and contributing to research in an area of physics I have not had the chance to study before, as well as making connections with other people in the field. I hope to gain lasting connections and improve my coding and research skills.”
By Willow Reed, BSA REU Principal Investigator & Sara Pratt, LASP Sr. Communications Specialist
Founded a decade before NASA, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder is revolutionizing human understanding of the cosmos. LASP is deeply committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of space explorers. From the first exploratory rocket measurements of Earth’s upper atmosphere to trailblazing observations of every planet in the solar system, LASP continues to build on its remarkable history with a nearly $1 billion portfolio of new research and engineering programs.
