Dr. Karen I. Perez has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the William J. Welch Postdoctoral Fellowship at the SETI Institute. Starting in the Fall of 2025, Perez will be focusing on developing real-time analysis pipelines using machine learning and GPU acceleration to detect single-pulse transients and various technosignatures using telescopes like the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) in Hat Creek, CA.

Her research will combine science and engineering to advance radio astronomy by integrating NVIDIA accelerator technology, which is crucial for the SETI Institute's data-intensive search for signals from intelligent life.

Expressing her excitement, Perez stated, "Working at the SETI Institute and contributing to the search for intelligent life has been a dream of mine since I was 15. I'm honored to be the first Welch Postdoctoral Fellow and grateful for the opportunity to be part of this groundbreaking endeavor."

Perez holds a B.A. in Astronomy with a concentration in Astrophysics from Cornell University. She has previously worked with the Berkeley SETI Research Center's REU program and has made significant contributions to pulsar search pipelines and the Breakthrough Listen Galactic Center Survey.

Dr. Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute, commended Perez's accomplishments, stating, "Dr. Perez has already demonstrated tremendous accomplishment as an early career scientist. Her tenacity and creativity, combined with the resources available at the SETI Institute, promise exciting developments in the future."

The Welch Postdoctoral Fellowship aims to support early-career scientists in utilizing cutting-edge instrumentation to explore fundamental questions in astronomy, particularly in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence or technosignatures. This research program aligns with the SETI Institute's mission to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe.

About the SETI Institute:

Established in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to researching the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe. Their work spans the physical and biological sciences, incorporating data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute collaborates with industry, academia, and government agencies like NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Contact Information:

• Rebecca McDonald
• Director of Communications
• SETI Institute
• [email protected]