Outreach
Recorded Lectures (English)
When Machines Meet the Universe: AI and the Future of Astronomy
(KIPAC public lecture; Feb 2025)
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are not only transforming industries such as autonomous vehicles and healthcare—they are also revolutionizing science. This lecture will take you on a journey through the history and future of AI and ML in astronomy. We will begin by exploring the early applications of ML in astronomy, where algorithms were used to identify exploding stars and analyze the shapes of galaxies in images, in datasets that were too large to be inspected manually by scientists. These efforts heavily relied on 'citizen scientists'—members of the public who contributed by classifying astronomical images and providing valuable training data for the algorithms. The talk will then examine how AI is used today to enhance the speed and accuracy of simulations of the universe, as well as uncover new physical phenomena in vast datasets. I will then present the new Center for Decoding the Universe, whose goal is to answer the biggest questions about our Universe with AI and data science. Finally, we will discuss the exciting potential of AI systems that can interpret human language and analyze astronomical data, enabling them to act as collaborative partners in scientific discovery. Join us as we delve into the transformative role of AI in advancing our understanding of the cosmos.
Recorded Lectures (Hebrew)
Gravitational Waves and Neutron Star Mergers.
Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxy Evolution.
On The Relation Between Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxies (5 min).
Outreach activities during my PhD
The Tel Aviv University Astronomy Club
I have been volunteering at the Tel Aviv Astronomy Club (TAU AstroClub) for the past several years. TAU AstroClub is a non-profit outreach organization, managed and operated by students at the Astronomy & Astrophysics department in Tel Aviv University. Our goal is to provide the general public with the opportunity to learn more about physics and astrophysics.
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Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we hosted numerous events on campus, including lectures and sky observing events. The lectures were at a popular science level and covered different topics in astronomy and astrophysics. These lectures are recorded and are available at the TAU AstroClub website.
Engaging teenagers with astronomy and science
In the past several years, my friends and I have partnered with several non-profit organizations with the goal of engaging teenagers with astronomy and science. These programs are particularly aimed at children from underprivileged backgrounds, where higher education and science are less accessible. In addition, we worked with organizations that aim at bringing young girls closer to STEM disciplines.
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With the help of organizations such as "Pre-Atidim" and "Future female scientists", we hosted hundreds of children at the university. During these visits, the children heard lectures about different topics in astronomy, and used a telescope to observe the sun or the night sky.
Astronomy on Tap TLV
Astronomy on Tap TLV (AoTTLV; founded by Dr. Iair Arcavi) is an outreach activity aimed at presenting lectures and astronomy- or space-related news to the general public in an informal environment (at a bar!). Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, I have been volunteering there.
