Melissa Lopez

Dr. Melissa Lopez is a Researcher at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science, affiliated with the Gravitational and Subatomic Physics (GRASP) department. Her work centers on gravitational wave detection and data analysis, with specialized focus on machine learning applications for signal processing in astrophysical contexts. She actively contributes to international collaborations including LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA gravitational wave observatories.

Research Focus: Dr. Lopez's interdisciplinary research spans gravitational wave physics, machine learning implementation for astrophysical data, and cosmology. Primary domains include:

• Advanced detection algorithms for transient gravitational-wave events
• Machine learning-driven noise reduction and glitch classification
• Multi-messenger astronomy coordination and electromagnetic counterpart identification
• Cosmic microwave background analysis and early universe signatures
• Next-generation detector development for Einstein Telescope

Publication Trends: Her recent articles demonstrate a strong emphasis on deep learning solutions for gravitational wave challenges. Key themes include autoencoder-based anomaly detection, CNN/FPGA-accelerated signal identification, and generative modeling for data augmentation. Significant work focuses on LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA data analysis, cosmic string detection, and core-collapse supernova modeling for future observatories.

Collaborations: Dr. Lopez works within the GRASP research group and maintains active membership in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, contributing to data analysis pipelines and algorithm development for O3/O4 observing runs. She frequently co-authors multi-institutional papers involving gravitational wave observatories globally.