Pedro Gerum

What Do Astrophysics And Business Analytics Have In Common?

It Turns Out, A Lot.

OSM and Business Analytics Assistant Professor Dr. Pedro Cesar Lopes Gerum in collaboration with 12 scientists from 4 different countries recently completed work showcasing the discovery of 301 new planets orbiting stars outside of our solar system for NASA. 

"We used a machine learning model, named Exominer, that used large data sets (over a terabyte of space) to make the determination of whether a given star had planets orbiting it," said Dr. Gerum. "My role on the team was improving and validating the model in addition to coding the algorithms. I use very similar technology to identify transportation risks as part of my research in the OSM Department."

The technology used sifts through vast amounts of data that no singular human could digest and make decisions from. NASA made the announcement on November 22nd here. 

In terms of supply chain applications, Dr. Gerum uses data to forecast traffic congestion for situations that might be out of the ordinary traffic patterns. This research will help companies make better delivery estimates which presents great opportunity both for businesses and consumers, especially with supply chain shortages happening throughout the U.S. 

"The advantage of data-driven models is that they transcend subject areas," Gerum added.

The team published their article in Astrophysical Journal in November 2021. You can read the entire article here.

Spring 2021: Meet Professor Pedro Cesar Lopes Gerum