Students from the Escuela Colombiana de Ingenieria Julio Garavito achieved a remarkable feat at the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025, winning first place at the local event in Bogota with their innovative project, an artificial intelligence tool designed to detect exoplanets. The event, held on October 4 and 5, saw participation from over 160 countries, allowing participants to utilize real NASA data to tackle various challenges related to space exploration.
The team, known as ECI Centuri, comprised students from multiple disciplines, including systems engineering, statistics, mathematics, and electronic engineering. Guided by professor Wilmer Garzon Alfonso, director of the Data Science master’s program, the team effectively combined their diverse expertise to address the challenge titled “A World Away: Hunting for Exoplanets with AI.” This challenge tasked participants with employing machine learning to identify planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system.
Exoplanets are typically discovered by analyzing light curves, which are measurements of how a star’s brightness fluctuates over time when a planet transits in front of it, resulting in a noticeable dip in light. The ECI Centuri students engineered a model capable of classifying these light curves, which helps scientists sift through extensive datasets more efficiently and accurately by pinpointing potential exoplanet candidates.
Their solution, coined “Exoplanet Hunter AI,” went beyond mere coding; the team prioritized user-friendly design and clear explanations, ensuring that individuals without a data science background could comprehend the workings of the model. This approach reflects an important aspect of modern scientific communication, where accessibility is crucial for broader engagement.
The victory at the NASA Space Apps Challenge not only highlights the capabilities of Colombian universities in cutting-edge fields such as AI and data science but also emphasizes the potential for local talent to compete on an international scale. For the students involved, the project served as a valuable addition to their portfolios, showcasing their ability to collaborate effectively, manage complex datasets, and present technical concepts to a global audience.
Beyond the individual accomplishments of the team, ECI Centuri’s success carries broader implications for Colombia’s STEM ecosystem. It sends a positive message to younger students who may perceive space careers as unattainable, revealing that with curiosity, mentorship, and access to open data, they too can engage in meaningful scientific exploration. Celebrations of the team’s achievement from local institutions, including both the university and regional authorities, further reinforce the notion that advancements in science and technology deserve recognition similar to that afforded to sports and entertainment.
In essence, ECI Centuri’s AI-driven exoplanet hunter not only captured the top honor at the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025 in Bogota but also exemplified the extraordinary potential of motivated students, capable of significant contributions in just one weekend. Their achievement underscores the capacity of Colombian talent to participate in the search for new worlds, inviting future generations to bring their ideas and aspirations to subsequent editions of the NASA Space Apps Challenge.
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