Over the last 10 weeks, 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 program concluded this week with students presenting the results of their research.
During the summer, they worked 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), NSF’s National Solar Observatory (NSO), NCAR’s High Altitude Observatory (HAO), and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).
The students’ research covered topic areas spanning the fields of solar and space physics, from space weather forecasting, to understanding the Earth’s ionosphere, to exploring the Sun’s poles.
Throughout the program, students engaged in seminars and discussions, fostering collaboration with their peers. To conclude the summer, the students presented their research findings in both a professional scientific talk and in a poster session.
Let’s shine a light on the 2025 BSA REU cohort and learn more about their research projects:
Innovating science
Kieran Russell and Jack Vogel studied at the Southwest Research Institute this summer and employed analytic techniques on data from the newly launched mission PUNCH. Russell focused on a new way of tracking CMEs using software commonly used for film special effects while Vogel used simulated PUNCH data to perfect how to process the image data coming from this new mission.
Lucy Williams worked with scientists at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics to better understand plasma waves in Earth’s magnetosphere using sound. This approach not only allows scientists to identify waves in a new way but also has the potential to become a citizen science project.
Alexander Moncello’s research with his mentor at the National Solar Observatory sought to understand how the Sun’s plasma flows migrate from the poles to the equator. The work helps further our understanding of how these flows could act as potential indicators for the strength of the upcoming solar cycle.
Space weather forecasting
Stephanie Puckett’s research at the Southwest Research Institute aimed to cross-calibrate a ground-based observatory and polar field data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on the Solar Dynamics Observatory to create a cohesive data set that capitalizes on the strengths of both sets of observations. The strength of the Sun’s polar magnetic fields is one of the most reliable precursors of future solar activity.
Chloe Pistelli worked with a mentor at the Southwest Research Institute on using spectroscopic diagnostics with imaging to track solar eruptions. Forecasting space weather depends critically on understanding coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as they evolve through the corona and heliosphere.
Refining models
Jaylem Cheek conducted research at LASP to improve the current models of geomagnetic forcing, which often overlook minor forcings. The study demonstrates that even during periods of minimal geomagnetic activity, the total electron count variability can still be impacted, with implications for improving the accuracy of space weather prediction.
Raven Stribling worked with scientists at LASP to more precisely quantify small variabilities in solar energy measurements taken by the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) on the Total and Solar Spectral Irradiance Sensor-1 (TSIS-1) mounted aboard the International Space Station. Measurements in certain wavelengths are used to extend models that help scientists understand how Earth’s atmosphere and climate respond to solar variability—but the small variabilities are hard measure. Stribling improved measurement precision in a new batch of SIM scans taken since September 2024, which will help to refine the models.
Antonio Hernandez Torres worked at NCAR’s High Altitude Observatory to evaluate the long-term performance of the NSF NCAR Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) in simulating atmospheric density. Atmospheric density significantly impacts satellites, primarily through drag, which slows them down and can cause their orbits to decay. The growing number of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) demands improved upper atmospheric modeling to ensure accurate trajectory prediction and collision avoidance.
To view all the abstracts, visit https://lasp.colorado.edu/reu/resources/summer-2025/
By Willow Reed, Sr. Communications Specialist & BSA REU Principal Investigator
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.
