Ioannis Koutalios

Welcome! I am a graduate of the M.Sc. in Astronomy and Data Science program at Leiden University. My academic and research journey has been deeply rooted in exploring the intersections of astrophysics, machine learning, and data science.

During my M.Sc., I contributed to a variety of research projects tackling complex challenges in both astronomy and data science. My Master’s thesis, “A Cross-Power Model for Power Suppression in FLAMINGO”, involved advanced modeling techniques applied to large-scale simulations. Earlier, I explored planetary science through my first-year thesis, “Finding the Best Exoplanets to Search for Exomoons by Radial Velocity”. Additionally, I ventured into artificial intelligence with a project on “Reinforcement Learning for Adaptive Optics and Exoplanet Imaging”.

Prior to my Master’s studies, I earned a B.Sc. in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where I joined the Gravitational Waves Group My undergraduate thesis, “Spectral Classification of Neutron Star Post-Merger Gravitational Wave Emission”, sparked my fascination with the applications of AI in astrophysics. Following graduation, I continued collaborating with the group as a research assistant, culminating in our publication, “Predicting Binary Neutron Star Postmerger Spectra Using Artificial Neural Networks”, in Physical Review D.

Beyond academia, I am passionate about data science, machine and deep learning, reinforcement learning, and statistics. Many of my projects in these fields have been driven by curiosity and a desire to solve practical problems. You can explore some of them on my projects page.

I am also an advocate for Linux and open-source software, driven by a belief in the power of collaboration and openness to advance knowledge and technology. Always eager to learn, grow, and tackle new challenges, I would love to connect and collaborate on exciting ideas or projects. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss anything!