About Me

Stefano is a Machine Learning Engineer at Cyberneid, where he develops and optimize Computer Vision models for real-world applications.

He is a PhD candidate in the International PhD Programme UNESCO Chair on Environment, Resource and Sustainable Development at Parthenope University of Naples, working in the Department of Science and Technology. His doctoral thesis focused on the development of Machine Learning algorithms for exoplanet detection in Kepler and TESS data. He also served as principal observer in different projects aimed at supporting the ESA's Comet Interceptor mission, performing observations at ground-based telescopes: Asiago Copernico and Telescopio Nazionale Galileo.

He obtained his master's degree in Machine Learning and Big Data at Parthenope University of Naples, Italy (July 2022).

As he is very keen in improving his communication skills (e.g. giving talks, effective writing), he attended several courses and schools mainly held by Nature Masterclasses

Education

  • 2025-now: Machine Learning Engineer at Cyberneid
  • 2025: Ph.D. visiting student at Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
  • 2022-2025: Ph.D. student in the International PhD Programme UNESCO Chair on Environment, Resource and Sustainable Development at Parthenope University of Naples
  • 2022: MSc in "Machine Learning and Big Data" (110/110, cum laudae, with special mention), Parthenope University of Naples, Italy.
    Thesis: A CNN for automatic vetting of planet candidates in TESS data with Transfer Learning
  • 2019: BSc in Computer Science (103/110), Parthenope University of Naples, Italy.

Research Interests

  • Machine Learning;
  • Exoplanet detection;
  • Quantum Computing;
  • Data collection at ground-based telescopes;
Read more in the Research page.

Publications

Below is a list of links that you can use to access my publications and activities:

Research

Comet Interceptor Science Working Team Meeting #2, ESA-ESTEC, Noordwijk. From left to right: Stefano Fiscale, Prof. Alessandra Rotundi, Alice Maria Piccirillo (Postdoc), Prof. Ivano Bertini, Stefano Ferretti (Research fellow). Read more here

During my PhD, I developed Deep Learning and diffusion-based models to identify planetary signals in stellar light curves, with peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals.
I have collaborated with international teams, including NASA’s TESS Collaboration, Planet Patrol, and the Planetary Systems group at the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, where I spent a three months research stay. I will soon contribute to the ESA/PLATO mission within the Core Science (PSM) Exoplanet Working Group.
Also, as part of a research group supporting ESA’s Comet Interceptor mission, I conducted photometric observations of comets using the Copernico Telescope (Asiago, Italy) and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (La Palma, Canary Islands), contributing to data reduction and analysis.

Last updates

  • Jun-Sept 2025: I spent a three months research stay at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, wokring under the supervision of Professor Magali Deleuil on the development of Machine Learning models for exoplanet detection in ESA's PLATO simulated data.
  • April 2025: Check out my new paper on Exoplanets Detection with Diffusion Models. Article pdf here.
  • December 2024: I come back to Telescopio Nazionale Galileo as visitor observer.
  • September 2024: I attended the LSST Solar System Readiness Sprint in Oxford, UK, as a member of LSST Solar System Science Collaboration.
  • September 2024: I presented the progress of my research project at the European Astrobiology Network Association in Graz, Austria.
  • December 2023: I went to Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) in La Palma, Canary Islands, as visitor observer.

Presentations

Here is the list of all the conferences where I gave a talk to present my works:


  1. Exoplanets in Naples, 1st annual meeting. Naples, Dec 2023.
  2. 109° Congresso Nazionale, Società Italiana di Fisica. Salerno, Sept 2023
  3. 4th Advanced School on Exoplanetary Science. Vietri sul Mare, May 2023
  4. The Italian Workshop on Neural Networks 2022. Vietri sul Mare, Sept 2022
  5. 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 2022 (virtual), Jul 2022
  6. European Astronomical Society, Data Science & AI. Valencia, Jul 2022
  7. XVII Congresso Nazionale di Scienze Planetarie. Naples, Jun 2022
  8. The 5th Azarquiel School of Astronomy (virtual), Nov 2021
  9. European Astronomical Society, Data science & Archives (virtual), Jul 2021.
  10. American Astronomical Society (AAS), Exoplanets with TESS (virtual), Jan 2021

My activities

I believe effective communication is crucial in science, whether you want to discuss your research with scientists or a broader audience. For the past three years, I have been working hard to improve my communication skills by giving lectures and participating in important in-person and virtual schools, such as Nature Masterclasses.

Figure. Credit: S C I A - 2023

Last event:

  • I gave an outreach talk with one of my PhD colleague on Tuesday, May 14 for the Pint of Science festival. The talk focused on the intersection of astrobiology and artificial intelligence and how these two wonderful disciplines are converging in scientific research. You can find further details here

Teaching activities:

  • Lecture on Astrobiology and Artificial Intelligence, Jun 2024
  • Advisor (2x) of BSc thesis in Machine Learning applied to TESS data, 2023-2024
  • Lectures (3x) on Exoplanets Detection, Jun 2023, May 2025
  • Lectures (3x) on Quantum Computing, Dec 2021, Dec 2024, Apr 2025.

Outreach:

  • Talk on Exoplanets Detection for CISA, Feb 2025
  • Talk on Exoplanets and Machine Learning, La Vita e lo Spazio, Feb 2024
  • Scientific explainer, XXXVII Edizione di Futuro Remoto, Nov 2023
  • Talk on exoplanets detection with Machine Learning, Mar 2022
  • Scientific explainer, XXXVI Edizione di Futuro Remoto - Equilibri, Nov 2022
  • Scientific explainer, XXXV Edizione di Futuro Remoto 2021, Nov 2021

My colleague Christian Magliano and I at the XVII Edition of Futuro Remoto, a public outreach event held every year in Naples.

Additional training:
To improve my research skills such as effective communication and networking, I am investing significant time in attending specific courses. The list of these courses is provided below: