Sudipta Sasmal | Space Exploration | Innovation in Science Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sudipta Sasmal | Space Exploration | Innovation in Science Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sudipta Sasmal | Institute of Astronomy Space and Earth Science | India

Dr. Sudipta Sasmal is an accomplished physicist with more than 18 years of research experience in Space and Atmospheric Sciences, specializing in the complex interactions between the near-Earth space environment and the atmosphere. He currently serves as Associate Professor and Co-Founder of the Institute of Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences (IASES), and is the Principal Investigator of the Space Technology and Atmospheric Research Laboratory (STARLaB). His research expertise spans ionospheric dynamics, low-frequency radio wave propagation, solar–terrestrial coupling, atmospheric wave processes, electromagnetic interactions, lightning physics, and Lithosphere–Atmosphere–Ionosphere (LAI) coupling mechanisms. Dr. Sasmal has contributed extensively to space weather monitoring and ionospheric remote sensing using GNSS-TEC, VLF/ELF/ULF instrumentation, satellite datasets (Swarm, COSMIC, SABER, MODIS, ERA5), and lightning detection networks including WWLLN, BOLTEK, and ILDN. He has played a leading role in developing scientific instrumentation, sensor networks, and field experiments across India, Antarctica, and international research stations. His significant Antarctic research includes installing multiple VLF systems at Maitri and Bharati stations and conducting cosmic-ray experiments along polar transit routes. He has established STARLaB at IASES, built VLF observation networks in India and Japan, and contributed to developing advanced ionospheric laboratories and observatories. As Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, he has led several national and international funded projects from agencies such as MoES, SERB-DST, DST-JSPS, and the Government of West Bengal. Dr. Sasmal serves as Visiting Professor at the University of Electro-Communications (Japan) and Visiting Scientist at the University of West Attica (Greece). Recognized as a Ph.D. supervisor by multiple universities, he has supervised several doctoral researchers who now hold prestigious postdoctoral positions. He actively teaches astrophysics, space physics, and data-driven atmospheric modeling at multiple academic institutions.

Profile: Orcid | Google Scholar | LinkedIn | Research Gate

Featured Publications

Nanda, K., Sasmal, S., Hayakawa, M., Solovieva, M., Kopylova, G., & Potirakis, S. M. (2025). Towards understanding earthquake preparatory dynamics: A multi-parametric investigation of the 2025 Kamchatka Mw 8.8 event. Atmosphere, 16(12), 1328. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16121328

Bhaskar, D., Tripathi, R., Shrivastava, M. N., Singh, R., Sasmal, S., Datta, A., & Maurya, A. K. (2025). Lower ionospheric perturbations associated with lightning activity over low and equatorial regions. Atmosphere, 16(7), 832. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070832

Borchevkina, O. P., Timchenko, A. V., Bessarab, F. S., Kurdyaeva, Y. A., Karpov, I. V., Yakimova, G. A., Golubkov, M. G., Stepanov, I. G., Sasmal, S., & Dmitriev, A. V. (2025). Regional total electron content disturbance during a meteorological storm. Atmosphere, 16(6), 690. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16060690

Pal, S. K., Sarkar, S., Nanda, K., Sanyal, A., Brawar, B., Datta, A., Potirakis, S. M., Maurya, A. K., Bhattacharya, A., Panchadhyayee, P., et al. (2025). Global response of vertical total electron content to Mother’s Day G5 geomagnetic storm of May 2024: Insights from IGS and GIM observations. Atmosphere, 16(5), 529. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16050529

Nanda, K., Sasmal, S., Hazra, R., Datta, A., Panchadhyayee, P., & Potirakis, S. M. (2025). Study on the distribution of gravity wave (GW) activity in six Bay of Bengal tropical cyclones. Atmosphere, 16(2), 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16020235

Daphine Ayebare | Space Exploration | Young Scientist Award

Ms. Daphine Ayebare | Space Exploration | Young Scientist Award

Ms. Daphine Ayebare | Mbarara University of Science and technology | Uganda

Daphine Ayebare is a Ugandan physicist specializing in space science with a strong focus on equatorial electrojets and ionospheric dynamics. She is pursuing her Ph.D. at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, where her research builds on earlier studies of ionospheric irregularities and scintillations. Alongside her academic journey, she has gained rich teaching experience as an Assistant Lecturer at multiple universities, delivering courses in solid state physics, quantum mechanics, materials science, and related fields. Her scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, and she has actively participated in international workshops and training programs on space weather and satellite data analysis. Recognized with scholarships and awards for her academic excellence, she continues to contribute to advancing space science research and capacity building in Africa.

Academic Profile 

scopus

Education

Daphine Ayebare has pursued her academic career with a strong dedication to space science and physics. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics Education, followed by a Master’s in Physics with a specialization in space science. Building on these foundations, she is currently advancing her expertise through doctoral research in Physics, with her thesis focusing on modeling equatorial electrojets over the African region. Her academic journey has been characterized by consistent excellence and a focus on ionospheric physics, which has shaped her path as a promising researcher in atmospheric and space sciences.

Experience

She has accumulated extensive teaching and academic experience across several universities in Uganda. Currently serving as an Assistant Lecturer, she has taught a wide range of undergraduate physics courses, including solid state physics, materials science, nuclear radiation physics, geophysics, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics. Prior to her current role, she contributed as a part-time and full-time lecturer in other institutions, gaining diverse exposure to different learning environments and student groups. Alongside teaching, she has also engaged in mentoring and academic support for certificate and diploma students, reflecting her commitment to capacity building in the sciences.

Research Interests

Her research interests are centered on space science, ionospheric physics, and atmospheric studies. She has conducted significant work on the trends of ionospheric irregularities, scintillation patterns, and the dynamics of geomagnetic disturbances. Her doctoral research focuses on the characterization and modeling of equatorial electrojets over the African region, integrating ground-based and satellite-based observations. She is also interested in data analysis related to space weather effects on communication and navigation systems, contributing to the broader understanding of geospace environment dynamics in low-latitude regions.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout her academic career, Daphine Ayebare has been recognized with competitive scholarships and awards that reflect her academic excellence and research potential. She received full sponsorship for her undergraduate studies and later secured international scholarships that supported her Master’s and Doctoral research. These awards not only highlight her dedication to academic growth but also underscore her role as a beneficiary and contributor to global scientific collaborations. In addition, she has actively participated in international workshops and training schools on space weather, satellite data analysis, and geophysics, further enhancing her research skills and professional standing.

Publications

Characterization of the equatorial electrojet and its magnetic signatures deduced from Swarm observations

Author: Daphine Ayebare, Geoffrey Andima, Patrick Mungufeni, Jean Claude Uwamahoro, Edward Jurua

Journal: Advances in Space Research

Year: 2025

Conclusion

Daphine Ayebare’s exceptional research, dedication to teaching, and active engagement in advancing space science make her an outstanding candidate for the Young Scientist Award. Her work demonstrates both scientific excellence and meaningful community impact, reflecting the qualities this award seeks to honor.