PhD student in Geophysics, Tel Aviv University

Aleksei Nelaev is a PhD student and a member of the Photonic Seismology Lab led by Dr. Ariel Lellouch. Aleksei's research bridges geophysics and geology to answer fundamental geological questions. In his doctoral work, he integrates distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) with 3D earthquake data analysis, applying artificial intelligence (AI) and programming to analyze earthquake databases, developing new ways to detect and interpret seismic signals.

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Aleksei brings a geological perspective to the lab's work. He earned his M.Sc. in Marine Geosciences summa cum laude from the University of Haifa, where his thesis—Quantitative analysis of the Eratosthenes Seamount bathymetry: a tool for understanding subducting plate processes—combined Mediterranean seafloor mapping with quantitative geomorphological analysis. Earlier, he completed a double master’s in Reservoir Geoscience and Engineering at IFP School (Paris) and Tyumen State Oil and Gas University (Russia), following his B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering from Tyumen.

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His research has been presented at major international conferences, including the AGU Annual Meeting and EGU General Assembly, as well as scientific meetings in Europe, Israel, and the U.S. He has received recognition for his communication skills, including the Best Presentation Award at the 2023 Scientific Writing and Communication Conference at the University of Haifa.

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Alongside his research, Aleksei has worked in science communication and academic outreach. His academic excellence has been consistently recognized through a wide range of scholarships and awards, including the Graduate Studies Authority Excellence Scholarship, MERCI Scholarship, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Scholarship, and multiple fellowships from the University of Haifa. His record also includes international recognition such as the SPE Star Scholarship, and finalist selection for the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship, as well as other numerous awards.