Vishal Upendran
Research Scientist at SETI Institute
Mountain View, California, United States
Summary
👤
Senior🎓
Top SchoolVishal Upendran is a research scientist and heliophysics specialist with a decade of experience applying MHD simulations and machine learning to solar wind origin, acceleration, and energetic events. Currently leading NASA-funded investigations and developing operational forecasting models (SHEATH, DAGGER) for the SETI Institute and contributing to the MUSE mission, he blends hands-on model building with interpretable deep-learning approaches. His background spans a PhD in astrophysics from IUCAA and engineering degrees from IIT Madras, giving him a strong foundation in both theory and applied instrumentation/data work. Beyond research, he has a track record of translating complex science for broader audiences through outreach and has led multidisciplinary teams at Frontier Development Lab to bridge Sun-to-Earth space weather forecasting. An uncommon strength is his cross-domain experience in neuromorphic modelling and design-led leadership from his tech and campus roles, which informs creative problem-solving in scientific software and instrumentation.
10 years of coding experience
2 years of employment as a software developer
Secondary education, CGPA: 10, Secondary education, CGPA: 10 at Nalanda Vidya NiketanJunior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching, Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching at New era senior sec. school, VadodaraDoctor of Philosophy - PhD, Astrophysics, Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Astrophysics at Inter University Centre for Astronomy and AstrophysicsIndian Institute of Technology Madras98.2%, 98.2% at National Public School, Chennai
English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Japanese
Stackoverflow
1reputation
0reached
1answer
0questions
Github Skills (21)
sun9
physics8
python7
lstm6
tensorflow6
machine-learning4
latex4
mean-square-error4
generative-adversarial-network4
exo3
planetary3
planet3
jack3
mathematics3
planets3
Programming languages (3)
Github contributions (5)
Vishal-Upendran/Vishal-Upendran.github.io
Sep 2020 - Jul 2025
Contributions:207 pushes, 1 branch in 4 years 10 months
Vishal-Upendran/IUCAASummerSchool2021
May 2021 - Nov 2022
A set of hands on tutorials on basic python usage and machine learning for astronomers
Contributions:20 commits, 11 PRs, 19 pushes in 1 year 5 months
machine-learningpython
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