Researchers at the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence (PSETI) Center have been awarded a three-year, $480,000 grant under the NASA Exoplanets Research Program to search for radio and laser signals from alien civilizations. The project is led by Pinchen Fan, a doctoral student in astronomy, astrophysics and astrobiology, under the supervision of her adviser, Jason Wright, professor of astronomy and astrophysics and director of the PSETI Center. The new grant represents a continuation of the momentum started with that workshop, as well as a signal that NASA is increasingly open to supporting innovative approaches to the search for life elsewhere in the universe, according to Wright.
Technosignatures are defined as any detectable sign that would indicate the presence of intelligent civilizations elsewhere in the universe. This new project aims to develop novel laser and radio technosignature detection techniques that will push the boundaries of how researchers can detect technosignatures from planets outside the solar system.
Fan will also use the tens of thousands of infrared spectroscopic measurements taken by the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF) built at Penn State to detect planets orbiting other stars to see if there are any communicative laser transmissions coming from them.
This funding underscores Penn State’s prominent role in a field that is gaining traction within the scientific community, Wright said. The 2018 workshop, along with a series of SETI Symposia hosted by the PSETI Center on Penn State’s University Park campus, played a pivotal role in renewing NASA’s focus on SETI research.
The PSETI Center was founded in 2020 to establish Penn State as an academic leader in technosignature research. Through initiatives like this NASA-funded project, the center provides a platform for researchers to explore sophisticated technosignature detection methods and more.
“This grant from NASA highlights a pivotal moment in the advancement of SETI as a scientific discipline and the pioneering work being done at Penn State,” Wright said. “With renewed support, innovative ideas, and a team of dedicated researchers, Penn State is well positioned to lead in the quest to uncover evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth.”
Members of the PSETI Center are also building an interdisciplinary academic SETI community, developing a SETI curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and training new SETI researchers.
Source: PennState University